April 17, 2024

Boddle & The Science of Reading: An Evidence-Based Approach

🚀 Dive Into the Science of Reading with Boddle!

With strong reading abilities, children can better understand and absorb information in every learning area, from science and mathematics to history and literature. Reading is not just an academic skill, but also a critical tool for everyday life, enabling kids to navigate the world around them with confidence and understanding.

We know that teaching children the ability to read is a complex and multifaceted challenge that requires patience, expertise, and adaptive strategies. Each child is unique, with different learning styles, paces, and pre-existing skills, making it important for us to tailor our approaches. This is where understanding the science of reading comes in!

📚 What is the science of reading?

The science of reading is an evidence-based approach to teaching reading based on how kids’ brains work. It draws upon research from various fields such as cognitive psychology, linguistics, and neuroscience. Think of it as a handbook on teaching kids how to read.

The science of reading is built around the "Five Pillars of Reading" – the key components of effective reading instruction. These pillars are:

Phonemic Awareness

Phonemic awareness is knowing that words are made of smaller sound pieces called phonemes. It’s about hearing, identifying, and working with these sounds in spoken words—like blending sounds to make a word or breaking a word into its sounds. Phonemic awareness lays the foundation for phonics instruction.

Phonics

Phonics instruction teaches the relationship between letters (graphemes) and sounds (phonemes). It shows how letters or groups of letters represent sounds and how this can help read and write words.

Fluency

Fluency is reading text smoothly, accurately, and with expression. Good fluency helps connect the task of reading words to understanding them, making it easier to absorb and enjoy the text.

Vocabulary

Vocabulary covers the words kids need to know to read and write effectively. It’s about knowing the meaning of words, and then using them correctly in various contexts. A strong vocabulary helps students communicate well, and understand what others say or write.

Comprehension

Reading comprehension is the ultimate goal of reading: understanding and making sense of what you read. This skill uses everything from background knowledge and word decoding to vocabulary and critical thinking to figure out messages in texts. Tools like the Simple View of Reading and Scarborough’s Reading Rope can help break down and teach these complex skills.

👩🏫 Why Boddle & Reading Instruction Make the Perfect Team

With Boddle's new addition of syllable-type skills to our extensive ELA skills library, you’ve got powerful reading tools at your disposal. Our platform simplifies assigning customized practice to your students, allows you to monitor their progress in real time, and helps ensure they build solid reading foundations engagingly and interactively.

✅ How to create Reading assignments in Boddle

1. Log in to Boddle’s LMS teacher portal.
(No account yet? Sign up here!)

2. Select the classroom where you want to send the assignment.

3. Click the Assignments tab on the left menu, then click ELA.

4. Click on Create Assignment.

5. On the next page, you can customize the assignment by giving it a title, choosing the skill you want, selecting the students it will be sent to, choosing the number of questions, and the time you want it sent.

6. Lastly, click on Create.

‍

🥳 Ready to start guiding your students toward excellent reading? Read on below to find the list of Boddle’s Science of Reading-aligned skills for each grade level.

‍

Happy reading, and happy teaching!

‍

Kindergarten alignment to Science of Reading:

Phonemic Awareness:

Identify the number of syllables (1 and 2 syllable words)
Which word has more syllables (1 and 2 syllable words)
Find the word that rhymes with the picture
Find the word that does not rhyme
Complete the rhyme
Choose the consonant sound
Find the word that starts with the same consonant
What letter sound does the word start with
What letter sound does the word end with
Identify the first, middle, and last sound of the word
Blend the sounds together to make a word

Phonics:

Identify and read the lowercase letters (s,a,t,p)
Identify and read the lowercase letters (i,n,c,k)
Identify and read the lowercase letters (e,h,r,m)
Identify and read the lowercase letters (d,g,o,l)
Identify and read the lowercase letters (f,b,q,u)
Identify and read the lowercase letters (j,z,w)
Identify and read the lowercase letters (v,y,x)
Identify and read the uppercase letters (S,A,T,P)
Identify and read the uppercase letters (I,N,C,K)
Identify and read the uppercase letters (E,H,R,M)
Identify and read the uppercase letters (D,G,O,L)
Identify and read the uppercase letters (F,B,Q,U)
Identify and read the uppercase letters (J,Z,W)
Identify and read the uppercase letters (V,Y,X)
Identify all uppercase letters
Identify all lowercase letters
Match upper and lowercase of the 26 alphabet letters
Place letters in the correct alphabetical order
What letter comes next?
Find the picture that rhymes with the word
Find the word that does not rhyme
Complete the rhyme
Identify the short vowel sound in the word
Complete the word with the correct short vowel sound
Choose the long vowel "a" word (pictures)
Choose the long vowel "a" word
Choose the long vowel "e" word (pictures)
Choose the long vowel "e" word
Choose the long vowel "i" word (pictures)
Choose the long vowel "i" word
Choose the long vowel "o" word (pictures)
Choose the long vowel "o" word
Choose the long vowel "u" word (pictures)
Choose the long vowel "u" word

Fluency:

Identify and read the lowercase letters
Identify and read the uppercase letters
Identify all uppercase letters
Identify all lowercase letters
Match uppercase and lowercase letters
Place letters in the correct alphabetical order
What letter comes next?

Vocabulary:

Match the word with the picture
Define words from text
Define words from passages (nonfiction)
Identify book features and parts

Comprehension:

Fairytale passages with questions
Fantasy passages with questions
Realistic fiction passages with questions
Sequencing (visual)
Sequence questions
Pick the picture that shows the setting of the story
Pick the picture that shows the characters of the story
Pick the picture that shows the main event in the story
Pick the sentence that describes the setting
Pick the sentence that describes the character
Pick the sentence that describes the main event in the story
Identify literature texts (poems, fiction stories, fairy tale)
Name the author or illustrator of the text
Answer questions about what authors and illustrators do
Event in the story that matches the picture
Feeling that matches the picture
Comparing and contrasting characters in a picture
Comparing and contrasting text
Text about people and questions
Text about places and questions
Text about animals and questions
Main idea using pictures (nonfiction)
Key details using pictures (nonfiction)
Main idea and key details in text (nonfiction)
Describing connections between people
Describing connections between events/ideas
Identify book features and parts
Name the author or illustrator of a text (nonfiction)
Answer questions about what authors and illustrators do (nonfiction)
Connecting text and illustrations
Why did the author write this? (nonfiction)
Comparing and contrasting nonfiction text

‍

1st Grade alignment to Science of Reading:

Phonemic Awareness:

What is happening in the picture?
Put pictures in the correct sequence
Sequence questions
Identify the number of syllables (1-3 syllable words)
Which word has more syllables (1-3 syllable words)

Phonics:

Capitalization (first word and I)
Identify the consonant blend the word begins with (sl, st, sp)
Complete the word with the correct consonant blend (sl, st, sp)
Identify the consonant blend the word begins/ends with (sn, sc, sw)
Complete the word with the correct consonant blend (sn, sc, sw)
Identify the consonant blend the word begins/ends with (sk, sm)
Complete the word with the correct consonant blend (sk, sm)
Identify the consonant blend the word begins/ends with (br, cr, dr)
Complete the word with the correct consonant blend (br, cr, dr)
Identify the consonant blend the word begins/ends with (fr, pr)
Complete the word with the correct consonant blend (fr, pr)
Identify the consonant blend the word begins/ends with (tr, gr)
Complete the word with the correct consonant blend (tr, gr)
Identify the consonant blend the word begins/ends with (cl, fl, pl)
Complete the word with the correct consonant blend (cl, fl, pl)
Identify the consonant blend the word begins/ends with (bl, gl)
Complete the word with the correct consonant blend (bl, gl)
Identify the consonant blend the word begins/ends with (qu, tw)
Complete the word with the correct consonant blend (qu, tw)
Identify the consonant blend the word begins/ends with (all)
Complete the word with the correct consonant blend (all)
Find the soft g or hard g word that matches the picture
Find the soft c or hard c word that matches the picture
Identify the soft g or hard g word
Identify the soft c or hard c word
Identify the word that matches the picture (ff, ss, ll)
Complete the word with the correct double consonant (ff, ss, ll)
Identify the word that matches the picture (bb, gg, dd)
Complete the word with the correct double consonant (bb, gg, dd)
Identify the word that matches the picture (nn, tt, zz)
Complete the word with the correct double consonant (nn, tt, zz)
Identify the word that matches the picture (mm, pp)
Complete the word with the correct double consonant (mm, pp)
Identify the word that matches the picture (all double consonants)
Complete the word with the correct double consonant (all)
Identify the word that matches the picture (sc, wr)
Complete the word (sc, wr)
Identify the word that matches the picture (kn, mb)
Complete the word (kn, mb)
Identify the word that matches the picture (gn, ng)
Complete the word (gn, ng)
Identify the word that matches the picture (all silent partners)
Complete the word (all silent partners)
Identify the sight word you hear (1st grade)
Identify the word that matches the picture (sch, scr)
Identify the consonant trigraph the word starts/ends with (sch, scr)
Complete the word with the correct consonant trigraph (sch, scr)
Consonant trigraphs (shr, spl)
Identify the consonant trigraph the word starts/ends with (shr, spl)
Complete the word with the correct consonant trigraph (shr, spl)
Identify the word that matches the picture (spr, squ)
Identify the consonant trigraph the word starts/ends with (spr, squ)
Complete the word with the correct consonant trigraph (spr, squ)
Identify the word that matches the picture (str, thr)
Identify the consonant trigraph the word starts/ends with (str, thr)
Complete the word with the correct consonant trigraph (str, thr)
Identify the word that matches the picture (consonant trigraphs)
Identify the consonant trigraph the word starts/ends with (all)
Complete the word with the correct consonant trigraph (all)
Identify the word that matches the picture (ff, ss, ll)
Complete the word with the correct double consonant (ff, ss, ll)
Identify the word that matches the picture (bb, gg, dd)
Complete the word with the correct double consonant (bb, gg, dd)
Identify the word that matches the picture (nn, tt, zz)
Complete the word with the correct double consonant (nn, tt, zz)
Identify the word that matches the picture (mm, pp)
Complete the word with the correct double consonant (mm, pp)
Identify the word that matches the picture (all double consonants)
Complete the word with the correct double consonant (all)
Identify the word that matches the picture (sc, wr)
Complete the word (sc, wr)
Identify the word that matches the picture (kn, mb)
Complete the word (kn, mb)
Identify the word that matches the picture (gn, ng)
Complete the word (gn, ng)
Identify the word that matches the picture (all silent partners)
Complete the word (all silent partners)
Identify the sight word you hear (1st grade)
Identify the word that matches the picture (sch, scr)
Identify the consonant trigraph the word starts/ends with (sch, scr)
Identify the closed syllable
Identify the open syllable
Open and closed syllables
Identify the VCe syllable

Fluency:

Capitalization (first word and I)
Find the word in the sentence

Vocabulary:

Identifying sensory words
Fiction or nonfiction?
Fantasy or reality?
Who is telling the story?
Frequently used adjectives (visuals)
Adjectives: number words
Adjectives: sense words
Categorizing words
Find the word that doesn't belong
Find the words that are related
Multiple meaning words (visuals)
Context clues
Understand words with suffixes

Comprehension:

What is happening in the picture?
Put pictures in the correct sequence
Sequence questions
Fantasy passages with questions
Realistic Fiction passages with questions
Myths and Fables passages with questions
Pick the picture that shows the setting of the story
Pick the picture that shows the characters of the story
Pick the picture that shows the main event in the story
Pick the statement that describes the setting
Pick the word that describes who the character is
Pick the word that describes the main event in the story
How does the character feel?
Identifying sensory words
Fiction or nonfiction?
Fantasy or reality?
Who is telling the story?
Describe characters using illustrations and details
Describe setting using illustrations and details
Describe events using illustrations and details
Comparing and contrasting characters in text
Science passages and questions
Animals passages and questions
Sports and hobbies passages and questions
Identify the main idea
Find the supporting details
Making predictions
Describe connections between people
Describe connections between events or ideas
Use context to determine the meaning of words
Identify text features
Using titles
Using a glossary
Using a table of contents
Distinguish between information from pictures and text
Identify key details using illustrations and text
Complete the sentence that describes the illustration
Supporting an author's point in a text
Comparing and contrasting nonfiction texts
Which sentence is spaced correctly?
Find the word in the sentence
Find the complete sentence
Create a complete sentence
Identify the sight word you hear (1st grade)
Identify the word that matches the picture (sch, scr)
Identify the consonant trigraph the word starts/ends with (sch, scr)
Complete the word with the correct consonant trigraph (sch, scr)
Consonant trigraphs (shr, spl)
Identify the consonant trigraph the word starts/ends with (shr, spl)
Complete the word with the correct consonant trigraph (shr, spl)
Identify the word that matches the picture (spr, squ)
Identify the consonant trigraph the word starts/ends with (spr, squ)
Complete the word with the correct consonant trigraph (spr, squ)
Identify the word that matches the picture (str, thr)
Identify the consonant trigraph the word starts/ends with (str, thr)
Complete the word with the correct consonant trigraph (str, thr)
Identify the word that matches the picture (consonant trigraphs)
Identify the consonant trigraph the word starts/ends with (all)
Complete the word with the correct consonant trigraph (all)
Identify the word that matches the picture (ff, ss, ll)
Complete the word with the correct double consonant (ff, ss, ll)
Identify the word that matches the picture (bb, gg, dd)
Complete the word with the correct double consonant (bb, gg, dd)
Identify the word that matches the picture (nn, tt, zz)
Complete the word with the correct double consonant (nn, tt, zz)
Identify the word that matches the picture (mm, pp)
Complete the word with the correct double consonant (mm, pp)
Identify the word that matches the picture (all double consonants)
Complete the word with the correct double consonant (all)
Identify the word that matches the picture (sc, wr)
Complete the word (sc, wr)
Identify the word that matches the picture (kn, mb)
Complete the word (kn, mb)
Identify the word that matches the picture (gn, ng)
Complete the word (gn, ng)
Identify the word that matches the picture (all silent partners)
Complete the word (all silent partners)
Identify the sight word you hear (1st grade)
Identify the word that matches the picture (sch, scr)
Identify the consonant trigraph the word starts/ends with (sch, scr)
Complete the word with the correct consonant trigraph (sch, scr)
Consonant trigraphs (shr, spl)
Identify the consonant trigraph the word starts/ends with (shr, spl)
Complete the word with the correct consonant trigraph (shr, spl)
Identify the word that matches the picture (spr, squ)
Identify the consonant trigraph the word starts/ends with (spr, squ)
Complete the word with the correct consonant trigraph (spr, squ)
Identify the word that matches the picture (str, thr)
Identify the consonant trigraph the word starts/ends with (str, thr)
Complete the word with the correct consonant trigraph (str, thr)
Identify the word that matches the picture (consonant trigraphs)
Identify the consonant trigraph the word starts/ends with (all)
Complete the word with the correct consonant trigraph (all)
Identify the word that matches the picture (sch, scr)
Identify the consonant trigraph the word starts/ends with (sch, scr)

2nd Grade alignment to Science of Reading: