DiscoverThe Science of Reading FormulaThe Phonics Staircase: What It Is and How to Use It
The Phonics Staircase: What It Is and How to Use It

The Phonics Staircase: What It Is and How to Use It

Update: 2025-10-20
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Description

Struggling to figure out what phonics skill to teach next? What if there was a simple, visual roadmap that showed you exactly where your students are—and where they need to go? In this episode, we're breaking down The Phonics Staircase, a powerful, step-by-step framework that will change how you think about phonics instruction forever.

In this episode, we'll talk about:

  • The exact order to teach phonics skills—without skipping critical steps.
  • Why starting with just 8 letters can unlock hundreds of decodable words.
  • What the “phonics staircase” is and how it helps struggling readers make progress fast.
  • The truth about that “When two vowels go walking…” poem (and what to do instead).
  • How to avoid common teaching missteps that hold your students back.

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The Phonics Staircase: What It Is and How to Use It

The Phonics Staircase: What It Is and How to Use It

Malia Hollowell