The Fountas & Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study System
Pique student’s curiosity with systematic instruction in how oral and written language “works.” The Fountas & Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study System contains explicit lessons for whole-group instruction and small-group application that help students attend to, learn about, and efficiently use sounds, letters, and words.
What is it?
The Fountas & Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study System
(PWS) is a collection of 100 lessons (PreK-3) and 105 lessons (4-6) designed to expand and refine children’s reading and writing powers, and enable you to help children attend to, learn about, and efficiently use information about sounds, letters, and words. Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons, also include features that enable you to plan and teach efficiently and systematically:
- Explicit lessons with materials appropriate for whole-group instruction (5–10 minutes) and for individual, partners, or small-group application (10–15 minutes)
- (PreK) Sounds, Letters, and Words in PreK lessons are pre-organized in the suggested sequence for ease of use and convenient teaching
- Organization by the recommended sequence in grade PreK, lessons teach five of the nine areas of learning, Early Literacy Concepts, Phonological Awareness, Letter Knowledge, Spelling Patterns, and Word-Solving Actions
- (K-6) Master Lesson Guide: Suggested Sequence for Phonics Lessons: a convenient chart for planning and extending learning across the year
- Organization by nine areas of learning in grades K-1, six in grades 2-5, and five in grade 6— Early Literacy Concepts, Phonological Awareness, Letter Knowledge, Letter-Sound Relationships, Spelling Patterns, High-Frequency Words, Word Meaning/Vocabulary, Word Structure, and Word-Solving Actions
- Inquiry approach that encourages students to construct understandings and notice more about letters, sounds, and words
- Specific connections to Sing a Song of Poetry (K-2), to Words That Sing: Poetry Charts for Shared Reading (K-3), and to Fountas & Pinnell Classroom™ Interactive Read-Aloud Collection and Shared Reading Collection titles as mentor texts and examples for generalizing and applying principles
- Guidance for assessing students’ learning within the lessons and in the online Assessment Guide found in Online Resources
- Digital classroom and teacher materials in Online Resources, such as Gamemaker, a tool to create and customize games and lesson activities
Who is it for?
The Fountas & Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study System is for the classroom teacher who wants to expand and refine children’s reading and writing powers. These lessons enable teachers to help children attend to, learn about, and efficiently use information about sounds, letters, and words. Phonics instruction takes about ten or fifteen minutes of explicit teaching each day, with students spending an additional ten to twenty minutes a day applying and sharing what they have learned.
What is inside?
Sounds, Letters, and Words in PreK
100 explicit lessons designed to cultivate children’s natural curiosity about the sounds of language and encourage their active engagement in learning how sounds, letters, and words work. Sounds, Letters, and Words in PreK will give prekindergarteners a strong foundation in literacy that will prepare them for kindergarten and beyond. Each lesson is developmentally appropriate, based on current research, interactive to keep children engaged, and rooted in play.
- Lesson Book 100 brief, joyful lessons that build phonological awareness, letter knowledge, and early literacy concepts
- Ready Resources pre-printed lesson-specific materials that leave more time for teaching
- Online Resources a treasure-trove of general and lesson-specific digital resources
- Gamemaker an easy-to-use digital tool for building and customizing letter and word games
- Link to TheComprehensive Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Guideeach lesson features a principle derived from this guide, the phonics and word study focused version of The Fountas & Pinnell Literacy Continuum (both are sold separately)
Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Lessons
100 (K-3) and 105 lessons (4-6) driven by the principles from The Comprehensive Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Guide and The Fountas & Pinnell Literacy Continuum, Expanded Edition.
- The Comprehensive, Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Guide
A systematic exploration of letters, sounds, words, and learning how oral and written language “work.” This essential guide, presented in an easy-to-use chart form, is provided as a reference tool for you to see how the principle aligns to other related concepts and to see how a reader learns over time. - Sing a Song of Poetry: A Teaching Resource for Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, and Fluency (K-2)
Poems that immerse students in rich, rhythmical language to expand their oral language capabilities, develop phonological awareness, and teach about the intricacies of print. - Ready Resources
Pre-printed and pre-assembled lesson materials that let teachers spend less time prepping and more time teaching. - Folders
Pre-printed lesson folders (100 [K-3] and 105 [4-6]) and folders to organize materials by content area, month, or both. - Access to Fountas & Pinnell Online Resources
Online Resources for complete and convenient access to teaching materials organized by lesson.
How is it implemented?
Each Sounds, Letters, and Words in PreK lesson follows a simple structure
- Teach and Try: The lesson is presented step-by-step and taught in a whole-group setting that engages PreK children.
- Practice: Children work individually, with partners, in small groups, or with the whole class to practice what they’ve learned in the lesson.
- More Ways to Learn and Play: Provide additional practice with quick, optional extension activities.
- Notice: Find evidence of children’s learning through informative questions.
Each Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study lesson follows a simple structure:
- Teach: Provide a concise lesson based on a clear principle.
- Apply: Engage students in an active,”hands-on” application activity.
- Share: Meet with students for a reinforcement of the principle and optional assessment at the end of the activity.
Phonics, spelling, and word study are also pervasive throughout various instructional contexts within Fountas & Pinnell Classroom™.