Phonics First® reading system, developed by Brainspring (an IMSLEC Accredited MSL program), is a multisensory, systematic, structured, sequential, phonics-based, direct-instruction approach to teaching beginning, at-risk, struggling, learning disabled, dyslexic and ELL readers.
Rooted in the Orton-Gillingham principles of instruction, Phonics First® uses scientifically research-based learning strategies to teach students systematic processes for decoding (reading) and encoding (spelling). Students who use the Phonics First® system make significant gains in reading and spelling while building a lifelong understanding of the structure of language.
The Phonics First® Curriculum Guide contains 145 lessons, more than 145 reading/spelling concepts, 235 Red Words (sight words), and more than 100 syllabication lessons containing 700+ multisyllable words for decoding practice. Lessons emphasize a balance of reading and spelling for mastery of phonetic and non-phonetic words. In addition, lessons include structured syllabication study for decoding mastery of multisyllable words.
Phonics First® lessons are divided into four Learning Layers:
- Layer One – Basic short vowels, consonants and digraphs
- Layer One Plus – A "shortcut" for beginning instruction for older students – emphasizes short vowel mastery through one- and two-syllable words
- Layer Two – Blends, two-syllable words, plurals, simple spelling rules and familiar affixes
- Layer Three – Silent-e, vowel pairs, consonant-le endings, y as a vowel, r-controls, homonyms, contractions, more affixes
- Layer Four - Diphthong vowels, soft c and g, spelling rules, additional suffixes
The Phonics First® Curriculum Guide is also used after completion of Brainspring's intensive Phonics First® Professional Development course. Brainspring-trained teachers use the Phonics First® curriculum to implement structured, step-by-step multisensory lessons to teach reading and spelling skills in the classroom, intervention and remediation settings. Instructors who have completed other in-depth multisensory courses will also benefit from the Phonics First® Curriculum Guide.
Copyright: ©2018
Dimensions: 9.5" x 11"
Binding: spiral with softcover, 397 pages
Phonics First Professional Development
Grades K-3 general education; K-5 intervention