In this post, I’m sharing a FREE research-based, science of reading-aligned phonics scope and sequence for kindergarten, first and second grade.
If you’ve begun your journey into the science of reading, you’ve surely come to see that phonics instruction plays a big role in effective reading instruction. Studies have found that systematic phonics instruction produces significant benefits for k-6 students and for children who have difficulty learning to read.
So we know it’s an important thing to teach, but what’s the best way to do so? I hear from so many of you who aren’t given any direction about what order to teach these skills. You want to know where to begin and you need a roadmap to follow!
So to help you out, I’m sharing a FREE research-based phonics scope and sequence. I’ll discuss the qualities of effective phonics instruction and leave you with a science of reading-aligned phonics scope and sequence for Kindergarten, first and second-grade students.
Characteristics of Quality Phonics Instruction
While there are many different ways you can teach phonics skills, the most effective phonics instruction follows these essential, evidence-based principles of quality instruction and is based on the “I do, We do, You do” model.
💕 Instruction is explicit. In explicit instruction, the objective of the lesson is clear and the teaching is intentional. The teacher takes center stage and directly teaches concepts to students. There are opportunities for guided practice with decreasing levels of support. It follows the “I do, We do, You do” model.
💕 Instruction is systematic. Skills taught and practiced are based on a research-based scope and sequence. Each lesson and activity builds upon itself. Students are not asked to do anything they haven’t first been taught. When instruction is systematic, nothing is left to chance.
💕 Instruction should be engaging. When students understand why they are learning what you are teaching and they are provided with the appropriate support for success, they see learning as relevant to their lives and are more engaged and motivated.
💕 Instruction is intensive. This means instruction is data-driven and focused on essential skills.
💕 Practice activities should be cumulative. Once a student moves forward with a new concept, they must continue to review the skills they already learned. In his book, A Fresh Look at Phonics, Wiley Blevins reminds us that a new skill needs to be systematically and purposefully reviewed for four to six weeks after you first introduce it. Take a look at this post for ideas of daily routines and activities you can do with your students throughout the day to help ensure they receive the practice they need for mastery.
A Phonics Scope and Sequence for Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd Grade
While there is no one best way to teach phonics, we do know that effective phonics instruction must be systematic. The key to ensuring your instruction is systematic is to have a research-based scope and sequence to follow. The good news is I’ve got a great one for you and it’s FREE! Let me tell you a little bit more about it…
✏️ This K-2 phonics scope and sequence is researched-based and aligned with the science of reading. You can feel confident using it as a roadmap for your phonics instruction!
✏️ It starts with the simplest phonics skills and builds to the most complex, always building on previous learning.
✏️ It teaches students to form words as early as possible. This is because we know that the simple act of writing by hand provides a perceptual-motor experience that unifies what is being learned about the letters (their shapes, their sounds, and their motor plans), which in turn creates richer knowledge and fuller, true learning.
✏️ It teaches high-frequency sounds before less useful sounds and minimizes learning interference.
This k-2 scope and sequence comes as a part of my FREE Science of Reading toolkit. Each day I receive many questions about the science of reading, so to help answer some of those questions created this toolkit. It provides teachers with information and a variety of resources about the science of reading. In addition to a phonics scope and sequences for kindergarten, first and second grade, the toolkit also includes:
💕 A Phoneme-Grapheme Dictionary
💕 Editable parent letters that teach about the Science of Reading & the Heart Word Method
💕 Heart Word and Syllable Types Teaching Posters
💕 Word Mapping Activities- Seasonal Word Mapping Mats and Pop-it Fidget Mats
Finally, when you sign up to receive the toolkit, you’ll also receive a 5-day series of informational emails. This email series was created to help you learn more about the science of reading and answer some of the most commonly asked questions. Each day focuses on a different aspect of the SoR and will help you understand how to use the resources offered in the toolkit and more free resources to support you.
Drop your email below to get the FREE SoR SCOPE AND SEQUENCE and TOOLKIT instantly!
*87% of the time, school spam filters block emails like mine 😩 Please use a personal address so you don’t miss a thing!
I hope the information and FREE SoR resources I have shared today will help to make phonics instruction more systematic and effective in your classroom!
–PIN for LATER–
I would love the scope and sequence
Hi Sharon, If you have not signed up yet, sign up here and I’ll send it to your inbox instantly! 🙂 -Christina
Great information! I would love a copy of scope and sequence
Hi! You can download the K-2 phonics scope and sequence with my free SOR toolkit. It includes tons of goodies including word mapping templates, editable SOR parent letters, teaching posters and more! https://mrswintersbliss.com/a-science-of-reading-aligned-phonics-scope-and-sequence-for-k-2/
We cannot wait to use this with our MLL. Thank you.
I would love the scope and sequence and tool kit.
Hi Sharon, sure! Just enter your name and email address and I’ll send the resources right over!
🙂 -Christina
Love your work! Do you have any resource(s) that offer progress monitoring tools? I am a special educator working on IEP goals.
Hi Teresa,
Thank you so much for your kind words! Both my phonemic awareness lessons and word study units include screeners and inventories as a measurement of skills mastered/deficit! I hope this is helpful! -Christina
Hi! And thank you so much for all that you share here and on YouTube. I am a 1st grade teacher who is new to the SOR (just started LETRS training) and would love to know your opinion on implementing the scope and sequences that you offered. About 80% of my students are struggling readers (60% cannot identify letter names). Do you think I should begin with the kindergarten scope and sequence whole group and use the 1st grade one in small groups with the few students who are ready? **My district doesn’t have a specific phonics program, but we use DFS (Differentiated Foundational Skills) when we can fit it in. Thanks so much in advance.
Hi Chareece,
Although I think that all children deserve access to the core curriculum aligned to the grade level standards/scope and sequence it sounds like you have a special circumstance with such a large group below benchmark.So yes I think your idea is very responsive. If you don’t have an assessment, the Core phonics is a good one to use to find out which skills students have secured! Keep up the good work, hope this is helpful! -Christina
Hi! I just signed up! I’m excited to use your great ideas! Thanks for sharing! I would love your free scope and sequence and word mapping.
Thanks,
Lisa
HI Lisa, You can download it right in the blog post! 🙂 -Christina
Hello! I tried to “sign up” and it comes back with a “failure to fetch” comment.
What should I do?
Hi Alex, that is a very strange tech snafu. Feel free to send me an email with your request and I can make sure you get the resource! 🙂 -Christina https://mrswintersbliss.com/contact/
I would love this scope and sequence!
You can download it right in the post! 🙂
I would love a copy!
Hi Bethany,
Just enter your email and I’ll send it right over! 🙂 -Christina
Thank you for sharing information. Our disrict is about to embark on Science of Reading. Trying to find any info I can find.
Hi! I signed up and received the free materials, but I did not see the pages with the data tracker for skill mastery included. Is there somewhere else I need to sign up to receive the sheet that is one page for every student to note mastery? Thank you!
Hi Michelle, I think you meant to sign up on this blog post for the free phonics continuums (scroll down and put your email to get them instantly sent to you) https://mrswintersbliss.com/free-phonics-skills-continuum-for-k-2/
🙂 -Christina
Hi!! Love this!!! However, I didn’t get or couldn’t find the scope and sequence.
I have since signed up for everything you asked…
Please and thank you!
Dee
Hi Dee,
Thanks for visiting my blog! I see you signed up to get the free SOR Toolkit. It’s included in the first PDF. If you have any problem, feel free to send a quick email and we can make sure to send it right over! 🙂 -Christina
I would love the scope and sequence downloads. I love your resources!
Thank you!
Hi Jessica, scroll down and add your email and I will instantly send the scope and sequence to your inbox! 🙂 -Christina