Complete Parent's Guide
OG + Montessori
Reading Program
Combining Orton-Gillingham's 181-Lesson Scope & Sequence with Montessori Sensory-Rich Materials — a complete curriculum for teaching literacy at home.
Navigation
Table of Contents
Section 1
Welcome: How to Use This Guide
This guide is your complete, step-by-step roadmap for teaching your child to read, write, and spell using two of the most powerful and proven approaches in literacy education.
Orton-Gillingham (OG)
- Explicit, systematic, sequential instruction
- Multisensory — see, say, hear, write
- Diagnostic and prescriptive
- 181 lessons from foundations to fluency
- Proven for dyslexia and reading differences
Montessori Literacy
- Hands-on, sensory-rich materials
- Child-led mastery and independence
- 3-Period Lesson: Name → Recognize → Recall
- Sandpaper letters, movable alphabet, object cards
- Beautiful, prepared learning environment
The Power of Combining Both
When Orton-Gillingham's scientific precision meets Montessori's sensory beauty, something remarkable happens: children don't just learn to read — they fall in love with language. OG gives us the what and the sequence. Montessori gives us the how and the materials. Together, they create a complete literacy experience that reaches every type of learner.
Who This Guide Is For
- Parents homeschooling their children
- Parents supplementing school instruction at home
- Families of children with dyslexia, reading delays, or learning differences
- Parents of early readers (Pre-K through Grade 3)
- Tutors and reading specialists working one-on-one
Important: Always Teach in Sequence
Each lesson builds on all previous lessons. Mastery (approximately 95% accuracy) at each stage is required before moving forward. Never skip lessons. Never rush.
Navigation Steps
- Start with the Readiness Assessment (Section 2) to find where your child is now.
- Follow the Scope & Sequence Chart (Section 3) — your master roadmap for all 181 lessons.
- Use the Master Lesson Template (Section 4) for every single lesson.
- Gather Materials (Section 5) before beginning. Most can be made at home for free.
- Teach one lesson at a time, 4–5 days per week, 20–45 minutes per session.
- Review all previous skills at the start of every lesson. Review is everything.
- Use the Progress Tracking pages (Section 7) to record mastery.
Session Length by Phase
| Phase | Session Length | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Reading / Phase 1 | 15–25 minutes | 4–5× per week |
| Early Phonics / Phase 2 | 20–30 minutes | 4–5× per week |
| Advanced Phonics / Phase 3 | 25–35 minutes | 4–5× per week |
| Fluency & Morphology / Phase 4 | 30–45 minutes | 4–5× per week |
The Golden Rule: 95% Before Moving On
Your child must demonstrate approximately 95% accuracy on a skill before moving to the next lesson. If they score below this threshold, reteach using a different modality. Never rush. Mastery now prevents confusion later.
Section 2
Readiness Assessment
Before beginning lessons, assess where your child is starting. This informal assessment will tell you which phase to begin in. Do this once before starting, and re-assess every 8–10 weeks.
Part A: Phonological Awareness Screening
Ask your child to do each task below. These are all oral tasks — no pencil needed.
| Task | Yes ✓ | No ✗ |
|---|---|---|
| Can your child sing the alphabet? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Can they identify rhyming words? (cat/hat) | ☐ | ☐ |
| Can they clap syllables in words? (but-ter-fly = 3) | ☐ | ☐ |
| Can they identify the first sound in a word? (/m/ in moon) | ☐ | ☐ |
| Can they blend two sounds? (/s/ + /at/ = sat) | ☐ | ☐ |
| Can they segment a CVC word? (sun = /s/-/u/-/n/) | ☐ | ☐ |
| Can they delete a sound? (say "cat" without /k/ = at) | ☐ | ☐ |
| Can they substitute sounds? (change /m/ in "map" to /t/ = tap) | ☐ | ☐ |
Part B: Letter Knowledge
Show alphabet cards one at a time. Record whether the child knows the letter name AND the sound.
| Letter | Name | Sound | Letter | Name | Sound | Letter | Name | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a | ☐ | ☐ | j | ☐ | ☐ | s | ☐ | ☐ |
| b | ☐ | ☐ | k | ☐ | ☐ | t | ☐ | ☐ |
| c | ☐ | ☐ | l | ☐ | ☐ | u | ☐ | ☐ |
| d | ☐ | ☐ | m | ☐ | ☐ | v | ☐ | ☐ |
| e | ☐ | ☐ | n | ☐ | ☐ | w | ☐ | ☐ |
| f | ☐ | ☐ | o | ☐ | ☐ | x | ☐ | ☐ |
| g | ☐ | ☐ | p | ☐ | ☐ | y | ☐ | ☐ |
| h | ☐ | ☐ | q | ☐ | ☐ | z | ☐ | ☐ |
| i | ☐ | ☐ | r | ☐ | ☐ |
Placement Guide
| Score | Placement | Start Here |
|---|---|---|
| Part A: 0–3 YES | Pre-Reading | Phase 1, Lesson 1 — Phonological Awareness |
| Part A: 4–6 YES, Part B: fewer than 15 letters | Early Phonics | Phase 1, Letter-Sound Correspondences |
| Part A: 7–8 YES, Part B: all letters, reads some CVC | Basic Phonics | Phase 2, Lesson 1 — Short Vowels |
| Reads CVC words, knows some digraphs | Advanced Phonics | Phase 3 — Digraphs & Blends |
Section 3
Complete Scope & Sequence — All 181 Lessons
This is your master map for all lessons organized across 4 phases. Every lesson follows the same 10-step template (Section 4). Check each lesson off when your child achieves mastery.
Phase Overview
Phase 1: Foundations & Phonological Awareness (Lessons 1–40) | Phase 2: Digraphs, Blends & VCe (Lessons 41–90) | Phase 3: Vowel Teams, R-Controlled & Advanced Patterns (Lessons 91–150) | Phase 4: Fluency, Morphology & Comprehension (Lessons 151–181)
Phase 1: Foundations & Phonological Awareness
Lessons 1–40 · Goal: Build phonological awareness, learn all 26 letter sounds, begin reading CVC words.
Unit 1A: Phonological Awareness (Lessons 1–10)
| # | Skill | OG Focus | Montessori Material | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhyme Recognition | Identify rhyming pairs orally | Object sorting baskets | ☐ |
| 2 | Rhyme Production | Generate rhyming words | Rhyme picture cards | ☐ |
| 3 | Syllable Clapping | Count syllables in words | Clapping objects by syllable | ☐ |
| 4 | Syllable Segmenting | Say each syllable separately | Tiles for each syllable | ☐ |
| 5 | Syllable Blending | Blend syllables into a word | Parts-to-whole objects | ☐ |
| 6 | Onset-Rime | Separate first sound from rime | Sand tray onset/rime | ☐ |
| 7 | Sound Isolation — Initial | Identify first sound in word | Picture cards — initial sounds | ☐ |
| 8 | Sound Isolation — Final | Identify last sound in word | Picture cards — final sounds | ☐ |
| 9 | Sound Isolation — Medial | Identify middle vowel sound | Color-coded vowel cards | ☐ |
| 10 | Phoneme Blending | Blend 3 isolated sounds into word | Elkonin boxes (say-it-fast) | ☐ |
Unit 1B: Continuous Sounds (Lessons 11–20)
Introduce continuous sounds first — easier to stretch and blend. Teach one letter per lesson.
| # | Letter | Sound | Key Words | Montessori | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | m | /m/ | moon, mom, map | Sandpaper m | ☐ |
| 12 | a | /a/ | ant, apple, at | Sandpaper a (red/vowel) | ☐ |
| 13 | s | /s/ | sun, sit, sand | Sandpaper s | ☐ |
| 14 | f | /f/ | fan, fish, frog | Sandpaper f | ☐ |
| 15 | l | /l/ | lamp, leg, lid | Sandpaper l | ☐ |
| 16 | n | /n/ | net, nap, nun | Sandpaper n | ☐ |
| 17 | r | /r/ | red, run, rug | Sandpaper r | ☐ |
| 18 | v | /v/ | van, vet, vine | Sandpaper v | ☐ |
| 19 | z | /z/ | zip, zoo, zap | Sandpaper z | ☐ |
| 20 | Review | m, a, s, f, l, n, r, v, z | All continuous sounds | Movable alphabet sort | ☐ |
Unit 1C: Stop Sounds (Lessons 21–32)
| # | Letter | Sound | Key Words | Montessori | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | t | /t/ | top, tent, tip | Sandpaper t | ☐ |
| 22 | p | /p/ | pan, pet, pit | Sandpaper p | ☐ |
| 23 | b | /b/ | bat, bed, bus | Sandpaper b | ☐ |
| 24 | d | /d/ | dog, den, dip | Sandpaper d | ☐ |
| 25 | k | /k/ | kit, kid, kin | Sandpaper k | ☐ |
| 26 | g | /g/ | gap, get, gum | Sandpaper g | ☐ |
| 27 | c | /k/ | cat, cap, cut | Sandpaper c | ☐ |
| 28 | j | /j/ | jet, jog, jab | Sandpaper j | ☐ |
| 29 | w | /w/ | wet, web, win | Sandpaper w | ☐ |
| 30 | h | /h/ | hat, hop, hen | Sandpaper h | ☐ |
| 31 | x, y, qu | /ks/, /y/, /kw/ | fox, yes, quiz | Sandpaper trio | ☐ |
| 32 | Review All | All 26 letters | Full movable alphabet | Full alphabet sort | ☐ |
Unit 1D: Short Vowels & First CVC Words (Lessons 33–40)
| # | Focus | OG Activity | Montessori | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | Short /a/ — CVC | mat, sat, bat, rat, cat | Movable alphabet + objects | ☐ |
| 34 | Short /i/ — CVC | sit, bit, hit, fit, lip | Pink Series word cards | ☐ |
| 35 | Short /o/ — CVC | hot, dot, log, fog, top | Movable alphabet | ☐ |
| 36 | Short /u/ — CVC | sun, fun, run, bug, mug | Object-word matching | ☐ |
| 37 | Short /e/ — CVC | pet, bed, fed, net, hen | Blue Series word cards | ☐ |
| 38 | CVC Review: a & i | Mixed a/i words + Elkonin boxes | Sort by vowel color | ☐ |
| 39 | CVC Review: o, u, e | Mixed o/u/e + nonsense words | Three-part cards | ☐ |
| 40 | CVC Mastery Check | Read 20, spell 10, write 5 CVC words | Movable alphabet dictation | ☐ |
Phase 2: Digraphs, Blends, VCe & Sight Words
Lessons 41–90 · Goal: Master digraphs, consonant blends, silent-E, and basic sight words.
Unit 2A: Digraphs (Lessons 41–55)
| # | Phonogram | Sound | Sample Words | Montessori | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | sh | /sh/ | ship, fish, wish, shop, dish | Sandpaper sh + object cards | ☐ |
| 42 | ch | /ch/ | chin, chip, much, rich, chat | Sandpaper ch + miniatures | ☐ |
| 43 | th (voiced) | /TH/ | the, this, that, them, then | Voiced/voiceless sort | ☐ |
| 44 | th (voiceless) | /th/ | thin, thing, thank, bath, math | Mirror for breath check | ☐ |
| 45 | wh | /hw/ | when, whip, whiz, which | Sandpaper wh | ☐ |
| 46 | ck | /k/ | back, duck, tick, lock, rock | Rule: after short vowel | ☐ |
| 47 | ng | /ng/ | sing, ring, long, song, bang | Nasal sound object sort | ☐ |
| 48 | nk | /nk/ | ink, bank, pink, sink, trunk | Movable alphabet + objects | ☐ |
| 49 | ph | /f/ | phone, photo, graph, phase | Greek root mini-lesson | ☐ |
| 50 | Review: sh, ch, th | — | Mixed decoding & encoding | Three-part card sort | ☐ |
| 51 | Review: wh, ck, ng, nk, ph | — | Mixed words + nonsense | Sand tray + dictation | ☐ |
| 52 | ff, ll, ss, zz | /f/, /l/, /s/, /z/ | off, well, miss, buzz | FLOSS rule introduction | ☐ |
| 53 | FLOSS Rule Practice | — | 1-syllable, short vowel + flossy | Color-coded rule chart | ☐ |
| 54 | Digraph Reading Fluency | — | Read 30 words + 3 sentences | Phrase reading strips | ☐ |
| 55 | Digraph Mastery Assessment | — | Decode, encode, read in context | Full portfolio review | ☐ |
Unit 2B: Consonant Blends (Lessons 56–70)
| # | Blend | Category | Sample Words | Montessori | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 56 | bl, cl, fl, gl, pl, sl | L-blends | black, clap, flag, glad, plan, sled | Color-coded blend cards | ☐ |
| 57 | br, cr, dr, fr, gr, pr, tr | R-blends | brim, crab, drip, frog, grip, prim, trip | Movable alphabet blends | ☐ |
| 58 | sc, sk, sm, sn, sp, st, sw | S-blends | scam, skip, smog, snip, spin, stop, swam | Object sort by blend | ☐ |
| 59 | Review L + R blends | — | Mixed blend decoding | Picture-word matching | ☐ |
| 60 | scr, spr, str, spl, squ | 3-letter S-blends | scrub, spray, strip, split, squash | Advanced blend strips | ☐ |
| 61 | Review all initial blends | — | Nonsense word drill | Sand tray + dictation | ☐ |
| 62 | -nd, -nt, -nk | Final blends | sand, rant, pink | Elkonin boxes for finals | ☐ |
| 63 | -st, -sk, -sp | S-final blends | best, desk, wasp | Final blend word sort | ☐ |
| 64 | -ft, -lt, -lf, -lp, -lk | L-final blends | left, melt, half, help, milk | Object + final blend match | ☐ |
| 65 | -mp, -pt, -xt | M/P-final blends | lamp, kept, next | Blend board practice | ☐ |
| 66 | Review all final blends | — | Read + spell blend words | Movable alphabet dictation | ☐ |
| 67 | Initial + Final Combos | — | blast, brand, crisp, strict | Advanced word building | ☐ |
| 68 | Blend Fluency Practice | — | Read 40 words, 5 sentences | Reading strips | ☐ |
| 69 | Sight Words Set 1 (1–25) | — | the, of, and, a, to, is, was, for… | Heart word sand tray | ☐ |
| 70 | Sight Words Set 2 (26–50) | — | that, he, she, they, from, not… | Sight word object matching | ☐ |
Unit 2C: Silent-E (VCe) Syllable (Lessons 71–85)
| # | Pattern | Sample Words | Montessori Activity | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 71 | a_e intro | cake, lane, made, fade, tape | Sandpaper e + magic e card | ☐ |
| 72 | a_e vs short a | mat/mate, cap/cape, can/cane | Minimal pair sorting mat | ☐ |
| 73 | i_e pattern | bike, fine, mile, pine, kite | Movable alphabet + objects | ☐ |
| 74 | i_e vs short i | bit/bite, fin/fine, pin/pine | Minimal pairs sorting mat | ☐ |
| 75 | o_e pattern | bone, hope, home, note, vote | Object-word 3-part cards | ☐ |
| 76 | u_e pattern (long /yoo/) | cube, mute, tune, cute, use | Letter tile building | ☐ |
| 77 | u_e pattern (long /oo/) | dune, rude, June, rule, tube | Sound discrimination sort | ☐ |
| 78 | e_e pattern | eve, here, these, scene | Rare pattern discussion | ☐ |
| 79 | VCe: mixed review a, i, o | Mixed decoding + nonsense | Color-coded VCe board | ☐ |
| 80 | VCe: mixed review all | Encoding + reading sentences | Dictation notebook | ☐ |
| 81 | Sight Words Set 3 (51–75) | come, some, said, have, were… | Heart word flash + sand | ☐ |
| 82 | Sight Words Set 4 (76–100) | could, should, would, their… | Sight word sentences | ☐ |
| 83 | Sentence Reading: Phase 2 | 6–8 word decodable sentences | Sentence strips + objects | ☐ |
| 84 | VCe Mastery Assessment | 25-word decode, 10 encode, 3 sentences | Portfolio review | ☐ |
| 85 | Phase 2 Cumulative Review | All Phase 2 skills | Full materials review | ☐ |
Unit 2D: Syllable Types — Closed & Open (Lessons 86–90)
| # | Focus | Sample Words | Montessori Activity | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 86 | Closed Syllable Type | cat, fit, hop — one vowel, closed by consonant | Syllable type color coding | ☐ |
| 87 | Open Syllable Type | me, go, hi, no — vowel at end, says its name | Open door symbol card | ☐ |
| 88 | 2-Syllable: VC/CV | rabbit, napkin, cobweb, dentist | Syllable division cards | ☐ |
| 89 | 2-Syllable: V/CV | robot, music, hotel, pilot | Color-coded syllable cards | ☐ |
| 90 | 2-Syllable Assessment | Mixed 2-syllable decoding | Movable alphabet 2-syllable | ☐ |
Phase 3: Advanced Phonics — Vowel Teams, R-Controlled & Spelling Rules
Lessons 91–150 · Goal: Master all vowel teams, r-controlled vowels, and advanced spelling patterns.
Unit 3A: Vowel Teams — Long Vowel Digraphs (Lessons 91–110)
| # | Phonogram | Sound | Sample Words | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 91 | ai | /ā/ | rain, mail, train, sail, paid | ☐ |
| 92 | ay | /ā/ | day, say, play, pray, away | ☐ |
| 93 | ai vs ay contrast | — | bait/bay, mail/May, pain/pay — position rule | ☐ |
| 94 | ee | /ē/ | see, tree, feel, sheep, meet | ☐ |
| 95 | ea (long e) | /ē/ | eat, read, seat, team, beach | ☐ |
| 96 | ea (short e) | /ĕ/ | bread, head, dead, thread | ☐ |
| 97 | ee vs ea review | — | Mixed /ē/ vowel teams | ☐ |
| 98 | oa | /ō/ | boat, coat, road, toad, groan | ☐ |
| 99 | ow (long o) | /ō/ | snow, flow, grow, low, bowl | ☐ |
| 100 | 🎉 Milestone: 100 Lessons! | — | Cumulative review — celebrate! | ☐ |
| 101 | ow (diphthong) | /ow/ | cow, how, now, plow, town | ☐ |
| 102 | oi | /oi/ | oil, coin, join, foil, soil | ☐ |
| 103 | oy | /oi/ | boy, joy, toy, royal, oyster | ☐ |
| 104 | ou | /ow/ | out, cloud, found, shout | ☐ |
| 105 | oo (long) | /oo/ | moon, food, room, cool, tool | ☐ |
| 106 | oo (short) | /oo/ | book, cook, look, good, wood | ☐ |
| 107 | ue, ui | /oo/ | blue, clue, fruit, suit | ☐ |
| 108 | ew | /oo/ or /yoo/ | dew, new, few, blew, drew | ☐ |
| 109 | ie | /ī/ | tie, pie, lie, die, tried | ☐ |
| 110 | igh | /ī/ | high, sigh, light, night, might | ☐ |
Unit 3B: R-Controlled Vowels / "Bossy R" (Lessons 111–120)
| # | Phonogram | Sound | Sample Words | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 111 | ar | /ar/ | car, far, barn, hard, star | ☐ |
| 112 | or | /or/ | for, born, corn, storm, sport | ☐ |
| 113 | er | /er/ | her, fern, verb, stern, term | ☐ |
| 114 | ir | /er/ | sir, bird, firm, first, third | ☐ |
| 115 | ur | /er/ | fur, burn, turn, curb, surf | ☐ |
| 116 | er/ir/ur contrast | — | Mixed /er/ — spelling patterns | ☐ |
| 117 | air, are | /air/ | chair, fair, stare, bare, care | ☐ |
| 118 | ear (long) | /ear/ | ear, dear, hear, fear, near | ☐ |
| 119 | ear (er sound) | /er/ | earn, earth, learn, heard | ☐ |
| 120 | R-Controlled Assessment | — | All bossy-r patterns decode/encode | ☐ |
Unit 3C: Syllable Types & Multisyllabic Words (Lessons 121–130)
| # | Focus | Sample Words | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 121 | C-le Syllable: -ble | able, table, fable, cable, stable | ☐ |
| 122 | C-le: -tle, -dle, -fle | little, middle, rifle, trifle | ☐ |
| 123 | C-le: -gle, -kle, -ple, -zle | eagle, sparkle, maple, puzzle | ☐ |
| 124 | C-le mixed practice | Multi-syllable C-le decoding | ☐ |
| 125 | VCe in multisyllabic | sunshine, reptile, despite, compete | ☐ |
| 126 | Vowel Team in multisyllabic | freedom, rainbow, captain, explain | ☐ |
| 127 | R-controlled in multisyllabic | carpenter, gardener, furthermore | ☐ |
| 128 | All 6 Syllable Types Review | Identify type in multisyllabic words | ☐ |
| 129 | 3+ Syllable Decoding | caterpillar, watermelon, impossible | ☐ |
| 130 | Syllable Mastery Assessment | Decode/encode 20 multisyllabic words | ☐ |
Unit 3D: Advanced Spelling Rules (Lessons 131–150)
| # | Rule / Pattern | Examples | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 131 | Soft C (before e, i, y → /s/) | city, cent, cycle, dance, fence | ☐ |
| 132 | Soft G (before e, i, y → /j/) | gem, giraffe, gym, page, stage | ☐ |
| 133 | -tch vs -ch (after short vowel) | catch, fetch, witch vs much | ☐ |
| 134 | -dge vs -ge | badge, hedge, fudge vs cage, huge | ☐ |
| 135 | -k vs -ck | kick vs peak, tack vs look | ☐ |
| 136 | Silent letters: kn-, wr-, gn-, mb | know, write, gnaw, lamb, comb | ☐ |
| 137 | Silent letters: -lk, -lf, -lm | walk, half, calm, fold | ☐ |
| 138 | ph = /f/ (Greek origin) | phone, photo, dolphin, graph | ☐ |
| 139 | gh (silent or /f/) | night, bright, rough, laugh, enough | ☐ |
| 140 | Schwa /uh/ in unstressed syllables | about, comma, pillow | ☐ |
| 141 | Suffix: -s and -es | cats, buses, dishes, boxes | ☐ |
| 142 | Suffix: -ed (3 sounds) | /d/ loved, /t/ jumped, /id/ wanted | ☐ |
| 143 | Suffix: -ing | jumping, running, baking | ☐ |
| 144 | Doubling Rule (1-1-1) | run+ing=running, hop+ed=hopped | ☐ |
| 145 | Drop-E Rule | make+ing=making, bake+ed=baked | ☐ |
| 146 | Suffix: -er, -est | bigger, biggest, faster, fastest | ☐ |
| 147 | Suffix: -ful, -less, -ness, -ly | helpful, careless, sadness, slowly | ☐ |
| 148 | Prefix: un-, re-, pre- | undo, remake, preview | ☐ |
| 149 | Prefix: dis-, mis-, non-, de- | dislike, mistake, nonfat, decode | ☐ |
| 150 | Phase 3 Mastery Assessment | All Phase 3 skills tested in context | ☐ |
Phase 4: Fluency, Morphology & Comprehension
Lessons 151–181 · Goal: Build reading fluency, expand vocabulary, master advanced patterns.
Unit 4A: Advanced Phonics Patterns (Lessons 151–165)
| # | Pattern | Examples | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 151 | -tion = /shun/ | nation, station, fiction, action | ☐ |
| 152 | -sion = /shun/ or /zhun/ | mission, tension, vision, fusion | ☐ |
| 153 | -ture = /cher/ | nature, picture, future, culture | ☐ |
| 154 | -ous, -ious, -eous | famous, curious, gorgeous | ☐ |
| 155 | -al, -ial, -ual | final, special, usual, equal | ☐ |
| 156 | -ance, -ence, -ancy, -ency | distance, silence, urgency | ☐ |
| 157 | -ible vs -able | possible, visible vs capable, notable | ☐ |
| 158 | Greek Roots: bio, geo, photo, tele | biology, geography, photography | ☐ |
| 159 | Greek Roots: graph, phon, scope, therm | paragraph, phonics, telescope | ☐ |
| 160 | Latin Roots: port, dict, rupt, struct | transport, dictate, interrupt | ☐ |
| 161 | Latin Roots: aud, vis, scrib, spec | audible, visible, describe, inspect | ☐ |
| 162 | Compound Words | sunshine, butterfly, everyone | ☐ |
| 163 | Contractions | can't, won't, they're, it's | ☐ |
| 164 | Homophones | there/their/they're, to/too/two | ☐ |
| 165 | Advanced Patterns Review | All Phase 4A patterns mixed | ☐ |
Unit 4B: Fluency & Comprehension (Lessons 166–181)
| # | Focus | Activity | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 166 | Fluency: Phrase Reading | Read phrases, not word-by-word | ☐ |
| 167 | Fluency: Expression & Punctuation | Read with expression for punctuation marks | ☐ |
| 168 | Fluency: Repeated Reading | Read passage 3–4 times, chart words per minute | ☐ |
| 169 | Fluency: Echo Reading | Teacher reads, child echoes phrase by phrase | ☐ |
| 170 | Comprehension: Retelling | Who, what, where, when, why, how | ☐ |
| 171 | Comprehension: Main Idea | Find main idea + 3 supporting details | ☐ |
| 172 | Comprehension: Sequencing | First, next, then, last events | ☐ |
| 173 | Comprehension: Inferencing | "What clues tell us this?" | ☐ |
| 174 | Comprehension: Vocabulary in Context | Use context clues for word meaning | ☐ |
| 175 | Writing: Sentence Variety | Simple, compound, and complex sentences | ☐ |
| 176 | Writing: Paragraph Structure | Topic sentence, 3 details, conclusion | ☐ |
| 177 | Writing: Descriptive Writing | Show don't tell, sensory details | ☐ |
| 178 | Writing: Narrative Writing | Beginning, middle, end — personal story | ☐ |
| 179 | Sight Words: Advanced (101–150) | High-frequency academic words | ☐ |
| 180 | Cumulative Review: All Phases | Mixed review of all concepts | ☐ |
| 181 | 🎓 Graduation: Full Reading Assessment | Read leveled text + write response — celebrate! | ☐ |
Section 4
The Master Lesson Template
Every single lesson in this program — all 181 — uses this same template. You never need to wonder what to do next. The structure is always the same; only the content changes.
The 10-Step OG + Montessori Lesson
Step 1: Review · Step 2: New Phoneme · Step 3: 3-Period Lesson · Step 4: Sensory Encoding · Step 5: Blending · Step 6: Word Building · Step 7: Decoding · Step 8: Dictation · Step 9: Meaning · Step 10: Independent Work
Review — Old Knowledge to Automatic (2–4 min)
Rapid review of ALL previously learned phonemes using sound cards. Hold up cards — child says the sound immediately. Also do the auditory drill: you say a sound, child writes the letter. Keep it brisk — you want automatic responses, not thinking. If the child pauses more than 2 seconds on a card, that skill needs more practice.
New Phoneme Introduction (3–5 min)
Introduce ONE new phoneme or pattern — only one, never two. Say the sound clearly, use a keyword and picture, show the grapheme on a card, explain any rules briefly, and use a gesture if helpful. "This says /sh/ — like telling someone to be quiet — /shhhh/."
Montessori first presentation: Take out the sandpaper letter(s) silently. Trace them slowly while making the sound. Hand the letter to the child and guide their fingers. Say the sound together — no extra words needed.
Montessori 3-Period Lesson (4–6 min)
| Period | What You Say | What Child Does |
|---|---|---|
| 1 — Naming | "This says /sh/. This is sh." | Listens. Traces. Repeats sound. |
| 2 — Recognition | "Show me sh." / "Point to sh." | Points, touches, moves the card. |
| 3 — Recall | "What does this say?" | Child produces sound independently. |
If the child cannot do Period 3, return to Period 2. Never tell the child they were wrong. Simply say "Let me show you again." Errors are information, not failures.
Sensory Encoding — Sand Tray, Clay, Sky Writing (3–5 min)
Teacher writes the phonogram in the sand tray slowly while saying the sound. Child watches. Then child writes it 3–5 times, saying the sound each time. Alternatives: sky writing with big arm movements, finger tracing on carpet, shaving cream, clay letter formation, or tracing on a partner's back.
Blending — Sound to Word (3–5 min)
Show a simple word containing the new phoneme. Child taps sounds (one finger per sound unit — not per letter), slides finger under the word while blending, then reads it. Begin with 3-phoneme words, move to 4-phoneme words after success. Include 1–2 nonsense words to confirm decoding rather than memorization.
For dyslexia: use Elkonin boxes. Draw boxes — one per phoneme — and push a token into each box as the sound is said, then sweep the finger while blending.
Word Building — Movable Alphabet (4–6 min)
Teacher says a word; child selects letters from the movable alphabet tray and arranges them to spell the word, then reads it aloud. Use word chains — change only ONE element at a time: ship → shop → chop → chip → chin → thin → than → tan → tin → tip. This teaches how individual phonemes change meaning.
Reading / Decoding Practice (4–6 min)
Show 8–12 words containing the new phoneme plus some previously learned words. Child reads each aloud. Then show 2–3 phrases and 1–2 sentences. Use only controlled text — words with taught phonemes or known sight words only.
| If Child Does This… | Say This… |
|---|---|
| Skips a word | "Let's look at this one. What sound does this make?" |
| Guesses from first letter | "Cover the word. Sound it out from the beginning." |
| Says wrong vowel | "Check the middle. What is that vowel? Short or long?" |
| Cannot decode | "Let's tap the sounds. /sh/… /i/… /p/… Now blend." |
Dictation / Encoding (4–6 min)
Go from sound → written symbol. First at the sounds level: "Write /sh/." Then words level: "Write: ship." Then sentence level (when ready). Child says the word, taps phonemes, then writes — do not skip steps. Always include 2–3 review words from previous lessons.
Error correction: If wrong, ask "Read what you wrote. Does that look right?" before erasing. Child self-corrects if possible. If not, return to the sandpaper letter.
Meaning & Vocabulary (2–3 min)
Use a miniature object or picture card containing the new phoneme. Child names the object, finds the word card, builds the word with the movable alphabet, and underlines the new phoneme. Ask: "What do you notice about the /sh/ in this word? Where is it?" Keep it brief — the goal is meaning-making, not drilling definitions.
Independent Work Cycle — Montessori (5–10 min)
Prepare 3–4 activity choices on the work shelf. Child selects one and works independently. Teacher observes silently — do not help unless asked, do not correct during independent work. What the child chooses reveals what they have internalized.
- Sand tray writing — write today's phonogram and words
- Movable alphabet — build any words with today's phoneme
- Picture-word matching cards
- Reading card stack — read independently
- Drawing + labeling — draw a scene, label objects
- Sorting activity — sort by phoneme, pattern, or word family
Lesson Completion Checklist
- Rapid review of all previously learned phonemes (visual + auditory drill)
- New phoneme introduced (sound card + sandpaper letter)
- 3-Period Lesson completed through Period 3 (Recall)
- Sensory encoding: sand tray or equivalent kinesthetic activity
- Blending: at least 5 words blended successfully
- Word building: movable alphabet used
- Reading: word list + at least 1 sentence read aloud
- Dictation: sounds + words + optional sentence
- Vocabulary/meaning connection made
- Independent work cycle completed
Section 5
Materials, Environment & DIY Instructions
You don't need to spend hundreds of dollars. Most Montessori materials in this program can be made at home. Here's everything you need and how to make it.
The Prepared Environment
A Montessori "prepared environment" is a carefully arranged space where the child can work independently. For a home reading program, this means:
- A dedicated work area — a table or mat that belongs to reading lessons
- Materials on a low shelf or in labeled trays the child can access independently
- A quiet, distraction-free space (no TV, no siblings running through)
- Materials rotated to match the current learning level
- A work mat (small rug or placemat) to define the workspace
OG Materials
| Material | What It's For | DIY / Where to Get |
|---|---|---|
| Sound Cards | Visual drill — shows grapheme, child says sound | Print on cardstock, laminate. One phoneme per card. |
| Blending Cards | Practice reading phoneme combinations | Index cards with letter patterns in red/black ink |
| Dictation Notebook | Recording all dictation work | Any composition notebook |
| Dry Erase Board | Quick writing and erasing | Dollar store — essential |
| Decodable Word Cards | Reading practice | Print and laminate free lists online |
| Red Words / Sight Word Cards | Irregular word practice | Index cards, one word per card |
Montessori Materials
| Material | What It's For | DIY Instructions |
|---|---|---|
| Sandpaper Letters | Tactile-kinesthetic letter learning | Print letters on cardstock, trace with white glue, sprinkle fine-grit sand, let dry. Blue for consonants, pink/red for vowels. Or buy a set for $20–50. |
| Movable Alphabet | Hands-on word building | Print two copies of alphabet on cardstock — blue for consonants, red for vowels. Laminate all pages before cutting. Print multiples of s, t, a, e, i, n, r. |
| Sand / Glitter Tray | Kinesthetic phoneme writing | Fill a shallow baking pan with sand, salt, or fine glitter. About ½ inch deep. |
| Three-Part Cards | Object-word-picture matching | Print pictures + word cards + control cards (picture + word together). |
| Object Basket / Miniatures | Concrete meaning connection | Small toys, household objects. Dollar store figures work perfectly. |
| Elkonin Boxes | Sound segmentation visual | Draw rows of boxes on cardstock, one box per phoneme. Laminate for reuse with dry-erase markers. |
Color-Coding System
Use these colors consistently on all DIY materials:
Section 6
Five Complete Sample Lessons
These fully scripted lessons show you exactly what teaching with this program looks like. Each follows the 10-Step Template from Section 4.
Materials
Sound cards for m, s (previously taught) · Sandpaper letter a (red/vowel) · Sand tray · Movable alphabet · Miniature apple or ant · Word cards: am, at, an, as · Dictation notebook
Step 1: Review (2 min)
Hold up the m card: "What sound?" → /m/. Hold up s: "What sound?" → /s/. Auditory drill: "Write /m/." Check. "Write /s/." Check. Be brisk.
Step 2: Introduce /a/ (2 min)
"Today's sound is /a/." Hold fingers under lips. "Open your mouth wide. /a/. Your jaw drops — feel it? /a/. Like when the doctor says 'open your mouth and say ahh' — /a/." Show the sandpaper a. "This is the letter a. It makes the sound /a/ — like apple, ant, and at."
Step 3: 3-Period Lesson (3 min)
Period 1: Trace sandpaper a slowly. "This is a. It says /a/." Child traces and repeats. Period 2: Place 3 sandpaper letters (m, s, a) on the mat. "Show me a." Child points. "Trace a." Period 3: Hold up a: "What does this say?" → /a/. If they hesitate, return to Period 2.
Step 4: Sand Tray (3 min)
"Let's write a in the sand." Model slowly: curve, then down. Say /a/ while writing. Child writes it 4 times, saying /a/ each time.
Step 5: Blending (3 min)
Write: at. Point to a: "/a/." Point to t: "/t/." Slide finger: "at." Do: am, an, as. These are 2-phoneme words — perfect for beginners.
Step 6: Word Building (4 min)
"Build the word at with the letters." Child finds a and t. "Now build am." Child swaps t for m. "Build an." Introduce the concept of swapping one letter — first word chains.
Steps 7–10
Read word cards (am, at, an, as). Dictation: write /a/, /m/, /s/, then words at and am. Meaning: show miniature apple — "Does apple start with /a/? /a/-pple!" Independent work: sand tray, movable alphabet, word cards, picture.
Mastery Indicators — Lesson 12
- Says /a/ immediately when shown the card
- Writes a when they hear /a/
- Reads the words: at, am, an, as — without blending aloud
Key Teaching Point
"Today we have a special team. Two letters working together to make ONE sound." Hold up s: "/s/." Hold up h: "/h/." "When s and h work together as a team, they make a totally new sound: /sh/ — like telling someone to be quiet — /shhhh/." Finger to lips gesture.
Critical Concept
Show that sh can appear at the beginning (ship, shop) OR the end (fish, dish, wish) of words. This is new and important — emphasize it in word building (Step 6) by having the child rearrange the movable alphabet so sh moves to the end.
Word List
ship, shop, fish, dish, wish, shut, shed, shin, rush, gush, cash, clash
Sentences for Reading
"The fish is in the dish." · "The ship is big." · "I wish for a big fish."
Dictation Sentence
"I wish for a big fish."
Mastery Indicators — Lesson 41
- Says /sh/ immediately when shown the card
- Writes sh when they hear /sh/
- Reads: ship, shop, fish, dish, wish correctly
- Correctly places sh in both initial AND final position
The Magic E Introduction
Write on a whiteboard: mat. "Read this." → mat. Now add an e at the end in a different color: mate. "Watch what happens when we add a silent e to the end. The a in the middle changes! It says its NAME now — /A/. The e is silent — we don't say it, but it reaches back and changes the vowel. We call this the Magic E."
Minimal Pairs (use in sorting)
mat / mate · cap / cape · can / cane · tap / tape · pan / pane
Word Chain
make → lake → lane → cane → came → game → gate → late → fate → face → pace → pace → race → race → lace
Decoding Procedure for VCe
"First look for the e at the end. That tells you the vowel in the middle is long." Then tap each sound unit.
Mastery Indicators — Lesson 71
- Identifies the "magic e" at the end of VCe words
- Reads a_e words correctly: cake, lane, tape, made
- Correctly sorts minimal pairs (mat vs mate)
- Spells a_e words — including the silent e
Key Teaching Point
"When two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking." In the vowel team ai, the a says its name (/ā/) and the i is quiet. Connect to what they already know: a_e also makes long /ā/ — today they learn another way to spell the same sound.
ai vs ay Rule
Position Rule
ai appears in the middle of words (rain, mail, train). ay appears at the end of words (day, play, stay). This rule will be formally taught in Lesson 92 — for now, just teach ai and note the pattern.
Word List for ai
aim, aid, rain, mail, train, sail, paid, brain, chain, plain, stain, wait, braid, snail, trail
Mastery Indicators — Lesson 91
- Says /ā/ for the ai vowel team immediately
- Reads: rain, mail, train, sail, paid correctly
- Spells ai words without confusing with a_e
The suffix -ed has three different pronunciations depending on the final sound of the base word. This is one of the most important spelling lessons for fluency.
| -ed Sound | When It Happens | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| /d/ — "lived" | After voiced sounds (b, g, l, m, n, r, v, w, vowels) | loved, rained, hummed, pinned, buzzed |
| /t/ — "jumped" | After voiceless sounds (ch, f, k, p, s, sh, x) | jumped, liked, packed, stuffed, rushed |
| /id/ — "wanted" | After /t/ or /d/ only — adds a whole new syllable | wanted, planted, handed, waited, landed |
Montessori Activity
Create three sorting baskets labeled /d/, /t/, and /id/. Write -ed words on strips. Child reads each word, says it aloud, listens for the -ed sound, and places it in the correct basket. Make an answer key on the basket lid for self-correction — a hallmark of Montessori materials.
Mastery Indicators — Lesson 142
- Correctly pronounces -ed in all three categories
- Sorts -ed words into /d/, /t/, /id/ baskets accurately
- Can explain why "wanted" has two syllables but "jumped" has one
Section 7
Progress Tracking
These records tell you when to move forward, when to reteach, and what to celebrate.
Weekly Progress Log
| Date | Lesson / Skill | Words Read | Words Spelled | Accuracy % | Notes / Next Steps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Phoneme Mastery Checklist
Check off each phoneme when your child achieves mastery (greater than 95% accuracy in both decoding and encoding across two separate sessions).
Section 8
Supporting Students with Dyslexia
Orton-Gillingham was specifically developed for students with dyslexia. This program already incorporates OG principles, but these additional strategies will help if your child shows signs of dyslexia.
Signs of Dyslexia to Watch For
Consult a specialist if you observe these patterns consistently
- Persistent difficulty with rhyming past age 5
- Cannot sound out simple CVC words after several months of instruction
- Consistently confuses visually similar letters: b/d, p/q, m/n
- Loses their place frequently while reading
- Reads very slowly and with great effort
- Spells a word differently every time they try
- Strong oral comprehension but poor decoding
OG Accommodations for Dyslexia
| Challenge | OG + Montessori Strategy |
|---|---|
| b/d confusion | Teach b and d at LEAST 6 weeks apart. Use the "bed" mnemonic — the word "bed" looks like a bed when written (b and d frame the e like a headboard and footboard). Sandpaper letters emphasize the starting stroke. |
| Letter reversals | Always use consistent starting points for letter formation. Sky writing with the whole arm — full body movement anchors directionality. |
| Slow processing | Allow more time in every step. Never rush the blending drill. Increase review time. Keep sessions shorter and more frequent rather than longer and less frequent. |
| Phonemic awareness deficits | Spend more time in Phase 1 (Lessons 1–10). Add Elkonin boxes to every blending activity. Use arm-tapping to count phonemes. |
| Working memory challenges | Reduce dictation to sounds and single words only. Use visual supports constantly. Review lists should be shorter but done more frequently. |
| Inconsistent spelling | Focus on patterns, not memorization. Return to sandpaper letters and sand tray for any phoneme that is inconsistently spelled. |
| Reading fluency struggles | Do NOT skip the repeated reading activities in Phase 4. Echo reading, paired reading, and repeated reading with charted improvement are essential. |
The Multisensory Principle
Dyslexia is a neurological processing difference, not an intelligence issue. The OG multisensory approach creates multiple neural pathways to the same information:
| Modality | What It Activates | Example Activity |
|---|---|---|
| Visual | Visual cortex — seeing the symbol | Reading the phoneme on a card |
| Auditory | Auditory cortex — hearing the sound | Listening to the phoneme spoken aloud |
| Kinesthetic | Motor cortex — feeling the movement | Writing in sand, sky writing |
| Tactile | Somatosensory — touching the texture | Tracing sandpaper letters with two fingers |
| Oral-motor | Mouth and speech production pathways | Saying the sound aloud while writing it |
When all five pathways are activated in the same lesson, the information has a much stronger chance of consolidating into long-term memory — even for brains that process differently.
Section 9
Frequently Asked Questions
You can do this. Your child can do this.
One phoneme at a time.
This is what happens when Orton-Gillingham meets Montessori with intention:
Explicit meets exploratory · Structure meets independence · Science meets soul
Your Commitments as a Home Instructor
- Teach consistently: 4–5 days per week, every week
- Review always: every lesson begins with review of all previous skills
- Never skip mastery: 95% before moving on. Always.
- Stay positive: reading is hard for some children. Celebrate every step.
- Trust the sequence: the lessons are ordered for a reason.
- Give this time its own slot: separate from other school or homework
- Read aloud every single day, above the child's independent level
- Celebrate: when your child reads their first sentence, stop and celebrate
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