Elephant & Piggie Phonics Fun: Orton-Gillingham Boost for CVC Word Reading
Boost reading skills in this Elephant & Piggie phonics course using the Orton Gillingham approach - perfect for dyslexic and all readers. Students will blend and read CVC words while building fluency through fun, interactive lessons.
What's included
8 live meetings
4 in-class hoursHomework
1 hour per week. Students will receive weekly practice in both print and digital materials to reinforce skills at home.Assessment
Before the course begins, a spelling screening assessment will be used to identify each student's strengths and areas for growth, helping to set personalized goals. At the end of the course, an assessment will be used to evaluate progress and offer recommendations for next steps in learning.Certificate of Completion
Students will receive a digital certificate celebrating their successful completion at the end of the course.Class Experience
US Grade Kindergarten - 2
Beginner Level
Course Overview: Join us for a 4-week journey into the world of Elephant & Piggie, designed to boost your child’s CVC word reading skills using the Orton-Gillingham approach. This class is perfect for young readers who adore Elephant & Piggie stories but need a little help reading them on their own. What to Expect: Students will engage with their favorite Elephant & Piggie stories while building foundational reading skills. Through multi-sensory activities, they’ll practice blending sounds and reading CVC words. Each week features one beloved Elephant & Piggie book, with two interactive lessons designed to reinforce phonics skills and reading fluency. The lessons follow a clear, predictable sequence, helping students build confidence and find joy in reading. Key Components of Each Lesson: - Phonemic awareness exercises to help students hear and manipulate sounds. - Multi-sensory 3-part drill to develop fluency in reading, spelling, and blending sounds. - Practice with CVC words* to apply phonics learning. - Decodable texts* related to the weekly book. - Fun, engaging games to reinforce skills at the end of each lesson. *Practice materials include curated word lists that target specific skills, along with decodable texts featuring target words. This course is ideal for students who know letter sounds but need help blending them into words. It's recommended for grades K-2, with 2nd graders welcome if they need additional practice or fluency support.
Learning Goals
Students will be able to identify and pronounce short vowel sounds (a, e, i, o, u.)
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.1.2.A - Distinguish long from short vowel sounds in spoken single-syllable words.Students will be able to read and spell CVC words containing short vowels
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.1.3.B - Decode regularly spelled one-syllable words.
Syllabus
Curriculum
Follows Orton-Gillingham CurriculumStandards
Aligned with Common Core State Standards (CCSS)8 Lessons
over 4 WeeksLesson 1:
Elephant & Piggie There Is a Bird on Your Head! - What Are Short Vowels?
Our focus for lesson 1 is learning/ reviewing short vowel sounds and how they help us read closed syllable words like 'cat' and 'pig.'
Our learning will follow a predictable format:
*Phonemic awareness exercise to help hear and manipulate sounds.
*Multi-sensory 3-part drills to develop fluency in reading, spelling, and blending sounds.
*Practice with CVC word reading to apply phonics learning.
*Decodable texts related to the weekly book.
*Game to reinforce skills. 30 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Elephant & Piggie There Is a Bird on Your Head! - Reading with Short Vowels
Our focus for lesson 2 is practicing reading and spelling short vowel sounds.
Our learning will follow a predictable format:
*Phonemic awareness exercise to help hear and manipulate sounds.
*Multi-sensory 3-part drills to develop fluency in reading, spelling, and blending sounds.
*Practice with CVC word reading to apply phonics learning.
*Decodable texts related to the weekly book.
*Game to reinforce skills. 30 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Elephant & Piggie I Am Invited to a Party! -Discovering Word Families
Our focus for lesson 3 is learning/ reviewing how word families help us recognize patterns in words like 'hat,' 'bat,' and 'rat.'
Our learning will follow a predictable format:
*Phonemic awareness exercise to help hear and manipulate sounds.
*Multi-sensory 3-part drills to develop fluency in reading, spelling, and blending sounds.
*Practice with CVC word reading to apply phonics learning.
*Decodable texts related to the weekly book.
*Game to reinforce skills. 30 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Elephant & Piggie I Am Invited to a Party! - Word Family Practice
Our focus for lesson 4 is applying our knowledge of word families.
Our learning will follow a predictable format:
*Phonemic awareness exercise to help hear and manipulate sounds.
*Multi-sensory 3-part drills to develop fluency in reading, spelling, and blending sounds.
*Practice with CVC word reading to apply phonics learning.
*Decodable texts related to the weekly book.
*Game to reinforce skills. 30 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Learning Needs
This class supports dyslexic students using multi-sensory, hands-on methods with an Orton-Gillingham approach. It focuses on phonemic awareness, blending, and fluency, offering personalized, engaging practice for improved reading skills.
Parental Guidance
Nearpod
Nearpod will be used as an assessment tool to evaluate students' spelling knowledge before the course begins. After enrolling, students will receive a link (no sign-in required) to complete a spelling screener, which will help identify their current skill level and create personalized learning goals for the course.
Genially
Genially will be used to share digital learning activities, including games and word work. As a content creation platform, it allows students to access interactive practice without the need to log in or use a code. A link will be provided for easy access.
Pre-Requisites
Students should know all letter sounds and be able to blend them into CVC words, though they don't need to blend sounds automatically. Students should also recognize many high-frequency words from kindergarten and some from 1st grade.
Joined September, 2024
Teacher expertise and credentials
Minnesota Teaching Certificate in Elementary Education
2 Degrees
Master's Degree in Education from Hamline University
Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education from Bethel University
Hello, and welcome! I’m Melissa, and I’m excited to be part of your child’s reading adventure. With over 25 years of teaching experience, including as a classroom teacher, Reading Specialist, and tutor, I’ve guided hundreds of students on their path to becoming confident readers. Currently, I work as a literacy coach in an elementary school, where I support both students and teachers in their learning journey.
I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary and Early Childhood Education and a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Literacy. I am licensed to teach grades 1-6 and also hold a K-12 reading license. In addition, I am trained in both Orton-Gillingham and LETRS, a professional development program grounded in the science of reading. Along with being LETRS trained, I am also a LETRS facilitator, where I guide and empower other educators on how to deliver effective literacy instruction.
I believe every child can become a confident, successful reader with the right instruction. My goal is to teach readers the “code” of reading, equipping them with the skills they need to access learning through literacy. I’m passionate about making reading engaging and accessible, and I look forward to supporting your child on this exciting journey!
Outside of teaching, I enjoy spending time with my husband and our three grown children. I love hiking and camping, especially in National Parks. I'm also a beekeeper, which keeps life buzzing with excitement!Reviews
Live Group Course
$28
weekly or $112 for 8 classes2x per week, 4 weeks
30 min
Live video meetings
Ages: 6-8
3-6 learners per class
