Come join us for this episode of From Research to Recess as we dig into Chapter 4 of Next Steps in Literacy Instruction. This one is all about phonics… and there is a lot to unpack in the best way.

We’re talking about the pieces that really matter for building strong readers. Encoding. Decoding. Word recognition. All those parts that come together to help our students feel confident when they see a word on the page.

And of course, we keep it practical.

We share simple ways to check in on letter naming fluency and why automaticity makes such a difference for our early learners. You’ll hear about easy, engaging activities like alphabet arcs, match-it games, and even a little bingo fun. Because yes… phonics practice can feel playful and meaningful at the same time!

We also walk through the phases of word recognition development so you can better understand where your students are and what they need next. It’s one of those things that helps everything click into place.

And if you’ve ever wondered how to keep track of progress without feeling overwhelmed, we talk about that too. Tools like ESGI, norm-referenced assessments, and what to actually do with that information once you have it.

We also spend some time on those students who need a little extra support. What small shifts can make a big difference? How do we approach uppercase and lowercase letters? And where does morphological awareness fit into all of this?

This episode is full of ideas you can take straight into your classroom. No complicated setup. Just thoughtful, research-based practices that help your students grow.

Your phonics block is about to feel a whole lot more doable. 💛

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• ⁠NEXT STEPS IN LITERACY INSTRUCTION⁠

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