Welcome to TeachToo: Building Strong Foundations in Literacy

Group of first graders playing word study games
Courtesy of Mrs. A Dove

What Are Foundational Literacy Skills?

Learning to read is one of the most exciting journeys a child takes and it all begins with strong foundational skills. Foundational literacy includes the key skills students need to become successful readers and writers. The National Reading Panel has identified five key components at the core of every effective reading instruction program: 

• Phonemic Awareness: Hearing and playing with the sounds in spoken words. This can easily be achieved through rhyming games. Say to your student or child: "Say cat. Change /k/ to /b/. What's the new word?" Have them practice manipulating sounds a few more words until they grasp the concept because it may be difficult at first. You can do this daily to build phonemic awareness.

• Phonics: Connecting letters to their sounds and learning to decode words. A great way to start is to take CVC words and match them to the correct picture. For example, the student will have a  picture of a cat, bat, and rat that they will need to match to the correct word by decoding the CVC word correctly. 

Phonics decoding CVC matching game

• Fluency: Reading with accuracy, speed, and expression. There are many great decodable books and passages for emergent readers to build fluency. Dr. Suess books are known for being decodable and easy readers. Below is an example of a decodable text that includes CVC words and sight words.  

Sample of CVC decodable passage.

• Vocabulary: Understanding and using new words. Be sure to explain new words and expressions to students to increase comprehension. 

• Comprehension: Making sense of what they read. Ask questions before, during, and after to help children think about the story, make predictions, stay engaged, and understand what they are reading more deeply. 

For first graders, foundational literacy requires these building blocks and must be an explicit and systematic way of learning. These skills are what creates strong, confident readers. When we understand how reading works and use proven strategies, we make a lasting impact on a child’s literacy journey one word at a time.