Literacy Essentials, the Journey of Spelling to Reading

In Kindergarten through Grade 2, students begin with the foundations of Grammar, Writing, Phonics, Reading, and Handwriting. Students are taught the 26 letters and 42-44 letter sounds while simultaneously learning how to make each letter stroke. These letters, sounds, and strokes are then combined to make approximately 72 phonograms and students discover how they apply to words.

As they build upon these foundational skills and begin to break down words by syllable, students are able to read almost any word they come across by Grade 3. In Grades 4 and 5, they begin to identify Greek and Latin roots in prefixes and suffixes; these decoding skills begin to carry over into scientific, biblical, and historical readings and students are enabled to learn the “why” behind spellings and pronunciations.  

The ultimate goal is access to great literature with these foundational skills and to spark curiosity.  Our students are well on their way!