Gateway to Reading Activity Guides

How the Kits Progress

Each kit focuses on specific reading skills that help students build their knowledge in a logical order. Kits are designed to be used progressively, starting with easier skills and moving toward more advanced ones. Here’s a quick overview of each kit:

 

Elementary Kits
Ideal for Students in Grades K-3

  • Kit 1 - Decoding Basic Word Structures
    Learning the sounds of consonant letters and short vowel sounds to read words like “cat”, “sip”, “fish”, and “chin”.
    Languages: English | Spanish
     
  • Kit 2 - Consonant Patterns & Complex Blends
    Understanding consonants blend in words like “stop,” “jump,” and “string”.
    Languages: English | Spanish
     
  • Kit 3 -Silent E Syllables
    Recognizing how an “e” at the end of a word changes the vowel sound (as in “cap” to “cape”).
    Languages: English | Spanish
     
  • Kit 4 - Reading Longer Words
    Learning how to read words that are a bit longer, often with endings like “-ing” and “-es” (as in “foxes” or “playing”).
    Languages: English | Spanish
     
  • Kit 5 - R-Controlled Syllables
    Learning how the letter “r” changes the sound of vowels (as in “car,” “bird,” and “fur”).
    Languages: English | Spanish
     
  • Kit 6 - Vowel Team Syllables 1
    Recognizing vowel pairs (like “ee” in “tree” or “ai” in “rain”) and how they work together to make long vowel sounds.
    Languages: English | Spanish
     
  • Kit 7 - Vowel Team Syllables 2
    Expanding on vowel teams and how vowel pairs can make two sounds (like “oo” in “moon”, and “oo” in “book”)
    Languages: English | Spanish
     
  • Kit 8 - Diphthong Syllables
    Decoding sounds made by gliding vowels, such as “oi” in “coin” or “ow” in “cow”.
    Languages: English | Spanish
     
  • Kit 9 - Special & Stable Word Endings
    Recognizing patterns at the ends of words, like “tch” in “catch” and “le” in “candle”.
    Languages: English | Spanish
     
  • Kit 10 - Alternative Spellings & Affixes
    Decoding new spellings for known sounds (like “ph” as the f sound in “phone”) and recognizing prefixes and suffixes.
    Languages: English | Spanish

Striving Readers Kits
For Older Students Building Foundational Skills

  • Striving Readers Kit 1
    Decoding Basic Word Structures Practicing three-sound words (like “cat”), with digraphs (like “ch” in “chip”), and silent E patterns (like “bike”).
    Languages: English | Spanish
     
  • Striving Readers Kit 2
    Vowel Combinations & Word Endings Recognizing letter combinations that influence the vowel sound in words (like “ea” as long E in “steam” and “ar”, an R-controlled vowel in “chart”).
    Languages: English | Spanish
     
  • Striving Readers Kit 3
    Alternative Vowel Spellings Decoding sounds made by different vowel spellings, from common to uncommon (like an “ah” sound spelled as “aw” in “dawn” and “augh” in “caught”).
    Languages: English | Spanish
     
  • Striving Readers Kit 4
    Consonant Multi-Spellings & Suffixes Understanding different ways consonant sounds are spelled (like “dge”, “ge” or “g” for the j sound) and how suffixes like “-tion” and “- ture” change words.
    Languages: English | Spanish

Why These Kits Work

The literacy kits are based on decades of research about how people learn to read. They follow a method called systematic phonics, which teaches students how to connect the sounds of spoken language to written words. By focusing on these connections, students learn to sound out words more easily and become stronger readers.
 

Remember!

  • Start Simple
    These kits build from basic skills like letter sounds to more advanced patterns. Make sure students are comfortable before moving on.
     
  • Stay Consistent
    Regular practice, even just a few minutes a day, helps students make steady progress.
     
  • Keep it Fun
    The books and guides in the kits are designed to engage students. Use the content to spark discussions or to relate to things they already know.