Reading Resources
Alphabetics
102 Most Common Non-Word Syllables
This 2-page document provides over 100 regularly used, non-word syllables used in English. Knowing these common word parts or "chunks" can improve students' accurate recognition and decoding of multi-syllable words.
Alphabetics – Challenges & Possible Solutions
Common alphabetics instructional challenges and solutions developed by Minnesota STARs and Trainers.
Alphabetics Instruction for STAR/EBRI Volunteers
This handout describes what STAR/EBRI volunteers need to know about evidence-based and explicit alphabetics instruction. It also provides a routine for teaching the English letter-sound-syllable patterns that will help students read and spell words alone and in text.
Beginning Alphabetics Tests and Tools (BATT, 2015)
Beginning Alphabetics Tests and Tools (BATT) strives to provide a principled system for ABE/ESL teachers wanting to develop their students’ knowledge of Roman alphabet letters, English letter-sound patterns, sight or high frequency words, and transfer of those letter-sound-word skills to text fluency and comprehension.
CCRS Reading Foundational Skills – Alphabetics
Are you wondering if the College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) address beginning literacy skills, including alphabetics? Check out these resources posted in the CCR Standards library under CCRS General Resources > English Learners & CCRS.
e-Advanced Alphabetics
NEW SLIDES RECENTLY ADDED! This electronic, screen-shareable resource includes Google slide sets (in PDF format) for remotely teaching compound words, common suffixes, common prefixes, and related word families.
Intermediate Word Study (2012)
This ATLAS-supported resource includes: (1) a public domain test for identifying students' approximate grade level performance in word reading or decoding, (2) a series of 'mini-lessons' for teaching multi-syllable decoding with compounds, syllable types and rules, common suffixes, prefixes, and roots, and (3) an appendix of student handouts.
Making Sense of Decoding and Spelling: An Adult Reading Course of Study
This scripted, ready-to-print, curriculum package is designed to improve accurate and fluent word reading and word spelling. It is useful for Intermediate level students.
MN STAR/EBRI Teacher-Recommended Alphabetics Resources
This collection of instructional resources for the four components of reading is recommended by Minnesota STAR (STudent Achievement in Reading) and EBRI (Evidence-Based Reading Instruction) teachers. Resources are organized by the four reading components – alphabetics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension – and free and pay-for resources are included.
Morpheme Matrices (2018)
This resource is for helping students who are ready to move beyond phonics and simple words. It focuses on morphological awareness: how morphemes such as prefixes, Latin roots, Greek forms, and suffixes combine or assemble to form multi-syllable words and sometimes change meaning, part of speech, or usage.
Morpheme Matrices Crosswords
These crossword puzzles and answer keys accompany Morpheme Matrices, an ATLAS resource focusing on morphological awareness. Six of puzzles target Latin morphemes (prefixes, roots, suffixes) and two target Greek forms and related suffixes.
Sight Words
For teachers serving beginning-level adult readers and working on alphabetics, this website provides a FREE source of sight word flashcards, games, lessons, and activities. All are focused on the Dolch Sight and Fry Instant lists; two collections of words that all beginning readers (at GE K-3) should recognize without sounding out letter by letter.
Sound City Reading
This phonetic reading program website offers free PDF files of phonics books, workbooks, wall charts, flashcards, games, and activities at five levels. Materials are designed to be used sequentially, from the Learning the Alphabet through Basic and Advanced Phonics Patterns; however, it is also useful for older readers at beginning levels.
Stellar Alphabetics Ideas
These “stellar” ideas for alphabetics instruction were collected from participating MN STAR administrators and teachers during 2009-2012.
Story by Story (2008)
Story by Story was developed for Beginning ABE students needing (and wanting) systematic and contextual phonics instruction. However, it has been successfully used with many Beginning-Intermediate ESL students as well. This website provides 12 printable Story by Story lessons that each include the story text, a word study, and sentence-writing exercises.
Teaching Analogy Phonics (TAP, 2015)
Provides reading teachers and tutors with convincing background information and testimonials, a lesson plan model and template, other reinforcement ideas, and over 100 common or sequential phonogram and word family lists for immediate analogy phonics instruction.
THE SOURCE: A Curriculum Guide for Reading Mentors
This resource from Just Read, Florida! was developed for teachers or volunteers working with children; however, sections of Part 1, Ideas for Building Readers, may be very useful for adult alphabetics instruction.