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Teaching kids to read is one of the most critical responsibilities we have as educators. However, without the right approach, students often struggle to connect sounds, decode words, and become confident, fluent readers. Today, many educators rely on teaching letters in isolation weekly, or ask parents to simply read more at home. While these strategies have been touted for a long time, they are not enough. One powerful way to ensure reading success is through teaching phonics step-by-step which is systematic phonics instruction.
This structured approach allows students to learn how to decode words by mastering a progression of phonics skills—from simple sounds to more complex ones, including blends, digraphs, and so on as students are ready for them. While experts don’t necessarily agree on the exact scope and sequence of letter sounds, they do agree that some order should be followed- each building on what came before, and moving from simple to more complex over time. In this blog post, I will share what scope and sequence has worked for me. As long as you have a plan that builds, you will be fine!
Systematic phonics instruction teaches phonics in a logical, scaffolded order, helping students build one skill at a time. This means we don’t randomly teach letter sounds, blends, or digraphs; instead, we carefully introduce them in a way that aligns with how students learn to read most effectively.
For example, students start with simple letter-sound relationships, such as /m/ for “m” and /s/ for “s,” and then gradually move toward more complex combinations, like blends (e.g., bl, st, tr) and digraphs (e.g., sh, ch, th).
Imagine teaching a student how to read the word “think” without first teaching them the sounds for “t,” “h,” and “nk.” They’d likely guess, memorize, or struggle to decode the word. These approaches that don’t lead to long-term reading success. This is essentially what happens when we randomly assign sight words.
Here’s why following a specific sequence makes a difference:
I honestly choose an order and try to get as far as I can. I also use my sound wall as I guide and see how far I can get.
Don’t get stuck on teaching just letter names and sounds for too long! Yes, it’s an important first step, but spending too much time on the alphabet can hold kids back from learning bigger skills like vowel teams or diphthongs.
Once your students have a basic grasp of the alphabet, it’s time to start combining those letters to make words. For example, don’t spend an entire week practicing just the letter b. Introduce it one day, practice it, and then quickly move on to more letters each day. Keep revisiting what you’ve already taught with activities like quick flashcards, phonological awareness games (freebie here), and simple decodable books to reinforce what they’ve learned.
The key is to keep things moving! When kids start using their letter-sound knowledge to read actual words, they build confidence and experience the excitement of decoding. Let’s get them there as soon as we can!
Some teachers like to teach letters in A-Z order, but I’ve found it works better to use an intentional order. I like starting with letters like s, a, t, p, i, and n. These sounds are easy to remember because the name sounds like the sound it makes. Adding a a few good vowels right away lets us jump into blending and decoding simple words early on.
Think about it… how many words can you make after you’ve learned, a, b, c, d, e, f? But how many words can you make if you first learn s, a, t, p, i, n?
I also make sure to spiral review the letters daily with flashcards games or phonics charts. This keeps students that know the sounds pretty well a chance to review and increase fluency at the sound level, while giving those who need more time the chance to catch up without feeling left behind. It’s a win-win—everyone keeps learning, and no one gets stuck or overwhelmed!
Consonant blends are groups of two or three consonants where each letter retains its individual sound, and they’re an essential step in phonics instruction. For example, in the word “flag,” you can hear the /f/ and /l/ sounds distinctly, and in “stop,” the /s/ and /t/ are both pronounced. Common beginning blends include bl, cl, fl, st, sp, and tr, while ending blends include nd, st, and mp (e.g., land, past, jump). Teaching blends helps students smoothly connect sounds and prepares them to decode more complex words. Practicing with words like “frog,” “drum,” and “plant” allows students to see how blends work and builds their decoding confidence. Again, include sounds they have learned before in reading and phonemic awareness to keep spiraling their practice.
Digraphs are pairs of letters that come together to create a single sound. Unlike blends, where each letter’s sound is heard, digraphs produce one unified phoneme. This will be brand new learning, so I teach it after blends. Common consonant digraphs include sh as in “ship,” ch as in “chat,” th as in “think,” and wh as in “whale.” The /th/ also makes a voiced and unvoiced sound, as in the and think. Teaching digraphs in a planned order helps students recognize and decode these sound combinations with ease, again building on what came before. Visual aids, such as pictures of a ship for /sh/ or a chain for /ch/, paired with decodable texts, can help solidify this concept.
The silent “e” plays several important roles in phonics, making it more than just a quiet letter at the end of a word. Its most common job (and the most popular teaching point) is to turn a short vowel sound into a long vowel sound, as in “cap” becoming “cape” or “kit” becoming “kite.” However, the silent “e” has other important functions too. It can prevent a word from ending in a “v,” as in “give” or “love.” It also helps distinguish meaning, like in “hop” (to jump) versus “hope” (a feeling of expectation). Additionally, silent “e” can soften a “c” or “g,” in words such as “dance” and “large.” Once students have a better grip on letter sounds, blends, and digraphs, this is a place I pause and point out the importance of silent e. As students are reading more, talking about silent e will prevent a lot of random guessing, narrowing the possibilities down when reading.
Vowel teams are pairs or groups of vowels that work together to represent a specific vowel sound. Some vowel teams, like ai in “rain” or ee in “tree,” produce consistent sounds, making them easier to learn. Others, such as ea, can have multiple pronunciations, as in “read” (present tense, long e) versus “read” (past tense, short e). More complex vowel teams include oi in “coin” and ou in “out.” Teaching vowel teams systematically gives students the foundational skills to decode words, but it’s equally important to encourage flexibility. Readers need to understand that some vowel teams can make different sounds depending on the word, and they may need to “try it both ways” to find the correct pronunciation. This adaptability builds confidence and prepares students to decode unfamiliar words effectively since they can narrow down the possibilities of “ea” instead of guessing.
R-controlled vowels occur when a vowel is followed by the letter “r,” which changes the way the vowel is pronounced. Instead of the typical short or long vowel sound, the “r” creates a unique sound that dominates the vowel. For example, in “car,” the “a” doesn’t sound like the short /a/ in “cat” or the long /a/ in “cake”—instead, it produces an /ar/ sound. Other common r-controlled vowels include “er” in “her,” “ir” in “bird,” “ur” in “turn,” and “or” in “fork.” These sounds are often tricky for young readers because they don’t follow standard vowel rules. Teaching r-controlled vowels explicitly, with plenty of practice reading and spelling words like “star,” “storm,” and “fur,” helps students recognize these patterns and decode words more accurately.
Diphthongs are special vowel sounds created when two vowels blend together in a way that allows both sounds to glide into each other, forming a unique sound. Unlike vowel teams, where one sound typically dominates (e.g., ee in “tree”), diphthongs involve a smooth, dynamic movement between two vowel sounds. Common diphthongs include oi as in “boil,” oy as in “toy,” ou as in “cloud,” and ow as in “cow.” Diphthongs can be challenging for students because their pronunciation can vary slightly depending on regional accents or the context of the word.
The letter “y” is a versatile character in the English language, often acting as both a consonant and a vowel. As a vowel, “y” typically takes on the sound of a long e (as in “happy”) or a long i (as in “fly”). It often appears as a vowel at the end of words when no other vowel is present, fulfilling the need for a vowel in the syllable, such as the word “try.” Additionally, “y” can function as a consonant, making the /y/ sound at the beginning of words like “yellow” or “yard.” Teaching students about the dual nature of “y” helps them decode words like “cry,” “baby,” and “gym” with confidence. It’s also important to explain how “y” often replaces “i” at the end of words to avoid confusion with plural rules, as in “party” instead of “parti.”
Now that we have covered the foundational letter combos, let’s talk sight words.
Are sight words important? Should they be taught? Yes! However you can get so much more bang for your buck when you do a little bit of planning.
Systemic, or step-by-step, phonics can also make teaching sight words more effective. If you were to focus on patterns and group sight words to be taught AFTER those letter sounds are taught, you would unlock the door to reading many more words with a single skill, and not force students to learn seemingly disjointed words when they are not ready for them. Students can read words instead of trying to memorize them.
For instance, when students learn the i_e pattern, they can decode not just “like” but also “bike,” “time,” “side,” and “fine.” If you placed the sight word “like” to be introduced when silent e is introduced, the need to memorize would disappear. This pattern-based approach is far more impactful than teaching “like” as a standalone sight word, as it equips students with transferable knowledge they can apply to countless words. Sight word memorization often relies on rote learning, which can limit a student’s ability to generalize that knowledge. By teaching phonics patterns, students develop a deeper understanding of word structure, which builds their confidence and ability to tackle unfamiliar words.
There may still be times they must simply memorize, but they will be few and far between.
Spelling lists are a powerful tool for reinforcing phonics patterns and helping students connect reading and writing. Instead of random word lists, effective spelling lists should align with the phonics skills students are currently learning. For example, if the focus is on the a_e pattern (magic e), a spelling list might include words like “cake,” “rate,” and “name.” This allows students to practice decoding these words while reading and encoding them while writing. Writing these words solidifies their understanding of the pattern and strengthens neural connections, helping students store the information in their long-term memory. Combining reading and writing practice ensures students can apply their phonics skills in both contexts, leading to deeper mastery and greater confidence.
If you are looking for a simple way to combine and deliver everything from sounds, to spelling lists, to decodables in an intentional scope and sequence, then check out the Science of Reading Membership. The membership takes the guesswork out of teaching and provides everything you need to see real, lasting growth in your students’ reading skills.
With 46 weeks of systematic, research-based K-2 lesson plans, this membership gives you a step-by-step guide to transform your reading block. You’ll receive digital slide decks with full lessons, printable materials, decodable readers, and assessments that help you track progress—all designed to align with the science of reading. The membership also includes high-frequency words sorted by phonics patterns, fluency activities, comprehension resources, and monthly PD videos to help you continually grow as an educator.
Whether you’re running small groups or whole-class instruction, the lessons are engaging, visual, and fun for your students. Plus, with the inclusion of writing activities, your kids will work on reading and spelling simultaneously, reinforcing the skills they’re learning. And the best part? You’ll have access to a community of like-minded educators and ongoing support to ensure your success.
Ready to see 2-3 years of reading growth in a single school year? Join today and give your students—and yourself—the gift of confident, effective reading instruction.
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