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Phonics Steps 1 – 10

Work through these 10 steps. The progression begins with simple words like “cat” and “sun” and ends with multiple syllable words like “vacation” and “superpower.” Begin with the teaching video, and then dive into the materials having your learner write some of the words and sentences they are reading. When one level is mastered (words and stories are read at 95% accuracy and with fluency), move on to the next level.

Work on Sight Words and the Big Sounds Pack flashcards alongside these steps.

Practice Playing With Sounds (Phonemic Awareness) especially if your learner struggles.

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Short Vowels / Closed Syllable (CVC)

Vowels are a, e, i, o and u. They make both a long sound (it’s own name) and a short sound. The short vowel sounds are the sounds they make in the words: mat, pet, sit, top, mug.

Short vowel sounds are indicated by: /ă/ /ĕ/ /ĭ/ /ŏ/ /ŭ/.
Long vowel sounds are indicated by: /ā/ /ē/ /ī/ /ō/ /ū/.
Y sometimes behaves like a vowel at the end of words. It says /ī/ at the end of one syllable words and /ē/ at the end of longer words.
Consonants are b,c,d,f,g,h,j,k,l,m,n,p,q,r,s,t,v,w,x,y,z.
A Closed Syllable (CVC or VC) has one vowel and ends in a consonant. It is most commonly abbreviated CVC as most closed syllable words also have a consonant before the vowel. The vowel says its short sound like in the words hat, pet, it, on, and luck. The Closed syllable is the most common syllable, and the only syllable where the vowel says its short sound.

Digraphs (th, sh, ch, wh), & Blends with Unusual Blends and Digraphs

4h Brothers are the h digraphs: th, sh, wh, and ch. (A digraph is multiple letters saying one sound.)
Blends are 2 consonants read quickly together. Some examples are: pl, gr, sn, and ending blends -mp, -nd, and -nt.
Unusual Blends and Digraphs include: -ng, -nk, -tch, -dge, kn, gn, ph, wr, -mb, and -mn.

Open Syllable (CV), Y At the End of Words

An Open Syllable (CV) has one vowel at the end of the syllable. The vowel says its name (its long sound) as in the Open Syllable words: hi, me, go and mu as in the 2 syllable word music.
Y acts as a vowel at the end of Open Syllable words like sly, by, shy, and fly.
Open Syllables are most often part of longer words. The first syllable in the following words are open: bonus, table and meter.

Magic e Syllable (VCE) & 2 Sounds for C, G

A Magic e Syllable (VCE) has a vowel, a consonant, and then an e at the end of the syllable. The e at the end of a Magic e Syllable is silent, and makes the vowel in that syllable say its name (long sound). Examples are the words: bike, pale, snake, note, and tune. Be sure to watch one or both of the videos teaching this!
Contractions are two words put together with an apostrophe where one or more letters have been omitted. Examples are the words: didn’t, could’ve, and can’t.

After teaching Magic e, you can teach Step 7 Adding Endings and Schwa (ə) anytime!

Regular Vowel Team Syllable (VV) & Closed Syllable Exceptions Detour

The Regular Vowel Team Syllable (VV) has two vowels next to each other. Double vowels are taught in 2 halves: the Regular Vowel Team, and the Irregular Vowel Team (which is taught in step 9). In the Regular Vowel Team, the first vowel says its name and the second vowel is silent. These vowel teams are: ie, ai, ay, oa, ow, oe, ea, ee, ey. The letter w acts as a vowel in ow, pronounced /ō/ as in throw. (Ow also says ow as in how. This pronunciation is taught with Irregular Vowel Teams in step 9. Irregular Vowel Teams are vowels next to each other that say something other than the first vowel’s name.)
Closed Syllable Exceptions (Long Vowel Chunks) are groups of letters that say a vowel sound, including the chunks: -igh, ang, ank, old, -ind, oll, eigh -olt, -ild and often -ost.

Bossy r / R - Controlled Syllable (VR) & Contractions detour

Bossy r Syllable (VR) is also called an R-Controlled Syllable. It has a vowel followed by an r. In this syllable the r controls (or bosses) the vowel. The basic Bossy r combinations are: ar (car), er (her), ir (bird), ur (fur), and or (for).

Adding Endings and Schwa (ə)

Adding Endings to words. Basic endings taught include: -ed -ing -er -est and -ly.
The Schwa can be any vowel, and it is pronounced /ŭ/ (the short u sound). Often it can hardly be heard at all. It is represented with the symbol ə over the vowel. There are various reasons for the schwa sound, but basically any vowel or vowel combination might have a schwa sound.

This section also includes Challenge Schwa Endings that are included in Step 10: Multi-syllable Words. These endings are found in multi-syllable words that do not need to be mastered during this step. These are: -tion, -sion, -cial, -tious -cient, -tient, -ture, -cious, -xious, -cion, -xion, and -age.

Final Stable Syllable, -cle (consonant l e)

The -cle Syllable is often called the “Consonant L E Syllable” or “Final Stable Syllable.” This syllable is always at the end of the word, always has three letters and always has a consonant and then the letters l e. The syllable is pronounced as if there was a schwa between the two consonants, and the e is silent (like the /pŭl/ in people). These are words like circle, bubble, sniffle, and turtle.
-cle words can have endings which drop the final e (as in sniffling and snuggling).

Irregular Vowel Team Syllable (VV): Diphthongs and Digraphs oo, oi, oy, ue, ui, ou, ew, ow, au, augh, aw

Irregular Vowel Team Syllable (VV) are also called diphthongs and digraphs. The vowels are next to each other like the Regular Vowel Teams, but unlike Regular Vowel Teams, these vowel teams are pronounced with new sounds. These vowel teams include: oo, oi, oy, au, aw, augh, ui, ue, ew, ou, and ow. The letter w acts as a vowel in ew and ow. (Ow also says ow as in throw as taught with Regular Vowel Teams in step 5.)

Multisyllable Words and Suffixes!

Multisyllable Words include multiple syllable words (like super and underestimate) and challenge endings including -tion, -sion, -cial, -tious -cient, -tient, -ture, -cious, -xious, -cion, -xion, -age.

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