Being a Reader Small-Group Reading Sets is an easy-to-use supplement to any comprehensive, whole-class reading program, providing essential, targeted small-group instruction that ensures all students are met at their point of need.
Sets 1–5 focus on phonological awareness; phonics, including decoding and spelling; and high-frequency words. These sets support students in the alphabetic and spelling-pattern phases of reading development.
Sets 6–12 focus on fluency, provide explicit instruction in reading strategies, and place an increasing emphasis on self-monitoring and self-correcting.
| Grade Level | Instructional Focus |
|---|---|
| Kindergarten (Sets 1–4) |
Short vowels, single consonants, CVC words Initial, final, medial sounds Consonant blends, digraphs, trigraphs Inflectional endings: -s, -ed, -ing Long vowels, final -e, vowel patterns, r-controlled vowels |
| Grade 1 (Sets 3–8) |
Consonant blends, digraphs, and trigraphs Inflectional endings: -s, -ed, -ing Long vowels, final -e, vowel patterns, r-controlled vowels Silent letters and two-syllable decoding Word recognition and analysis Fluency, comprehension, independent thinking |
| Grade 2 (Sets 5–12) |
Complex vowels Silent letters, two-syllable decoding Word recognition and analysis Fluency Comprehension and generating independent thinking with complex texts |
NOTE: Students who complete Sets 1–5 will have mastered first-grade standards for single syllable phonics. Additional instruction is needed beyond Set 5 for students to engage in polysyllabic decoding.
Since the organization’s founding in 1980, our work has reached more than 8 million students and 328,000 teachers in classrooms across the country, developing fluent readers and skilled writers, supporting instructional equity, transforming discipline practices, and bolstering student and teacher engagement.
