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Learning to Read: Systematic Phonics

Grade K-2 ยท Christian ยท NGSS/CCSS-aligned

This teaches reading the way the research says reading works: sounds first, taught explicitly, in a careful order. Schools call it systematic synthetic phonics. Clara teaches each sound out loud and plays the blending games with your child that a good reception teacher would. Your child then shows they can read by tapping the right printed word. The question is spoken aloud; the answer words never are, because reading them is the whole point. Every word your child is asked to read uses only sounds already taught. We check that mechanically when the course is built, so it is a promise rather than a hope.

What your child will learn

The whole year, in plain English. Tap any unit to see every skill inside, nothing is hidden.

First Sounds, First Wordspeek inside โ–ธ

The letter sounds, taught in the order that makes real words fastest โ€” your child reads their first word (at) in week one.

  1. The sounds s, a, t, p

    The sounds s, a, t, p

  2. The sounds i, n โ€” and real blending

    The sounds i, n โ€” and real blending

  3. The sounds m, d, g, o

    The sounds m, d, g, o

  4. The sounds c, k, e, u, r

    The sounds c, k, e, u, r

  5. The sounds h, b, f, l

    The sounds h, b, f, l

  6. The sounds j, v, w, x, y, z โ€” and the word 'the'

    The sounds j, v, w, x, y, z โ€” and the word 'the'

Words With More in Thempeek inside โ–ธ

Sentences, the two-letters-one-sound teams (sh, ch, th, ng, ck), and words that start with two quick sounds (stop, flag).

  1. Reading whole sentences โ€” and the words 'I' and 'a'

    Reading whole sentences โ€” and the words 'I' and 'a'

  2. Two letters, one sound: sh

    Two letters, one sound: sh

  3. More hand-holders: ch and th

    More hand-holders: ch and th

  4. The endings ng and ck

    The endings ng and ck

  5. Two sounds at the start: bl, st, tr and friends

    Two sounds at the start: bl, st, tr and friends

  6. Big finish: reading like a champion โ€” and 'to' and 'no'

    Big finish: reading like a champion โ€” and 'to' and 'no'

The Vowels Grow Uppeek inside โ–ธ

Silent e (cap becomes cape), the vowel teams (ee, ea, ai, ay, oa, ow, igh), and chopping longer words into chunks.

  1. Silent e makes the vowel say its name: a_e

    Silent e makes the vowel say its name: a_e

  2. Silent e with i and o: i_e, o_e

    Silent e with i and o: i_e, o_e

  3. Two vowels together: ee and ea

    Two vowels together: ee and ea

  4. The teams ai and ay

    The teams ai and ay

  5. The teams oa and ow (the 'oh' one)

    The teams oa and ow (the 'oh' one)

  6. The sound igh โ€” and 'said' and 'was'

    The sound igh โ€” and 'said' and 'was'

  7. Longer words: two chunks

    Longer words: two chunks

  8. Checkpoint: read a whole little story

    Checkpoint: read a whole little story

The Tricky Vowelspeek inside โ–ธ

Bossy r (car, fork, bird), the two sounds of oo, the loud ow/ou, and oi, oy, aw, ew.

  1. Bossy r: ar

    Bossy r: ar

  2. Bossy r: or, er

    Bossy r: or, er

  3. Bossy r: ir and ur

    Bossy r: ir and ur

  4. The teams oo (moon) and oo (book)

    The teams oo (moon) and oo (book)

  5. The loud teams: ou and ow

    The loud teams: ou and ow

  6. The teams oi and oy

    The teams oi and oy

  7. The teams aw and ew โ€” and 'they' and 'what'

    The teams aw and ew โ€” and 'they' and 'what'

  8. Checkpoint: every vowel sound you own

    Checkpoint: every vowel sound you own

Real Readingpeek inside โ–ธ

Endings (-s, -ing, -ed), soft c and g, silent letters, three-chunk words, reading with expression, and the last tricky words.

  1. Endings that do work: -s, -ing

    Endings that do work: -s, -ing

  2. Endings from the past: -ed

    Endings from the past: -ed

  3. Soft c and soft g

    Soft c and soft g

  4. Silent letters: kn, wr, mb

    Silent letters: kn, wr, mb

  5. Three-chunk words

    Three-chunk words

  6. Reading smoothly: punctuation is stage directions

    Reading smoothly: punctuation is stage directions

  7. Tricky-word round-up

    Tricky-word round-up

  8. You are a reader: the final story

    You are a reader: the final story

From the parent guide

This teaches reading the way the research says reading works: sounds first, taught explicitly, in a careful order. Schools call it systematic synthetic phonics. Clara teaches each sound out loud and plays the blending games with your child that a good reception teacher would. Your child then shows they can read by tapping the right printed word. The question is spoken aloud; the answer words never are, because reading them is the whole point. Every word your child is asked to read uses only sounds already taught. We check that mechanically when the course is built, so it is a promise rather than a hope.

Unit 1 ยท what to expect

The letter sounds, taught in the order that makes real words fastest โ€” your child reads their first word (at) in week one.

The full guide covers all 5 units: where kids get stuck, what to say, and how to tell it's working. Included with the course.

Ready when you are

Free for 30 days ยท then $29/mo or $290/yr for the whole family ยท Cancel anytime, no questions asked.

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Learning to Read: Systematic Phonics, Grade K-2 Homeschool Curriculum