๐ Unit Overview
Literacy Fundamentals: Structured Literacy & Phonics Foundations โ A 16-lesson evidence-based phonics programme for Year 7-8 students needing systematic decoding support. Teaching is explicit, sequential, and cumulative. Daily instruction follows 'The Code' methodology with decodable texts and multi-sensory activities.
- Develop mastery of phoneme-grapheme relationships for all 44 English phonemes
- Build morphological awareness through prefix, suffix, and root word study
- Increase oral reading fluency and automaticity with grade-appropriate texts
- Apply phonics and morphology knowledge to improve spelling accuracy
- Transfer decoding skills to comprehension of authentic English texts
- Build confidence and growth mindset toward literacy through evidence of measurable progress
A comprehensive 16-lesson structured literacy unit for Year 7-8 students who need systematic phonics instruction and decoding support. Based on evidence-based practices including 'The Code' methodology, this unit builds foundational skills through explicit, systematic teaching of phoneme-grapheme relationships, morphology, and reading fluency.
๐ฏ Curriculum Links | Te Hononga ki te Marautanga
English ยท Text Studies ยท Te Mฤtaiaho (2025 draft English) ยท Phase 3 (Years 7โ8)
โInclude words and phrases with multiple meanings that require effective word-solving strategies.โ
This is the unit's exit-level anchor: by Lesson 16, ฤkonga tackle multisyllabic and multiple-meaning words with a working set of word-solving strategies. The phonics foundations taught in Lessons 1โ10 sit deliberately below Phase 3 โ this is structured support for senior students who were never taught the code the first time โ and the lessons name that purpose openly rather than quoting lower-phase statements as if they were Year 7โ8 objectives.
๐ค Lessons 1โ4: Phonics Foundations & CVC
Focus: Systematic teaching of phoneme-grapheme relationships using 'The Code' methodology. Building foundational decoding skills through explicit instruction.
๐ฏ Learning Outcomes
- Students can identify and manipulate individual phonemes in words
- Students know the most common grapheme for each of the 44 phonemes
- Students can blend sounds to read simple CVC and CVCC words
- Students can segment words into individual sounds for spelling
- Students understand the concept of letters representing sounds
๐ Key Activities (Daily Structure)
- Daily: Phoneme warm-up activities (5 mins)
- Daily: New sound introduction with 'The Code' cards
- Daily: Blending practice with sound buttons
- Daily: Segmenting practice for spelling
- Daily: Decodable text reading (increasing complexity)
- Lesson 1: Focus on /s/, /a/, /t/, /p/
- Lesson 2: Add /m/, /d/, /g/, /o/
๐ Teaching Resources
- 'The Code' phoneme-grapheme cards
- Sound button worksheets
- Decodable texts (Phase 2 level)
- Phoneme manipulation activities
- Letter formation practice sheets
- Assessment tracking sheets
๐ Lessons 5โ8: Digraphs, Long Vowels & Morphology
Focus: Expanding to complex phonics patterns, digraphs, and introduction to morphological awareness (prefixes, suffixes, root words)
๐ฏ Learning Outcomes
- Students can read and spell words with consonant digraphs (ch, sh, th, ng)
- Students understand long vowel patterns (a-e, ee, oa, etc.)
- Students can identify common prefixes and suffixes
- Students can break multisyllabic words into manageable parts
- Students apply morphological knowledge to decode unfamiliar words
๐ Key Activities (Daily Structure)
- Daily: Review previous phonemes with 'The Code' method
- Daily: New pattern introduction (digraphs/long vowels)
- Daily: Word building with magnetic letters
- Daily: Morphology mini-lesson (prefix/suffix)
- Daily: Decodable text reading (Phase 3-4 level)
- Lesson 3: CVC word building ยท Lesson 4: blending & segmenting
- Lesson 5: consonant digraphs โ ch, sh, th, ng ยท Lesson 6: long vowel patterns
- Lesson 7: prefixes & suffixes ยท Lesson 8: morphology practice
๐ Teaching Resources
- Digraph and long vowel 'Code' cards
- Magnetic letters and word building mats
- Morphology charts (prefixes/suffixes)
- Decodable texts (Phase 3-4)
- Word sorting activities
- Syllable division practice sheets
๐ Lessons 9โ12: Complex Patterns & Fluency
Focus: Building reading fluency through repeated reading of decodable texts and tackling more complex phonics patterns
๐ฏ Learning Outcomes
- Students read decodable texts with appropriate speed and accuracy
- Students can decode words with complex patterns (ou, ow, oi, oy, etc.)
- Students self-correct when reading doesn't make sense
- Students can read multisyllabic words by breaking them into parts
- Students demonstrate improved prosody and expression
๐ Key Activities (Daily Structure)
- Daily: Fluency warm-up with familiar texts
- Daily: New complex phonics pattern with 'The Code'
- Daily: Guided reading with decodable texts
- Daily: Partner reading for fluency practice
- Daily: Multisyllabic word practice and syllable division
- Lesson 9: complex patterns 1 โ diphthongs & alternative spellings (-tch, -dge) ยท Lesson 10: complex patterns 2 โ vowel teams (ou, ow, oi, oy)
- Lesson 11: fluency building 1 ยท Lesson 12: fluency building 2
๐ Teaching Resources
- Complex phonics 'Code' cards
- Levelled decodable texts (Phase 5)
- Fluency tracking charts
- Syllable division guides
- Expression and prosody modelling
- Self-correction strategy cards
๐ Lessons 13โ16: R-Controlled, Multisyllabic & Assessment
Focus: Applying all phonics knowledge to spell and read increasingly complex texts. Consolidating structured literacy skills through authentic practice.
๐ฏ Learning Outcomes
- Students can spell unfamiliar words using phonics knowledge
- Students read age-appropriate texts with confidence
- Students apply decoding strategies automatically
- Students can self-correct and cross-check when reading
- Students demonstrate mastery of 'The Code' system
๐ Key Activities (Daily Structure)
- Daily: Review all phonics patterns learned
- Daily: Dictation practice with multisyllabic words
- Daily: Independent reading of decodable texts
- Daily: Proofreading and editing practice
- Daily: Assessment and progress monitoring
- Lesson 13: r-controlled vowels (ar, or, er, ir, ur) ยท Lesson 14: multisyllabic words
- Lesson 15: application lab ยท Lesson 16: assessment & celebration
๐ Teaching Resources
- Complete 'Code' card set for review
- Dictation word lists (graded difficulty)
- Independent reading books (decodable)
- Proofreading checklists
- Progress tracking portfolios
- Celebration certificates and achievements
Kaiako Notes โ Structured Literacy Delivery
Structured literacy (systematic phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension) must be explicit and sequential โ do not skip phases for students who seem to "mostly get it." Students with dyslexia or reading difficulties particularly need the explicit phoneme-grapheme instruction in Lessons 1-2 even if they are older learners. Remove stigma by framing phonics as code-breaking: every reader benefits from understanding how the code works.
For Mฤori and Pasifika students, draw connections to te reo Mฤori phonics (a consistent phoneme-grapheme system) as contrast to English's irregular orthography. This cross-linguistic awareness deepens understanding rather than creating confusion. The fluency work in Lessons 11-12 benefits from paired reading โ allow students to choose partners and texts that interest them.
๐ Assessment & Evaluation
Assessment focuses on growth and improvement rather than comparison. Multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate learning in various formats.
๐ Formative Assessment
- Daily exit tickets and quick checks
- Reading conference observations
- Writing draft reviews
- Vocabulary usage in context
- Peer feedback sessions
๐ Summative Assessment
- Cumulative assessment and celebration (Lesson 16)
- Writing portfolio review, built across Lessons 5โ15
- Vocabulary and morphology demonstration in the application lab (Lesson 15)
- Self-reflection and goal setting
๐ฏ Success Criteria
- Improved reading fluency and comprehension
- Clear, organised writing with supporting details
- Expanded vocabulary use in context
- Confident participation in discussions
- Evidence of growth mindset toward literacy
- โ Phonics progress tracker โ phoneme-grapheme mapping (Lesson 1-2)
- โ Morphology reference card โ prefixes, suffixes, root words (Lesson 7-8)
- โ Fluency reading log โ words per minute + comprehension check (Lesson 11-12)
- โ Final literacy portfolio โ evidence of growth across all four phases
๐ Differentiation & Support
๐ Reading Support
- Choice of text complexity levels
- Audio book options available
- Paired reading partnerships
- Visual comprehension supports
โ๏ธ Writing Support
- Graphic organisers and templates
- Voice-to-text technology options
- Sentence starters and word banks
- Step-by-step writing guides
๐ฃ๏ธ Cultural Responsiveness
- Texts reflecting diverse perspectives
- Connection to students' own experiences
- Te Reo Mฤori vocabulary integration
- Multiple ways to share knowledge
๐ฏ Extension Options
- Leadership roles in peer support
- Additional research projects
- Cross-curricular connections
- Technology integration opportunities
Kaiako Planning Snapshot
Ngฤ Whฤinga Akoranga โ Learning Intentions
- Teach the 16-lesson sequence so students repeatedly connect phoneme-grapheme knowledge, morphology, and fluency practice during every literacy block.
- Move learners from oral sound work into decodable reading and spelling so they can apply structured literacy strategies in authentic classroom texts.
- Use explicit modelling and cumulative review to help older struggling readers rebuild trust in themselves as capable readers and writers.
Teacher Planning Snapshot
- Year level: Years 7-8 | Duration: 16 lessons, ideally with daily teacher-led sessions and repeated decodable rereads between lessons.
- Teaching focus: Prioritise brisk review, one new pattern or concept at a time, guided practice with immediate correction, and a short transfer task into sentence reading, dictation, or proofreading.
- Mฤtauranga Mฤori: This unit can strengthen literacy without stripping language from place and identity. Use accurate pronunciation of kupu Mฤori, local names, and classroom texts to show that sound work serves meaning, and ground partner reading in manaakitanga and whanaungatanga so students experience correction as support, not public failure.
- Assessment focus: Track accuracy, automaticity, and self-correction patterns across the week so regrouping decisions are based on actual reading behaviours rather than broad assumptions about age or confidence.
Inclusion and Accessibility
- ESOL / ELL: Pair each new sound pattern with explicit oral practice, visual anchors, and short model sentences so multilingual learners can connect pronunciation, meaning, and print.
- Accessibility: Provide clean page layouts, reading windows or trackers, audio replay where possible, and alternatives to long handwritten responses when the lesson goal is decoding rather than endurance.
- Neurodiverse learners: Support ADHD, dyslexic, and other neurodiverse learners with predictable routines, movement-friendly repetition, reduced copying load, and regular opportunities to show understanding through saying, building, or pointing before writing.