On this page, you'll find resources and tips to support the introduction of the Phonics Focus Skill. This 8–10 minute part of the lesson begins with a clear learning goal and moves into explicit instruction of the sound, its articulation, and its spelling. Students then practice through decoding. Teachers model, monitor, and provide immediate feedback throughout. This foundational step sets students up for success with the new sound spelling.
Embedded Files
Post the Objective.
Explicitly teach the spelling pattern of the week.
Edit Slides to Include Objective with the Phonic Focus Skill.
Here are some recommendations for to do and what not to do in Phonics Focus Skill.
Skip the Slide.
Keep the same objective posted all year.
Not share the objective with students.
These are sample slides you can use to add objectives to your structured literacy slide decks for first grade.
Phonics anchor charts are visual tools that help reinforce key sound-spelling patterns and phonics concepts taught during instruction. They serve as a reference for students, supporting their reading and writing by making phonics rules and examples easily accessible. Displaying and referring to anchor charts regularly helps strengthen understanding and promotes independence. Directions to teach the skill and tips to teach the rule.
These reference pages of the most common graphemes for consonant and vowel phonemes is a valuable tool for both teachers and students. It helps reinforce the connection between sounds and their spellings, supports accurate decoding and encoding, and provides a quick, easy-to-use resource during phonics instruction or writing activities.
Interactive Practice
Interactive Practice
Interactive practice games on Ed provide engaging, skill-specific activities that reinforce the phonics concept taught in the lesson. These games give students meaningful, independent practice with decoding, spelling, and sound-symbol recognition—all aligned with the day’s instruction. Perfect for centers, small groups, or extra practice, they make learning fun while building mastery.
Blending Board
Blending Board
The Blending Board found within the HMH Into Reading program on the HMH Ed platform is a digital, interactive tool designed to help students build words by manipulating sounds. It is particularly useful for small-group instruction and can be projected for whole-class use.
Weekly Bundles
Weekly Bundles
In the HMH Into Reading program, weekly bundles are supplemental resources designed to support teachers in delivering focused instruction and practice for each week's learning objectives. These can be found on the HMH Ed platform or the Granite District ELA grade level pages on the Intranet:
English Language Spelling Pattern Generalizations help students make sense of common spelling rules and patterns in the English language. By teaching these generalizations, educators can support students in making more accurate spelling choices, improving their encoding skills, and building a deeper understanding of how words are constructed. These patterns also help students apply their phonics knowledge more confidently and independently in reading and writing.
The Enhanced Alphabet Knowledge Lesson Template by Reutzel provides a structured and research-based approach to teaching letter names, sounds, and formations. It includes explicit routines that integrate visual, auditory, and kinesthetic activities to support young learners in mastering alphabet knowledge. Using this template helps ensure consistent, effective instruction that builds a strong foundation for reading and writing success.
These slides are to be used to introduce the sound-spelling cards as well as adding the sounds to your Sound Wall & Vowel Valley. You can add these slides to your Structured Literacy slides.
These slides are to be used to introduce the sound-spelling cards as well as adding the sounds to your Sound Wall & Vowel Valley. You can add these slides to your Structured Literacy slides.
These slides are to be used to introduce the sound-spelling cards as well as adding the sounds to your Sound Wall & Vowel Valley. You can add these slides to your Structured Literacy slides.
Objectives Need to be Posted!
Objectives Need to be Posted!
Students need to understand why they are doing what they are doing. HMH provides "I Can Statements" that can be posted both in the google slides and in the classroom so that the objective is clear students
Articulation videos are forund on the HMH Ed platform. You need to be logged into Ed for this link to work.
Jones, C. D., Clark, S. K., & Reutzel, D. R. (2013). Enhancing alphabet knowledge instruction: Research implications and practical strategies for early childhood educators. Early Childhood Education Journal, 41(2), 81–89. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-012-0534-9
This article reviews research on alphabet knowledge instruction and provides early childhood educators with practical, evidence-based strategies to improve how young children learn letter names and sounds. The authors emphasize the importance of explicit, systematic instruction and suggest integrating engaging, multisensory activities to support early literacy development.
The Reading League Ohio. (n.d.). Do this, not that: Decoding. Arena Press. https://www.sfdr-cisd.org/media/fxfbhu22/do-this-not-that-reading.pdf
The “Do This, Not That” article by The Reading League Ohio offers side-by-side comparisons of effective vs. outdated literacy practices across areas like decoding, vocabulary, comprehension, fluency, and assessment. It emphasizes explicit, systematic instruction aligned with the Science of Reading—highlighting the importance of phonics-based strategies, complex text exposure, meaningful vocabulary work, oral reading for fluency, and data-driven assessments—while discouraging leveled texts, memorization, and cueing systems.
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