UFLI Foundations Lesson Step Pocket Reference - Teacher At-a-Glance Support

Oct 22, 2026

Pocket reference for teachers implementing UFLI Foundations, offering a step-by-step at-a-glance guide to instructional routines. Includes a Day 1 preparation checklist and structured lesson steps covering phonemic awareness, visual and auditory drills, blending practice, and new concept instruction, with timing, purpose, and clear procedures. Provides example scripting and guided-practice tips for decoding and encoding. Also includes Day 2 preparation items and follow-on steps such as word work and irregular-word practice, plus links to free online resources like the UFLI Toolbox and virtual blending tools.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages5

Reading Time13 min

AccessFree to download

Day 1 Preparation Checklist

Step 1: Phonemic Awareness

Step 2: Visual Drill

Step 3: Auditory Drill

Step 4: Blending Drill

Step 5: New Concept (Day 1)

Day 2 Preparation Checklist

Step 5: New Concept Review (Day 2)

Step 6: Word Work

Step 7: Irregular Words

| |
Lesson Step Pocket Reference | | A note from the authors:
This pocket reference is designed to provide at-a-glance support for teachers who are getting started with UFLI Foundations.
We strongly encourage all teachers to read pages 6-36 in the UFLI Foundations manual for a comprehensive overview of how to implement the program.
To access our free online resources, see the UFLI Toolbox: [ufliteracy.org](ufliteracy.org) and the UFLI [YouTube channel:](YouTube channel: youtube.com/@ufli)[ ](YouTube channel: youtube.com/@ufli)[youtube.com/@ufli](YouTube channel: youtube.com/@ufli) | | --- | --- | --- | --- | |
| | Day 1 Preparation Checklist
o Review the guidance for Steps 1-5 on pp. 23-28 in the UFLI Foundations manual.
o Read the lesson plan and preview the slide deck.
o Prepare the Blending Board.
o If applicable, have the grapheme card(s) ready to add to the Sound Wall.
o Have dry erase boards and markers ready for students to use in Steps 3 and 5. | | | Step 1: Phonemic Awareness
Time: 2 minutes
Purpose: Practice blending and segmenting phonemes to warm up for decoding (reading) and encoding (spelling) .
Procedure:
• Blending Phonemes (1 minute)
• Teacher presents individual phonemes; students blend phonemes to form word
• Segmenting Phonemes (1 minute)
• Teacher presents word; students segment word into phonemes | | | Step 1: Phonemic Awareness Example | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | | Blending: Listen as I say a word one sound at a time. After I say each sound, we’ll blend the sounds together to make a whole word.
Watch and listen: /f/ /ĭ/ /sh/ . What’s the word? fish.
Segmenting: Listen as I say a whole word. You will repeat the word then say each sound. The word is “shin.”What’s the word? shin. Let’s say each sound: /sh/ /ĭ/ /n/ . | | | | | Step 2: Visual Drill
Time: 3 minutes
Purpose: Reinforce grapheme-phoneme correspondences to build automaticity. Procedure: Teacher presents grapheme slide; students chorally respond by saying the grapheme followed by its phoneme. | | Step 3: Auditory Drill
Time: 5 minutes
Purpose: Reinforce grapheme-phoneme correspondences to build automaticity.
Procedure: Teacher says phoneme; students repeat the phoneme and write the corresponding grapheme(s) while saying them aloud. Erase after each prompt. | | | | | |
ck spells /k/ | | | | | | | |
/ ă/ | |
/ ă/ is a | | | Step 4: Blending Drill
Time: 5 minutes
Purpose: Develop decoding automaticity. Procedure: Teacher builds words with previously learned concepts; students read words chorally. Students should say each sound in the word and then blend the sounds together. | | | Step 4: Blending Drill UFLI Virtual Blending Board | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | | We recommend teachers use the UFLI Virtual Blending Board to facilitate this step. This is a free web app that allows teachers to prepare a blending board in advance and quickly build and change words for students to read. Note that only the teacher manipulates the board. Students read the words the teacher builds. The web app and a tutorial are on the UFLI toolbox:
[https://ufliteracy.org/foundations/apps/](https://ufliteracy.org/foundations/apps/) | | | |
/p/ /ĭ/ /k/ pick | | | | Step 5: New Concept (Day 1)
Time: 15 minutes
Purpose: Introduce and practice a new concept.
Procedure: Teacher explicitly introduces a new concept by explaining essential information, grapheme placement, and the articulatory gesture. The lesson plan provides a script; the slide deck provides visual supports. Teacher then guides students through practice with letter formation, decoding, and encoding. | | Step 5: New Concept (Day 1)
Tips for Guided Practice
Decoding practice: Show one word at a time. Have students say each sound then blend to read the whole word. Provide as much prompting and support as needed.
Encoding practice: Include Pound-

FAQs

What is the purpose of Step 1: Phonemic Awareness?

Step 1 uses blending and segmenting phonemes to warm up students for decoding (reading) and encoding (spelling).

How does the Visual Drill reinforce grapheme-phoneme correspondences?

The teacher presents a grapheme slide while students chorally say the grapheme followed by its phoneme to build automaticity.

What guidance is provided for Day 1 Step 5 New Concept (including decoding and encoding tips)?

Decoding practice shows one word at a time for saying each sound then blending; encoding practice suggests using Pound-and-Sound and/or Elkonin Boxes, with references to the UFLI manual pages for details.

Oct 22, 2026

Uploaded by Lucas Martin