Long Phonetic (Blue) Series

The emphasis in this series includes words of four or more letters, e.g., flag, tent, crib, pots, and drum, for encoding, followed by longer, multi-syllable words, e.g., basket and pumpkin.  Words containing double consonants and digraphs, e.g., doll, track, and ring, are introduced as decoding only.

The ten sequential parts of the Longer Phonetic Series (see photo) include: a set of four booklets used for reading; two sets of reading comprehension commands, single words and short sentences, and a set of 35 sight words, often referred to as puzzle words. See the description below of the 10 exercises contained within the Longer Phonetic Series:

1.  25 Objects: For writing with the movable alphabet

2.  25 Pictures with 25 Rotational Labels*: For writing with the movable alphabet

3.  25 Objects & Corresponding Labels: For reading within a prepared context

4.  25 Pictures & Corresponding Labels: For reading within a prepared context

5.   6 Booklets I: On each page, one picture on the left corresponding to one word on the right.

6.  6 Booklets II: On each page, four single pictures on the left corresponding to four single words on the right.

7.  6 Booklets III: One scene corresponding to four words

8.  6 Booklets IV: One scene corresponding to six or eight words

9.  Blue Commands: Action cards for silent reading and miming
Set I: 16 single word actions, clap, step, jump
Set II: 16 short sentence actions, “dust a box."," fill a cup.", "sing a song"

10.   Sight Words, 35 cards

*Rotational Labels are included with the 25 longer phonetic pictures designed for use with the movable alphabet, providing a total of 50 labels.  Use of the labels may vary.  They add additional practice associating picture and label, the second level of early childhood decoding acquisition.  Teachers may incorporate a variety of opportunities.  Using the prepared labels to affirm their work, some children will enjoy building the longer phonetic words with the movable alphabet.  Children may also invent their own lists of four letter, short phonetic words, discovering  "alphabetical order" as they arrange the labels.  What an empowering discovery when this happens!