The
Journey
Phonics Progression
by Johnnie Tankersley
Literacy Fellow
Cornerstone schools in Muscogee County wanted to create a phonics
continuum for their schools. Starting in Downtown Elementary Magnet
Academy, then in Rigdon Road Elementary, we began a process of researching
and studying various phonics progressions for grade K - 2. The journey
that we are taking has begun and will continue to evolve as we put
our ideas in writing, practice them in the classroom, and revise
the plan as it progresses.
The journey we have taken includes these steps:
- Participants researched and brought to the table various progressions
in phonics instruction.
- Using the progressions, “Criteria for Selecting a Sequence
for Phonics Instruction” (attached to this article), and
the “Phonics Progression Comparison Chart” we
compared and contrasted the various progressions.
- Each school added their
own criteria to the “Criteria
for Selecting a Sequence” list.
- We read the Steven
Stahl article, ”Saying the ‘p’ word:
Nine guidelines for exemplary phonics instruction” and synthesized
the article on a chart.
- We re-visited the “Criteria for Selecting a Sequence” list
to revise and/or add to the criteria list.
Our next steps are:
- Meet with small groups (grade levels K - 2 or literacy leadership
teams).
- Go through the same process with them that we have pursued.
- Begin to create a phonics progression for each grade level using
the set criteria.
- Begin the K–2 work in St. Mary’s
Elementary Magnet and Key Elementary.
- Study spelling progressions
to begin work in grades 3 – 5.
(One possible resource for this will be Words Their Way.)
This process may be repeated with each grade level group as they
create a progression for their grade.
For further information, attached to this article are:
Other progressions can
be found on the “Reading a-z” website
and in your schools basal reading series. |