Developed by Sandra Elam page 10
The National Right to Read Foundation, www.nrrf.org
Note: This Phonics Primer does not contain all English spelling patterns. Consult a good
phonics program such as one from Phonics Products from Home or Phonics Products for
School for additional spelling patterns and rules. Most products contain detailed instructions and
practice reading selections.
Step 13. After 3 to 4 months of daily phonics instruction, begin introducing
decodable stories.
Important: All sounds and spellings in Steps 2 - 12 should be introduced within the first 4
months of phonics instruction.
After 3 to 4 months of reading lists of words and sentences, your student should be ready to read
decodable stories. The student should read all stories aloud, carefully and accurately. Help him
sound out difficult words, as needed. Explain the meaning of all new words. Encourage him to
read each story several times to gain fluency, but don’t let him memorize the story (reciting a
story from memory is not reading). Model fluent reading by reading a sentence aloud with
expression, then asking him to repeat what you read with the same tone of voice. Explain and
demonstrate the meaning of basic punctuation (period = stop, comma = pause, exclamation point
= speak with excitement, question mark = raise the pitch of your voice on the last word to ask a
question.)
Step 14. Begin introducing “easy-to-read” books.
After the student masters decodable stories, let him move on to easy books such as those by Dr.
Seuss (Hop on Pop; One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish; Ten Apples Up on Top; Green
Eggs and Ham; and so on), P. D. Eastman (Are You My Mother?; Go Dog, Go!; A Fish Out of
Water), and Cynthia Rylant (Henry and Mudge series; Poppleton series; Mr. Putter and Tabby
series). As your student reads each book, add new wacky words to the Words To Learn file and
review daily, if necessary.
Continue teaching the lessons in the phonics program – don’t stop just because your student can
read. Most children need 1 to 2 years of reinforcement before their phonics knowledge becomes
permanent.
Step 15. Continue to give phonetically based spelling lists.
Even after your student has finished the phonics program, make sure to reinforce his phonics
knowledge by giving phonetically based spelling lists each week at least through third grade.
Revised: 1/07