The Intensification Lessons are a structured intervention resource designed to increase the intensity of reading instruction for first- and second-grade students who need additional support with foundational literacy skills. Intended as catch-up instruction for students who have not yet mastered key kindergarten reading skills, these lessons focus primarily on phonics, decoding, and blending consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words. Instruction can be delivered in small groups of three to five students or individually, depending on student needs.
Resources
The Intensification Lessons consist of three primary resources:
Teacher Guide
Download the Teacher Guide PDF here
- Provides step-by-step instructional procedures, lesson scripts, and guidance for delivering the lessons
- Includes directions for teaching activities, correcting errors, and providing appropriate scaffolds
Teacher Flip Chart
Download the Teacher Flip Chart PDF here
- Contains the visual materials students use during instruction
- Displays sounds, letters, words, and activities that support lesson delivery
Student Workbook
Download the Student Workbook PDF here
- Provides opportunities for students to practice the sounds, words, reading, spelling, and writing skills taught during the lessons
Instructions
Each teacher will need one copy of the Intensification Teacher Flip Chart and the Teacher Guide. The Intensification Flip Chart contains lesson content for students to look at during instruction. Each student will need one copy of the Intensification Student Workbook. The materials are designed to be used together to support consistent, explicit instruction and practice.
The 50 lessons (approximately 10 weeks of instruction) focus on strengthening early phonics and decoding skills through explicit, systematic instruction. The lessons help students:
- Produce accurate consonant and short-vowel sounds.
- Blend and read CVC words and basic high-frequency words.
- Improve reading accuracy and fluency.
- Read decodable text with increasing confidence.
- Correctly write and spell basic words.
- Build readiness for more complex sound-spelling patterns.
- Follow instructional routines using visual supports.
- Develop positive self-reflection about their reading progress.
These lessons are particularly appropriate for students who continue to experience difficulty with phonics, decoding, and blending despite participation in core classroom instruction. By providing additional opportunities for targeted practice and feedback, the lessons help strengthen the foundational skills necessary for future reading success and prepare students to tackle more complex sound-spelling patterns and increasingly challenging texts.
The Intensification Lessons are one example of how reading instruction can be intensified for students who need additional support. When implemented consistently, they provide targeted, systematic practice in the foundational skills necessary for future reading success.
