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On this page
  • 1.1 New Sound
  • 1.2 The Fast Game
  • 1.3 The Slow Game
  • 1.4 Story Reading
  • 1.5 Writing
  • 1.6 Getting to Know the Student

Cycle 1

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Last updated 22 days ago

1.1 New Sound

Purpose and Procedure

This task introduces students to reading the first continuous sound in the curriculum, which is the sound /ă/ as in trap.

You and the student should hold this sound for two seconds each time you read it.

Important Reminders

Do not say letters' names (or even the word letter) while teaching these tasks. Instead, you should emphasize the sound being associated with that symbol.

Read the sound with an even pitch, without letting the sound get higher or lower as you hold it.

Only say the sound while your finger is on the dot under the a.

Correcting the Student

The following is the correction text to use if a student makes a mistake reading a continuous sound in a New Sound task [example sound: /ă/]:

❖ If the student says the letter’s name (/ā/) or a wrong sound (like /ŏ/), say: This sound is /ăăă/. Let’s read it together. Get ready: /ăăă/. Good. Your turn…

❖ If the student doesn’t hold the sound for two seconds, say: Read this sound slowly like this: /⁠ăăă/. Let’s read it together. Get ready: /ăăă/. Good. Your turn…

❖ If the student says the sound at the wrong time, say: Only read this sound when my finger is on this dot, like this: /ăăă/. Let’s read it together. Get ready: /ăăă/. Good. Your turn…

1.2 The Fast Game

Purpose and Procedure

This task introduces students to saying words the fast way after hearing you say them slowly.

For the first five words, you will say two parts of a word, pausing in between, and the student will say those two parts quickly together back into one word.

For the last three words (us, all, and if), you will say two continuous sounds, holding each sound for two seconds without pausing in between, and then the student will say them back to you the fast way.

In this early cycle, as the student learns the protocol for this type of task, you will tell the student each of the last three words before saying them slowly. In later cycles, you will not tell them the word first.

Important Reminders

Make sure to read the example sentences after each of the last three words (for example, after the student says us the fast way, you say, Yes, us. Like, "She came to school with us."). These example sentences occur throughout the curriculum, and they serve several purposes:

  • Sometimes students don't recognize a word after working hard to decode its sounds, even if that word is already in their vocabulary. Their brains are so busy with the sound-symbol correspondences and with saying them the fast way that it can make even a familiar word sound foreign. Giving the word in the context of an example sentence helps students recognize it as a word they already know and understand.

  • If students are reading a word they don't know yet, the example sentence helps them develop an understanding of the meaning of that word so they can eventually add it to their vocabulary. Over the course of the curriculum, the thousands of example sentences broaden the students' vocabulary and support their understanding of more complex text.

  • The example sentences are written strategically to set students up for success with later parts of the curriculum. Because words often have multiple meanings, the example sentence they read in one cycle might be written in a way that ensures exposure to a particular meaning of that word that is relevant to how it appears in the story text of a later cycle.

  • Reading the example sentences is much more efficient than trying to think up a new sentence for every word the students read. The greatest educational benefit to the students comes when you use the example sentences that are provided.

At the end of the task, repeat any words that required correction.

Correcting the Student:

The following is the correction text to use if a student makes a mistake in a Fast Game task [example word: us]:

❖ If the student says it slowly instead of fast, like /ŭŭŭsss/, say: My turn to say it fast: us. Your turn to say it fast…

1.3 The Slow Game

Purpose and Procedure

This task introduces students to saying words that consist of two continuous sounds the slow way.

Students should say each continuous sound for two seconds, and they should not pause between sounds.

In this early cycle, as the student learns the protocol for this type of task, you will tell the student each word before saying it slowly. You will also say each word slowly simultaneously with the student before the student says it slowly alone.

Important Reminders

Count each sound on your fingers as you say a word slowly.

Note that may and say should be said slowly with two sounds each: /mmmāāā/ and /sssāāā/. The diphthong /ā/ should be treated as one sound.

Make sure to read the example sentences after each of the three words.

At the end of the task, repeat any words that required correction.

Correcting the Student

The following is the correction text to use if a student makes a mistake in a Slow Game task [example word: in]:

❖ If the student pauses between the sounds, say: Don’t pause between the /ĭĭĭ/ and the /nnn/. Listen: /ĭĭĭnnn/. Take a deep breath, and we’ll say it together: /ĭĭĭnnn/. Good. Now by yourself…

❖ If the student shortens a sound, say: Say both sounds slowly. Listen: /ĭĭĭnnn/. Take a deep breath, and we’ll say it together: /ĭĭĭnnn/. Good. Now by yourself…

1.4 Story Reading

Purpose and Procedure

This task introduces students to answering literal questions about an illustration.

Later, this type of task will require students to answer inferential questions about texts.

1.5 Writing

Purpose and Procedure

In this task, students will practice writing a and reading the corresponding sound, /ăăă/.

The development of students' handwriting skills is a nice side benefit of this type of task, but it is not the main purpose. The main purpose of these tasks is for students to interact kinesthetically with the structure of a symbol while saying its sound, thereby strengthening the connection in their minds between that symbol and that sound.

In this task, it is important that students write this particular form of a (with the top hook). While people rarely write this form of a by hand, this is the way it almost always appears in printed materials. Writing it in this way allows students to attend to the structure of the symbol so they can recognize it when they see it in print. While it is important that they write it in this form while doing Once work, it is not necessary for students to write a like this in other contexts, like in their classroom.

Important Reminders

You should attend to students’ current skills to determine how the students should write:

  • ‍What they should write ON: Students may use our printable worksheets, drawing paper, an erasable template, wide-ruled paper, or tri-lined paper.

  • ‍What they should write WITH: Students may use crayon rocks, a pencil with a finger-guiding grip, or a regular pencil. For some students, it may be helpful at first to place your hand over theirs to guide them in their writing.

Writing tasks should not take more than one minute. Students’ strengths should determine how many times they trace, connect dots, and write on their own within the minute allotted for this task. Some students may be able to write a many times in that minute. Others may only be able to trace it a couple of times, but they still should not exceed a minute for the entire task.

As in all types of tasks in this curriculum, students must do the task correctly before moving to the next task. But, in Writing tasks, meeting the standard for correctness means saying the correct sound, not writing a perfect symbol. Don’t worry if the student isn’t yet able to write smooth lines. It is still worth it for them to do this task. Applaud their effort, and move on.

You should not say letters' names (or even the word letter) during these tasks but should instead emphasize the sound being associated with that symbol.

Correcting the Student

The following is the correction text to use if a student makes a mistake in a Writing task [example sound: /ă/]:

❖ If the student says a letter's name or a wrong sound (like /ŏ/), say: This sound is /ăăă/. Your turn…

❖ If the student doesn’t hold the sound for two seconds, say: Read this sound slowly like this: /ăăă/. Your turn…

1.6 Getting to Know the Student

Purpose and Procedure

This task is an opportunity to learn more about a student by asking them a personal question.

This type of task is only present in the first five cycles. After that, you will continue to develop relationships with your students organically.