First-Grade Skills: Digraphs, Diphthongs, Vowel Teams, & Blends

***Get $20 off our PreK/Kinder class, or try another class for free with code BYRDCDISCOUNT20***

Hello! I am so happy to tell you a little about Little Learners Big League! This organization comprises teachers who bring decades of experience, education, and genuine care to your learners. We are certified teachers and reading specialists who greatly enjoy teaching our courses that are fun for the students, packed with value, and super engaging! We are kind and encouraging teachers who love celebrating the successes of every learner-big or small! Let's meet the teachers, and then you can keep reading to learn about all the classes we teach and the order in which we recommend them!

MEET THE TEACHERS:

Ms. Mary Ann says, "Hello! I am a certified teacher and the owner of this organization, Little Learners Big League. I come to you with over 20 years of experience as a public school, private school, homeschool, and online teacher! I also spent a decade traveling the U.S. as an educational consultant training teachers in beginning reading skills and classroom management. My husband of 20 years and I have a college-age daughter and a son in elementary school, along with two dogs and a cat. In my spare time, I love to go on long walks while listening to audiobooks and spend time with my husband and children. Outschool has been one of my biggest blessings and I am so grateful for this platform!"

Ms. Anna says, "Hello! I'm Anna Kravanh. I’ve been an educator for over 20 years, with experience as a reading tutor, homeschool teacher, and homeschool mom of four. I have my Associate Degree in Early Education. Since 2020, I’ve been teaching at Outschool, and I love the opportunity it gives me to work with students in a way that truly meets their individual needs. I’m passionate about fostering a love of learning and building confidence in every child. Whether I’m helping a student improve their reading skills or guiding my own kids through homeschooling, my goal is always to create a positive, supportive learning environment. I’m currently working toward my Bachelor’s in Education, which I’ll finish in the summer of 2025. Outside of teaching, I love traveling, spending time at the beach, and, of course, being with my family. Teaching is more than just a career for me – it’s a passion. I’m excited to continue working with students on Outschool and sharing my love for learning with my students!"

Ms. Hutton says, "Hi! My name is Ms. Hutton. I hold a Bachelor's degree in English and a Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction, providing a strong foundation in both content knowledge and effective teaching strategies. With six years of experience teaching 2nd through 4th-grade students, I have developed a deep understanding of the developmental stages and learning needs of younger learners. Additionally, I have worked with special education students, tailoring lessons to accommodate diverse learning styles and abilities. My experience in both in-person and virtual tutoring has further enhanced my ability to support students in various learning environments, ensuring all students can succeed!"

We recommend taking our classes in the following order starting with the first class (Feel free to copy and paste or scroll down past this profile to go directly to the class links). For those learners who do not need a full PreK experience, we recommend starting with class 2. 

1. Pre-K & Kinder: Complete Curriculum & Circle Time (Meets 4 Times per Week). This is an ongoing, YEAR-ROUND course where we will cover all standards for PreK and most Kinder standards as well. Your learner can jump in at any time and not be behind.  
 https://bit.ly/3DjtjX2

2. Let's Learn to Read (Beginners): Blending and Reading CVC Words in Word Families (eighteen-week content rotation cycle) This course is also available as a FLEXible 10-week course option for those that would like to take this class but can't find the class time you need.
https://bit.ly/3dBap5d

3. Beginning Reading Skills: Blend, Read, Spell, and Write CVC and Silent E Words (fifteen-week content rotation cycle)
https://bit.ly/3SfOO1m

4. Sight Word Science: A Better Way! Learning Tricky Parts by Heart (Kinder/First)   (16-week content rotation cycle) This class can be taken in conjunction with my Bossy E class if your learner has a good grasp of CVC words, letters, and sounds. 
https://bit.ly/3LHecuq

5.  First Grade Reading Skills: (Beyond CVC and Silent E) Diphthongs, Digraphs, Vowel Teams, and Blends (20-week content rotation cycle). This class can be taken in conjunction with Sight Word Science if students have a good grasp of CVC and CVCe words. 
https://bit.ly/3C4QTr5

6. Reading Fluency Practice: Increasing Fluency with Fun Timed Challenges Using First and Second-Grade Fiction and Nonfiction Passages: This class can be taken in conjunction with Sight Words Made Easy if your child has a good foundation of CVC and CVCe words. It is ideal for students in first and second grade or very strong readers in kindergarten. This is an ongoing class that meets once a week. 
https://bit.ly/3UM31or

7. Book Club For Beginners: Gaining Confidence in Fluency & Comprehension: Level 1 
In this ongoing class, we will meet twice per week to read aloud, have discussions, play games, and complete extension activities to increase learners' reading confidence. 
https://bit.ly/3C5E5ke

8.  2nd Grade Reading Comprehension: This class is for students in first grade who are strong readers, students on second-grade reading level, or students in third grade who may need a little extra help.  This class focuses heavily on comprehension, so if your child needs fluency practice, see my previous three classes on this list! This is an ongoing class that meets once per week covering the five big comprehension skills (direct recall, inferences/predictions, unfamiliar vocabulary using context clues, main idea and details, and sequencing) using second-grade fiction and nonfiction passages.
https://bit.ly/3UyIsLW

9.  Reading Fluency: Fun Timed Reading Challenges With 3rd Grade Passages. This class is ideal for students who are reading at a higher 2nd-grade level or a lower 3rd-grade level, or those who have taken my first fluency class using first and second-grade passages. 
https://bit.ly/3rlaOvX