If you are looking for a quick overview of the lesson format for UFLI Foundations, you are in the right place! The UFLI lesson that teaches one new phoneme/grapheme spans over two days. Check out the list below to see how UFLI phonics lessons are implemented in the general education, Tier 1 setting!
Day 1
Phonemic Awareness (approx. 2 min): This step involves engaging students in exercises that help them recognize and manipulate phonemes, the smallest units of sound that can differentiate meaning in a language.
Visual Drill (approx. 3 min): Teachers present letters or groups of letters and students are expected to identify them quickly. This activity aims to strengthen the students' ability to recognize letters and associate them with their sounds.
Auditory Drill (approx. 5 min): This involves listening exercises where students practice distinguishing between different sounds. This is crucial for developing listening skills and the ability to differentiate between similar-sounding phonemes.
Blending Drill (approx. 5 min): Utilizing tools like the UFLI Blending Board App, teachers guide students through blending individual sounds into words. This exercise helps in developing reading skills, particularly in decoding new words.
New Concept (approx. 15 min): Teachers introduce a new concept using lesson slides, discussions, and examples. This might include new phonemes, blends, or spelling rules. Students engage in word reading and spelling activities that incorporate the new concept.
Day 2
New Concept Review (3 min): At the beginning of the next session, the new concept introduced in the previous session is briefly reviewed. This ensures reinforcement and better retention of the concept.
Word Work (approx. 6 min): Activities in this step provide students with the opportunity to apply the new concept in decoding (reading) and encoding (spelling) exercises. Tools like the UFLI Word Work Mat App or manipulative letters can be used to facilitate this step.
Irregular Words (approx. 6 min): Students learn about irregular words that do not follow the common phoneme-grapheme correspondence rules. These words are practiced and memorized as they are essential for fluent reading.
Connected Text (approx. 15 min): Students read sentences or passages that include previously taught concepts, allowing them to apply their skills in a meaningful context. This step helps in reinforcing the generalization of decoding and encoding skills.
Each step is designed to build upon the previous one, gradually enhancing students' reading skills through structured, systematic practice. The program emphasizes repetition, reinforcement, and the cumulative addition of new concepts, ensuring that students have a solid foundation in the essential skills required for reading proficiency.
