1. Say the practice words on the words page, then the heart words. A heart word has one part that cannot be sounded out — the little heart marks the bit to just remember.

2. Read the story on the next page. If they get stuck, don’t say the word. Point under the letters and say: “Say each sound, then say them fast” — “mmm – aaa – p … map!”

3. Read it three times — they color a circle each time.

4. They draw what happened, on the top half of the next page. No picture to copy — their drawing is how you see what they understood.

5. They write one sentence, on the lines under their drawing. The sentence to read aloud is in the box below.

“Ben and Meg dug in the mud.”

Once at normal speed, once slowly, and have them say it back before they write. If they get stuck on a word, say its sounds together — don’t spell it letter by letter.

Practice, not a test — don’t mark it wrong. If a word is misspelled, read it back exactly as they wrote it and let them hear the difference.

A wrong word, or a guess? Don’t say “no” — point at the word: “Try that one again — say each sound.” Fixing it themselves is the win.

Sounded it out twice, still stuck? Tell them the word and carry on. A few told words do no harm.

Stuck on nearly every line, or fed up? Stop — that is fine. Try an easier lesson, or this one tomorrow. Five happy minutes beat twenty cross ones.