Phonics scope and sequence: what to teach, in what order

What is a scope and sequence?

The scope is the full list of what will be taught: letter sounds, digraphs, blends, vowel patterns, syllable types and common word parts. The sequence is the order. Together they turn phonics from a set of tips into a plan you can follow, check and adjust over a school year or several.

Without a sequence, teachers tend to teach whatever comes up in the week's books. That leaves gaps that do not show until second or third grade, when a student who never learned vowel teams hits a wall with chapter books.

What order do most sequences follow?

Kindergarten usually covers stages 1 through 3 or 4. First grade covers roughly 3 through 9. Second grade finishes the vowels and moves into longer words. These are averages, and your students' progress should set the real pace.

Why does the order matter?

Three ideas shape a good sequence. First, teach patterns that let students read many real words early. The letters s, a, t, p, i and n alone make dozens of words, so they often come first. Second, separate patterns that are easy to confuse, such as b and d, or short e and short i, so students learn one well before the other arrives.

Third, every pattern should build on what came before. Silent e makes sense only once short vowels are solid, since the whole point is the contrast between hop and hope. Vowel teams come after silent e because they offer a second way to spell the same long sounds.

How fast should you move?

Most sequences introduce one new pattern every two to five days. That is a starting point. The right pace is the fastest one at which most students can read and spell the new pattern accurately by the end of the week, with mixed review of older patterns.

Moving too slowly is a real problem too. A group that reads every CVC word easily does not need another week of them. Faster groups should move faster, and small groups make that possible.

Where does review fit in?

Everywhere. Each lesson should mix the new pattern with older ones, and every few weeks should include a full review lesson. Students forget patterns they do not see, and they often confuse a new pattern with an old one until both have been practiced side by side.

• Daily: a one-minute drill of sound cards covering every pattern taught so far.
• Daily: word lists that mix the new pattern with two or three older ones.
• Weekly: a sort where students group words by pattern.
• Every four to six weeks: a review week with no new patterns.

Do irregular words belong in the sequence?

Yes. Common words with unusual spellings, like said, was and of, appear in almost every sentence. A sequence should list which ones to teach and when, ideally close to the point where their regular parts have been taught. That way you only need to teach the one odd letter, not the whole word.

For example, the word said has a regular s and d. Only the ai is unusual, since it spells a short e sound. Teach it that way, and students remember it faster than if it were taught as a word to memorize by shape.

How do you choose or check a sequence?

If your school uses a program, its sequence is probably fine. Check a few things anyway. Does it get students reading real words in the first two weeks? Does it include connected text for each pattern? Does it build in review? Does it say when to teach irregular words?

If you are building your own, start from the table above and adjust it for your students. Write it down. A sequence that lives only in your head tends to drift, and it is hard to share with a colleague or a tutor who works with the same students.