UFLI in Kindergarten
Ideally, all students will receive explicit, systematic instruction in phonemic awareness and phonics in Kindergarten, however, it must be recognized that it is a privilege to have an entire class that is ready to learn in this way. It is expected that it will take into November (if not until the new year) for the majority of Kindergarten classrooms to be ready in any capacity (small, medium, or whole group approaches) to begin UFLI. Until that time educators should be focused on establishing connections with students, oral language development, supporting student self-regulation, establishing the routines required for these lessons, and building the stamina required for explicit instruction.
Upon evaluation of the Language Foundations Expectation B2 chart, the knowledge and skills that children need to acquire by the end of Year 2 of Kindergarten (the K/ Gr 1 column) to ensure that they have the foundational skills that will set them up for success and enable them to build on their learning from grade to grade, it would require Kindergarten educators to complete lessons on consonants, digraphs and short vowels, which would require that educators begin UFLI in mid- January (based on completion of two UFLI lessons per week).
The Kindergarten Early Literacy Planning document provides further information about structured literacy in Kindergarten.
K- Early Literacy Planning Kindergarten This early literacy document is intended to support educator’s ongoing efforts to shift instruction toward explicit and systematic instruction of essential literacy skills.
This document was reviewed during the PA Day on September 22, 2023.
Phonological Awareness Inventory - 2023The phonological awareness inventory helps us to determine the phonological awareness skills that students have and the skills that they require explicit instruction to develop.
*The short form version is printer-friendly with the instructions and pedagogical considerations removed.
The Phonological and Phonemic Awareness Game/Activity Suggestion Slide Deck is a working document that will be updated as the year progresses. You will notice an instructional video that is for EDUCATORS as we are all navigating each of the PA skills and moving students across the continuum of these skills. Additional videos or activities that support K teams with their planning and programming have been included. This is a fantastic starting point.
You will also notice additional resources and websites at the very end of the slide deck. This is a great starting point for Kindergarten Educators and Planning Time Teachers who are running small group PA instruction.
This guide is intended to support teachers’ ongoing efforts to build students’ reading skills. It provides teachers with information on foundational early reading skills, an understanding of how these skills develop in young children, and examples of evidence-based systematic and explicit instructional strategies to support students to become proficient and fluent readers.
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