he bridge from single sounds to fluent reading is built with consistent, cumulative practice. In Level 1, we review a small set of recently learned sounds and early digraphs (sh, ch, th), blend them into words, and immediately read short sentences. This tight loop—review → build → read—accelerates progress without overwhelming young learners.
Why constant reading matters
- Memory: Frequent retrieval keeps sounds “online” for automatic blending.
- Accuracy first: Clean segmenting and blending reduce guessing.
- Fluency: Timed rereads grow speed and phrasing without losing meaning.
- Confidence: Success with decodable sentences motivates independent reading.
Our Circle Time routine
- Sound check: quick gestures and mouth shapes for target sounds/digraphs.
- Word chains: swap one letter at a time (shop → ship → chip → chin).
- Sentence strips: decodable lines using only taught code.
- Fluency finish: echo‑read, whisper‑read, then “one smooth voice.”
Home ideas (5–7 minutes)
- One page a day: reread yesterday’s page for fluency, then a new one.
- Sound hunt: find sh/ch/th in books or signs, say the sound, read the word.
- Punctuation pop: pause at commas; lift your voice at question marks.
- Celebrate reps, not length: two strong rereads beat ten rushed lines.
What to expect in L1
- Growing automaticity with common consonants, short vowels, and sh/ch/th.
- Sentences like “The fish is in the shop.” with improving expression.
Next: expand to blends (st, sp) and more digraphs (wh, ng), then long‑vowel patterns.
Want to see it in action? Learn more or book an assessment via our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/FunToLearnEnglishHK
