# Ten daily English lessons: Days 1–10

**Every day:** retrieve/listen 3 minutes; explicit sound–print model 5; guided blend/read or text talk 7; learner reading/encoding/composition 7; exit and record 3 = **25 minutes**. Use [aids](aids.md), [assessment](assessment.md) and school-approved letter cards. Say a word normally before segmenting it; do not add a schwa to consonants. Teacher-read rich text and controlled learner-read text have separate roles. Access may be speech, sign, AAC, letter selection, tactile letters, pointing or adult-scribed composition; record what was prompted. Codes and limits in [README](README.md).

## Day 1 — Hear sounds; check short-vowel entry

**Goal:** observe oral segmentation and single-letter CVC reading/encoding. **Materials:** CVC word bank, 3-box strip, P1.

1. **Retrieve, 3:** Say `sat` naturally; children tap three sounds /s/ /a/ /t/. Ask whether `sit` changes the first, middle or last sound. **Key:** middle.
2. **Model, 5:** Point to `s-a-t` while blending continuously then say `sat`. Segment `tap` into three boxes, place t/a/p, blend and check meaning with a tap action.
3. **Guide, 7:** Segment and build `sit`, `can`, `map`; compare `sat`/`sit`. Ask a learner to show the vowel change; avoid treating dialect vowel differences as a deficit without careful checking.
4. **Try, 7:** Learners read P1 if ready, tracking each word. Then write/build `tin` from dictation and draw/act one sentence. If CVC is not secure, teacher runs a smaller explicit CVC group rather than assigning later digraph text.
5. **Check, 3:** Dictate `tap`; learner segments/builds and reads it. **Key:** t-a-p, 3 phonemes. Record sound awareness separately from letter knowledge; next move is one correspondence at a time if missing.

## Day 2 — Rehearse CVC and sentence meaning

**Goal:** connect word reading with a simple sentence, capital and full stop. **Materials:** P1, sentence frame, tiles. **Codes:** AC9E1LY04, LY05, LY06, LA06 (partial).

1. **Retrieve, 3:** Flash `sat`, `sit`, `tap` slowly enough for blending; children indicate which changes one vowel. **Key:** sat/sit.
2. **Model, 5:** Read `Sam sat.` by sounding and blending, then reread naturally. “Sam is the name; it starts with a capital. The dot tells my voice to stop.”
3. **Guide, 7:** Shared P1 read. Ask “Who can tap?” **Key:** Sam. Have children point to exact words as evidence. Model a mismatch: reading `sit` as `sat`; correct by checking vowel and sentence.
4. **Try, 7:** Children build/write “Tim can sit.” then reread and check capital/full stop. Give separate word tiles and adult scribe for motor access; child's choices should still determine words.
5. **Check, 3:** Show `Sam can tap.` Ask learner to read and identify who taps. **Key:** Sam. If word reading is sound-by-sound but accurate, practise a second smooth reread without speed pressure.

## Day 3 — `sh` is one sound

**Goal:** hear /sh/, map it to `sh`, blend and spell regular words. **Materials:** sh word bank, 3-box strip, P2.

1. **Retrieve, 3:** Segment `shop` orally. “How many sounds?” **Key:** 3: /sh/ /o/ /p/.
2. **Model, 5:** Write `sh` in one box and say “Two letters, one sound /sh/.” Add `o`, `p`; blend `shop`. Contrast `ship` by changing only vowel.
3. **Guide, 7:** Build/read `ship`, `shop`, `shut`, `fish`, `dish`. In `fish`, /sh/ is at end. Children slide a token once per phoneme; do not split sh into two sounds.
4. **Try, 7:** Read P2, then encode `dish` without copying. Ask “Who can fish?” **Key:** Tim. Learner can select sh tile and other letters rather than write.
5. **Check, 3:** Say `hush`; child shows sounds and letters. **Key:** h-u-sh, 3 phonemes. If four boxes are used, place the sh tile over the final two letters and repeat with `fish`.

## Day 4 — `ch` is one sound

**Goal:** hear/map /ch/ and keep it distinct from /sh/. **Materials:** ch/sh cards, P3.

1. **Retrieve, 3:** Read `ship` and `shop`; point to common grapheme. **Key:** sh.
2. **Model, 5:** Say `chip`; segment /ch/ /i/ /p/. Place `ch` in one box. Contrast `ship` and `chip`: first sound/grapheme changes; vowel/end remain.
3. **Guide, 7:** Build/read `chat`, `chop`, `chin`, `rich`; sort sh/ch cards by sound while teacher models normal pronunciation. Introduce capitalised name `Chad` with same /ch/ spelling.
4. **Try, 7:** Children read P3, answer “What can Chad do?” **Key:** chat and chop. Dictate `chat` for writing/tiles; children reread own word.
5. **Check, 3:** Say `chip`; child builds/reads it, then chooses sh or ch for initial sound. **Key:** ch-i-p; ch. If confused, compare mouth/sound and print in `ship/chip`, then fresh `chop`.

## Day 5 — Cumulative sh/ch transfer

**Goal:** choose grapheme by heard sound and read a short connected text for meaning. **Materials:** P4, mixed cards, sentence frame.

1. **Retrieve, 3:** Present `shop`, `chop`, `fish`, `rich`; children group by sh/ch and say the sound.
2. **Model, 5:** Read P4 once with deliberate blending at a hard word, then natural phrasing. “I check the letters and the whole sentence. I do not guess from the first letter.”
3. **Guide, 7:** Shared reading P4; cover a word then reveal it to verify. Ask “Who can shop? Who can chat?” **Key:** Sam; Chad. Act/point/AAC response accepted.
4. **Try, 7:** Learners write/build a different true sentence from known words, e.g. `Tim can fish.` or `Chad can chat.` Use frame to check capital/full stop; teacher records whether sentence was independent or copied.
5. **Check, 3:** Dictate the **fresh** word `mesh` and ask for final grapheme/whole word. Explain its meaning as open net fabric if needed. **Key:** m-e-sh. If child reads sound accurately but cannot write, keep encoding support separate from reading decision.

## Day 6 — Initial blend `st`: two sounds

**Goal:** distinguish a two-phoneme blend from one-phoneme digraph. **Materials:** 4-box strip, P5, st words.

1. **Retrieve, 3:** Revisit `sh`: one sound. Say `stop`; ask for first two sounds. **Key:** /s/ /t/.
2. **Model, 5:** Put `s` in box 1, `t` in box 2, then `o`, `p`: `stop`. “My mouth moves from /s/ straight into /t/; both sounds stay.” Do not insert an extra vowel.
3. **Guide, 7:** Build/read `step`, `stem`, `stun`; compare `step`/`stop`. Introduce the regular name `Stan` and capital. Children point to first two letters and say two sounds.
4. **Try, 7:** Read P5, answer “What can Stan do?” **Key:** stop and step. Encode `stem` with tiles or pencil; reread.
5. **Check, 3:** Say `stun`; child maps 4 phonemes to s-t-u-n. If treated as one `st` sound, contrast two finger taps /s/ /t/ with one tap /sh/ in `shut`.

## Day 7 — Final blend `nd`: two sounds

**Goal:** hear both /n/ and /d/ at a word end. **Materials:** 4-/5-box strips, P6.

1. **Retrieve, 3:** Segment `stop` (4 sounds); ask whether st is one or two sounds. **Key:** two.
2. **Model, 5:** Say `hand` normally, then /h/ /a/ /n/ /d/. Put each letter in a box. Point out both final sounds without adding a vowel. For `stand`, show five boxes: s-t-a-n-d.
3. **Guide, 7:** Build/read `sand`, `bend`, `hand`, `stand`; contrast `sand`/`sad` so the /n/ is audible. Children sweep and blend all sounds.
4. **Try, 7:** Read P6; “Who can stand?” **Key:** Stan. Write/build `bend`, then reread to catch an omitted n or d.
5. **Check, 3:** Dictate `mend`; **key:** m-e-n-d, four phonemes. If `med`, hold up the two final sound tokens, then compare `men` and `mend` orally.

## Day 8 — Cumulative reading and two known high-frequency words

**Goal:** reread taught patterns smoothly and explicitly learn `a`/`is` in sentence context. **Materials:** P7/P8, a/is cards.

1. **Retrieve, 3:** Flash `ship`, `chop`, `stop`, `hand`; child points to grapheme matching teacher-said target sound.
2. **Model, 5:** Teach `a` pronounced /ə/ and `is` pronounced /ɪz/ as meaningful high-frequency words. Say them, show print, use in an oral sentence, recall without guessing. State that P8 needs these words.
3. **Guide, 7:** Read P7 together for cumulative practice; then teacher supports P8, pointing to `a`/`is` and blending `fish`, `dish`, `in`. Ask “Where is the fish?” **Key:** in a dish.
4. **Try, 7:** Learners choose P7 if not yet secure or P8 if ready and read twice, once for accuracy and again for phrasing. They build/write `fish` or `dish` from dictation, then explain sentence meaning by a chosen mode.
5. **Check, 3:** Show `a` and `is` out of sentence, ask to read and use each in a spoken/signed/AAC sentence. **Key:** /ə/ and /ɪz/, meaningful use. If not secure, preview before next text; do not label child unable to decode the regular words.

## Day 9 — A story read by the teacher, then child composition

**Goal:** identify character, setting, sequence and a reasoned question from a richer teacher-read story; compose one sentence. **Materials:** [The ramp test](aids.md#original-teacher-read-story-the-ramp-test), sentence frame. **Codes:** AC9E1LE03, LY05, LY06 (partial).

1. **Retrieve, 3:** Show toy bus picture/object or say “bus”; ask learners to predict what a ramp might do. Note prediction, not right/wrong.
2. **Model, 5:** Read the original story aloud expressively. Think aloud: “Mara and Arun are characters. The ramp and mat tell me where this happens.” Point to evidence.
3. **Guide, 7:** Reread story. Ask “What happened first? What changed next? Why mark a line?” **Keys:** bus stopped at mat edge; second attempt travelled farther; line helps start another try comparably. Accept supported alternatives grounded in text; do not claim the story proves a cause.
4. **Try, 7:** Children create one sentence about the story or a safe toy they know; may draw, dictate, sign, use AAC or write. For a writer, prompt one who/what + did what, then reread and edit capital/full stop. Keep spelling check separate.
5. **Check, 3:** “Who wondered if it would happen again?” **Key:** Mara. Ask child to locate/recall evidence. If recall is fragile, reread a short portion and distinguish a listening support from comprehension after support.

## Day 10 — New-word and connected-text transfer

**Goal:** sample independent phoneme mapping, reading for meaning and a short original sentence; choose next teaching. **Materials:** P9, fresh word cards `shed`, `chug`, `stub`, `send`, [assessment](assessment.md).

1. **Retrieve, 3:** Children sort sh/ch/st/nd cards by “one sound made with two letters” versus “two sounds together.” **Key:** sh/ch one; st/nd two.
2. **Model, 5:** Work an analogous unfamiliar word `shin` (regular sh-i-n, the front of the lower leg); say, segment, choose graphemes, blend and confirm word meaning. Do **not** model scored transfer words first.
3. **Guide, 7:** Read P9 in pairs or teacher small group, verify each word from print, then ask “Who can stand?” **Key:** Chad. Revisit any guessed word by looking at all graphemes.
4. **Try, 7:** Child reads two fresh cards from `chug`, `stub`, `send` and encodes the third; then creates one sentence with a taught word, by an accessible mode. Teacher notes exact prompts and response format. Keep `shed` unseen for the exit.
5. **Check, 3:** Individually present fresh `shed` and ask first sound's grapheme, read whole word, and use/choose its meaning (small building). **Key:** sh; `shed`. Use the [assessment](assessment.md) pattern before selecting next phonics lesson; a single word is not a reading-level verdict.

## If an entry check disagrees with the planned day

Keep the meaningful oral language, story and composition parts available while teaching the missing code explicitly in a short group. Learners already secure with the word set should get fresh regular words and richer sentences, not repeated drill alone; confirm the new words use only taught patterns. If school sequence differs, replace the grapheme lesson and regenerate its controlled text and key with a qualified educator. Never silently relabel an untaught text “decodable.”

Original content © NeuroForgeIO Pty Ltd 2026, CC BY 4.0. Curriculum source and ACARA terms in [README](README.md). Educator/EAL/D review pending.