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​

Topic: Accelerating UFLI: Deepening UFLI Implementation

Date: Summer 2025

​

Richmond Public Schools | 301 North 9th Street | Richmond, VA | www.rvaschools.net

Welcome to Accelerating UFLI!

Please find a seat at a table that matches the grade(s) you primarily teach.

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2

Welcome

p. 1

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Introducing today’s facilitators

Photo

Photo

NAME

SCHOOL

Favorite Book in Elementary:

​

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Welcome from Superintendent Kamras

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RPS students share their experiences with UFLI

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A 1st grader from Miles Jones is ready to start teaching UFLI

​

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A kindergarten student from Bellevue made their own UFLI practice at home

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RPS classrooms get pumped for UFLI!

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Let’s see who’s in the room!

Please stand if you primarily support …

Kindergarten

1st grade

2nd grade

3rd-5th grades

LIEP / �multilingual learners

Reading intervention

Educators

Special education

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Connector

For our introductions and connector, please share:�

  • Your name and school;

​

Which number best describes how you feel about teaching UFLI at your school?

​

Turn and talk: Share your number and why you chose it.

1

2

3

4

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Passion4Reading summer PD is service of our 2025-26 elementary literacy priorities

K-2:�Accelerate oral reading fluency through the UFLI “difference makers” in both whole group and targeted small group instruction.

3-5:�Build language comprehension across content areas through all students observably reading the text, putting it into their own words, and using academic vocabulary and syntax to write about it.

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We’ve already seen tremendous growth in K-2 VALLS

12

We made 15 points of growth out of high risk from BOY to EOY

(double the progress we’ve ever made in a single year)

​

AND

​

achieved strong gains in EVERY reporting group!

Grade or subgroup

Change from BOY to EOY VALLS, SY24-25

Kindergarten

+13

1st

+16, all time high (second year in a row)

2nd

+15, all time high

ML

+29, all time high (second year in a row)

SwD

+8, all time high (second year in a row)

ED

+14

Black

+13

Latino/a

+23, all time high

White

`+8

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Learning Targets

  • Deepen understanding of key Day 1 and 2 instructional routines through video observation, applying our UFLI difference makers, and rehearsal
  • Deepen our shared understanding of progress monitoring through video observation, applying our UFLI difference makers, and rehearsal
  • Deepen our shared understanding of and apply lessons learned from successful assessment and small group practices in UFLI

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Agenda

8:00 - 8:25

Welcome and Opening

8:25 - 11:10

Applying our UFLI difference makers, part 1 (including break)

11:10 - 12:00

Applying our UFLI difference makers to progress monitoring

12:00 - 1:00

Lunch

1:00 - 2:30

Small groups, part 1: the UFLI Assessment Portal

2:30 - 2:45

Break

2:45 - 3:40

Small groups, part 2: applying best practices in small groups

3:40 - 4:00

Looking ahead, gratitude, closing

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Our Norms

Honor equity of voices

Assume good intentions of others

Operate in a solutions orientation

Actively listen, participate, and collaborate

​

Respect each other as colleagues

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Key participant resources for today

Keep a tab open with the electronic resource guide (“ERG”) available:

1

2

Reflect on your learning and capture your thinking in the paper note catcher

p. 1

https://tinyurl.com/AccelUFLI25

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Key participant resources for today

UFLI Difference Makers Handout

3

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Parking lot

Capture your parking lot questions!

https://tinyurl.com/P4RParkingLot25

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19

Applying our UFLI difference makers, part 1

p. 2

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Framing

We are deepening our understanding of effective implementation of UFLI routines through video observation with difference makers, scoring, and rehearsal.

K-2:�Accelerate oral reading fluency through the UFLI “difference makers” in both whole group and targeted small group instruction.

These are our focus routines:

  • Steps 3, 4, 6, 7, 8.2 and 8.3
  • Progress monitoring 1 and 2

Curriculum & Instruction

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Keep the “Across All Routines” of the Difference Makers open

Our focus difference makers:

  • RIGHT STUFF
  • RIGHT SOUNDS
  • BRING THE JOY
  • KEEP IT CRISP
  • ALL THE KIDS
  • HANDS & VOICES
  • MAX IT OUT
  • FIX IT FAST

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 3: Auditory Drill at a glance

Day 1

Step 1: Phonemic Awareness

Step 2: Visual Drill

Step 3: Auditory Drill

Step 4: Blending Drill

Step 5: New Concept

  • Timing: ~5 minutes
  • Teacher produces a sound; students say AND WRITE the letter(s) that correspond

Reference manual p. 25

p. 2

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Review the Step 3 difference makers

Turn and talk:

  • How do the difference makers ensure the routine lands with impact?

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 3: Ms. Wharton, 1st grade at Marsh, video practice

Lesson 81

As you watch, consider:�

  • How might you describe the teacher’s instruction relative to our difference makers?
    • ✅ Got it!
    • Almost there!
    • Not yet

p. 2

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 3 debrief

✅

​

RIGHT STUFF:

​

​

​

RIGHT SOUNDS:

​

​

​

�BRING THE JOY:

✅

Ms. Wharton has slides projected and students have whiteboards and markers.

Almost there!

Ms. Wharton reads short vowel sounds instead of the long vowel sounds as noted in the lesson (/ō/ and /ā/)

​

p. 2

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 3 debrief

Almost there!

Ms. Wharton uses a response script for choral responses, but could could provide a prompt for holding up boards after all students have formed the grapheme.

KEEP IT CRISP:

​

​

​

​

�ALL THE KIDS:

​

HANDS AND VOICES:

�

✅

Ms. Wharton provides whole group prompts, giving students quick reminders to flip the board and whisper to themselves. She completes all practice items within the allotted time.

✅

p. 2

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 3 debrief

MAX IT OUT:

​

​

​

​

�FIX IT FAST:

�

✅

There are a few multiple sound-spelling relationships and students say and write them from most to least common.

Almost there!

We see Ms. Wharton scanning the room and provide quick corrections (“try again”) but there is likely an opportunity to provide precise feedback on letter formation.

p. 3

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 3: Ms. Stafford & Ms. Smith, 1st grade @ Overby

Lesson 77

As you watch, consider:�

  • How might you describe the teacher’s instruction relative to our difference makers?
    • ✅ Got it!
    • Almost there!
    • Not yet

p. 3

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 3 debrief

✅

Ms. Smith brings joy to the transitions (“Erase, erase, erase!”). Ms. Stafford celebrates the end of the routine with an “ooh ooh!”

RIGHT STUFF:

​

​

​

RIGHT SOUNDS:

​

�BRING THE JOY:

✅

Ms. Stafford and Ms. Smith have slides projected and students have lined whiteboards and markers.

✅

p. 3

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 3 debrief

✅

Ms. Smith uses a response script for choral responses. All students are seen writing on their boards after saying the sound and how to spell it.

KEEP IT CRISP:

​

​

​

�ALL THE KIDS:

​

​

HANDS AND VOICES:

�

✅

Ms. Smith prompts students to show their boards (“showdown”) and completes all practice items within the allotted time.

✅

Ms. Smith prompts for choral responses.

p. 3

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 3 debrief

MAX IT OUT:

​

​

​

​

�FIX IT FAST:

�

✅

There are a few multiple sound-spelling relationships and students say and write them from most to least common. When Ms. Smith forgets one of the graphemes, she quickly corrects herself.

Almost there!

Holding up boards (“Showdown!”) and choral responses help to promote student accuracy. At the end, students can be heard saying the /ǎ/ sound instead of /ā/, however the teacher misses an opportunity to correct the sound-spelling correspondence.

p. 3

Curriculum & Instruction

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Let’s rehearse!

p. 4

Curriculum & Instruction

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Prepare to rehearse your routine

Materials you’ll need:

  • UFLI Manual
  • Difference Makers
  • UFLI slides (linked in ERG)
  • Lined “board” in the handout

Curriculum & Instruction

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Take it live!

2

6 min

Pairs

1

3 min

Silent Solo

  1. Open your manual to Step 3
  2. Prepare to rehearse

In pairs, role play your routine.

p. 4

Recommended Step 3 lessons for rehearsal:

  • Kinder: 45
  • 1st and 2nd: 53

Curriculum & Instruction

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Rehearsal norms

  1. Act as if (stay in practice, �pretend you are teaching a full class)
  2. Talk less, practice more
  3. Feedback is a gift
  4. Have fun

​

Curriculum & Instruction

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Take it live!

2

1

​

​

3 min

  • Open your manual to Step 3
  • Prepare to rehearse

Silent Solo

6 min

In pairs, role play your routine.

Pairs

Directions:

  1. (2m) Take turns sharing your routine, as if you were delivering it to your class. �
  2. (1m) Share feedback: “It was effective when…” and “Next time try…” �

Repeat for your partner

p. 4

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 4: Blending Drill at a glance

Day 1

Step 1: Phonemic Awareness

Step 2: Visual Drill

Step 3: Auditory Drill

Step 4: Blending Drill

Step 5: New Concept

  • Timing: ~5 minutes
  • Teacher projects a word; students orally blend and read it
  • Teacher manipulates a letter to make a new word; students continue to blend and read
  • Students do NOT have boards

Reference manual pp. 25-27

p. 5

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Review the Step 4 difference makers

Turn and talk:

  • How do the difference makers ensure the routine lands with impact?

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 4: Ms. Fountaine, 1st grade, Linwood Holton

As you watch, consider:�

  • How might you describe the teacher’s instruction relative to our difference makers?
    • ✅ Got it!
    • Almost there!
    • Not yet

p. 5

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 4 debrief

RIGHT STUFF:

​

​

RIGHT SOUNDS:

​

​

BRING THE JOY:

✅

✅

✅

p. 5

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 4 debrief

KEEP IT CRISP:

​

​

​

​

​

​

ALL THE KIDS:

​

HANDS AND VOICES:

�

Almost there!

  • Ms. Fountaine consciously catches herself when she starts to narrate - “I’m not gonna talk anymore” - and then she doesn’t!
  • She resists the temptation to narrate the change from long a to short a when she changes “shame” to “sham” - and the students get it!

✅

  • Ms. Fountaine consciously attends to giving students an initial prompt to get their hands up (“let me see your sounds”).
  • We see strong gestures for both tapping and blending, and we hear choral responses.

✅

p. 5

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 4 debrief

MAX IT OUT:

​

​

​

​

�FIX IT FAST:

�

✅

Ms. Fountaine drops her voice and lets the students shine.

✅

When students incorrectly read instead of blend “mad”, Ms. Fountaine has the class do it again. When she hears students incorrectly blend /shǎme/ instead of “shame”, she quickly reteaches the a_e pattern and has them blend again.

p. 6

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 4: Ms. Roberts, 2nd grade at Elizabeth Redd

p. 6

As you watch, consider:�

  • How might you describe the teacher’s instruction relative to our difference makers?
    • ✅ Got it!
    • Almost there!
    • Not yet

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 4 debrief

✅

Ms. Roberts is smiling and having a good time, and kids match her energy.

RIGHT STUFF:

​

​

​

​

RIGHT SOUNDS:

​

​

BRING THE JOY:

✅�Ms. Roberts has a board. She’s using her magnetic board under the doc cam, rather than the digital blending board. That works! Students do NOT have boards in this step.

✅

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Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 4 debrief

KEEP IT CRISP:

​

​

​

​

​

​

ALL THE KIDS:

�

✅

Ms. Roberts talks and moves fast, she uses the same prompts every time, and almost everything is choral. As a result, she hits the timestamps on every routine AND makes it through all the items. We get a lot of practice, very quickly.

✅

Ms. Roberts prompts for choral blending and reading, with no individual turns.

p. 6

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 4 debrief

FIX IT FAST:

�

Almost there!

Ms. Roberts DOES prompt her students to get their hands up to tap at the start of the routine, and most do. However, because she’s looking at the board moreso than at them during this clip, she doesn’t see a few students who aren’t tapping, and she will not necessarily catch if students tap incorrectly (e.g., fail to segment consonant blends).

p. 6

Curriculum & Instruction

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Take it live!

2

8 min

Pairs

1

3 min

Silent Solo

  • Open your manual to Step 4
  • Prepare to rehearse

In pairs, role play your routine.

p. 7

Recommended Step 4 lessons for rehearsal:

  • Kinder: 45
  • 1st and 2nd: 53

Curriculum & Instruction

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Rehearsal norms

  • Act as if (stay in practice, �pretend you are teaching a full class)
  • Talk less, practice more
  • Feedback is a gift
  • Have fun

​

Curriculum & Instruction

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Take it live!

2

1

​

​

3 min

  • Open your manual to Step 4
  • Prepare to rehearse

Silent Solo

8 min

In pairs, role play your routine.

Pairs

Directions:

  • (3m) Take turns sharing your routine, as if you were delivering it to your class. �
  • (1m) Share feedback: “It was effective when…” and “Next time try…” �

Repeat for your partner

p. 7

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 6: Word Work at a glance

  • Timing: ~6 minutes
  • Encoding: Teacher directs students to change one word on their boards to another; students manipulate letters to spell the new word
    • Example: change mat to sat
  • Decoding: Teacher directs students to change a letter or a sound; students read the new word
    • Example: change s to f. What’s this word?
  • Students have boards and letter tiles that they manipulate based on teacher prompts
  • Teacher does NOT project the words on the board in advance

Reference manual pp. 29-30

p. 7

Day 2

Step 5: New Concept Review

Step 6: Word Work

Step 7: Irregular Words

Step 8: Connected Text

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Review the Step 6 difference makers

Turn and talk:

  • How do the difference makers ensure the routine lands with impact?

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 6: Ms. Chappell, Kindergarten, Swansboro #1

As you watch, consider:�

  • How might you describe the teacher’s instruction relative to our difference makers?
    • ✅ Got it!
    • Almost there!
    • Not yet

p. 8

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 6 debrief: video #1

RIGHT STUFF:

​

​

​

RIGHT SOUNDS:

​

BRING THE JOY:

✅

Ms. Chappell is using the word chain in the UFLI manual, and her students are using magnetic boards.

✅

✅

It’s not in this video, but we’ve seen teachers, including Ms. Chappell, BRING THE JOY by doing creative celebrations if students beat the clock, e.g. dance party with leftover time

p. 8

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 6 debrief: video #1

KEEP IT CRISP:

​

​

​

​

ALL THE KIDS:

​

��HANDS AND VOICES:

�

Almost there!

Although Ms. Chappell follows the chain in the manual and prompts for one change at a time, she poses questions about the change instead of just giving the prompt.

✅

Ms. Chappell gives an decoding prompt (“let’s touch and read”) for students to read the new word.

✅

Ms. Chappell gives a decoding prompt, and we hear all students chorally read the word.

p. 8

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 6: Ms. Turner, 1st grade, JL Francis

As you watch, consider:�

  • How might you describe the teacher’s instruction relative to our difference makers?
    • ✅ Got it!
    • Almost there!
    • Not yet

p. 9

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 6 debrief

✅

We can’t see her board in this clip, but the teacher is using the word chain in the UFLI manual, and her students are using magnetic boards.

✅

✅

It’s not in this video, but we’ve seen teachers, including Ms. Turner, BRING THE JOY by doing creative celebrations if students beat the clock, e.g. dance party with leftover time

RIGHT STUFF:

​

​

�RIGHT SOUNDS:

​

BRING THE JOY:

p. 9

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 6 debrief

KEEP IT CRISP:

​

​

​

​

ALL THE KIDS:

​

​

​

HANDS AND VOICES:

�

✅

Ms. Turner puts 6 minutes on the clock for this routine. If they don’t finish the chain, that’s OK! She knows that she needs to hold time for the most rigorous practice in step 8.

✅

Ms. Turner gives an encoding prompt for students to build the word and we hear students saying the sounds while they move their letters.

✅

After Ms. Turner gives an encoding prompt, her students say the sounds AND build the words.

​

p. 9

Curriculum & Instruction

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Take it live!

2

8 min

Pairs

1

3 min

Silent Solo

  • Open your manual to Step 6
  • Prepare to rehearse

In pairs, role play your routine.

p. 10

Recommended Step 6 lessons for rehearsal:

  • Kinder: 45
  • 1st and 2nd: 53

Curriculum & Instruction

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Take it live!

2

1

​

​

3 min

  • Open your manual to Step 6
  • Prepare to rehearse

Silent Solo

8 min

In pairs, role play your routine.

Pairs

Directions:

  • (3m) Take turns sharing your routine, as if you were delivering it to your class. �
  • (1m) Share feedback: “It was effective when…” and “Next time try…” �

Repeat for your partner

p. 10

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 7: Irregular Words at a glance

  • Timing: ~6 minutes
  • Review previously taught word(s):
    • Teacher projects previously taught words with visual cues (e.g., hearts) covered up
    • Students read the words
    • If students do not read correctly, teacher unhides visual cues and reviews the irregular part(s)
  • Teach new word(s):
    • Teacher projects and reads irregular word with visual cues covered up; students repeat
    • Teacher leads and students practice orally segmenting and blending the word, including noting the irregular grapheme(s)
    • Students write the word while saying the sounds

Reference manual pp. 31-32

p. 10

Day 2

Step 5: New Concept Review

Step 6: Word Work

Step 7: Irregular Words

Step 8: Connected Text

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Review the Step 7 difference makers

Turn and talk:

  • How do the difference makers ensure the routine lands with impact?

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 7: Ms. Harrison, 1st grade, Chimborazo

As you watch, consider:�

  • How might you describe the teacher’s instruction relative to our difference makers?
    • ✅ Got it!
    • Almost there!
    • Not yet

p. 11

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 7 debrief

RIGHT STUFF:

​

​

​

​

RIGHT SOUNDS:

���

✅

Students are using lined boards.

✅

Note: the vowel sound in the middle of “been” is somewhat variable by region.

p. 11

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 7 debrief

BRING THE JOY:

​

​

KEEP IT CRISP:

�

✅

Almost there!

Ms. Harrison doesn’t get tricked by the placeholder slide for said; her tone conveys urgency; and she doesn’t get stuck on review words. With new words, because the script for HEARTS AND BOXES is fairly new to her class, she takes a little longer to explain each part, and doesn’t quite hit the time stamp for this routine - but she’s close, and she probably will soon!

p. 11

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 7 debrief

ALL THE KIDS:

​

​

​

​

HANDS AND VOICES:

���

Almost there!

  • Ms. Harrison poses whole class questions and prompts almost the entire time throughout the lesson, but shifts into individual student questioning when they debrief how /e/ is regularly spelled.

✅

  • We LOVE how Ms. Harrison uses the HEARTS AND BOXES script to infuse hands and voices into every part of this routine: tapping and blending the word, ID’ing regular vs. irregular parts via thumbs up/thumbs down, and saying the sounds while writing the word.

p. 11

Curriculum & Instruction

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Take it live!

2

6 min

Pairs

1

2 min

Silent Solo

  • Open your manual to Step 7
  • Prepare to rehearse

In pairs, role play your routine.

Recommended Step 7 lessons for rehearsal:

  • Kinder: 45
  • 1st and 2nd: 53

p. 12

Curriculum & Instruction

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Take it live!

2

1

​

​

2 min

  • Open your manual to Step 7
  • Prepare to rehearse

Silent Solo

6 min

In pairs, role play your routine.

Pairs

Directions:

  • (2m) Take turns sharing your routine, as if you were delivering it to your class. �
  • (1m) Share feedback: “It was effective when…” and “Next time try…” �

Repeat for your partner

p. 12

Curriculum & Instruction

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68

Break

Share your parking lot questions:

https://tinyurl.com/P4RParkingLot25

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Step 8: Connected Text

  • Timing: ~15 minutes total
  • 3 Parts:
    • 8.1 - Reading Sentences
    • 8.2 - Sentence Dictation
    • 8.3 - Decodable Passage

Reference manual pp. 32-33

p. 12

Day 2

Step 5: New Concept Review

Step 6: Word Work

Step 7: Irregular Words

Step 8: Connected Text

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Step 8.2: Sentence Dictation

​

  • Timing: ~5 minutes
  • Teacher dictates whole sentence
  • Students say the sentence, write it, read it back, check for conventions (e.g., CAPS)
  • As needed, students count the words, make lines, tap out individual words to encode

Reference manual pp. 32-33

p. 12

Day 2

Step 5: New Concept Review

Step 6: Word Work

Step 7: Irregular Words

Step 8: Connected Text

  • 8.1 - Reading Sentences
  • 8.2 - Sentence Dictation
  • 8.3 - Decodable Passage

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Review the Step 8.2 Sentence Dictation difference makers

Turn and talk:

  • How do the difference makers ensure the routine lands with impact?

Curriculum & Instruction

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Take it live!

2

6 min

Pairs

1

2 min

Silent Solo

  • Open your manual to Step 8.2
  • Prepare to rehearse

In pairs, role play your routine.

p. 14

Recommended Step 8 lessons for rehearsal:

  • Kinder: 45
  • 1st and 2nd: 53

Curriculum & Instruction

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Take it live!

2

1

​

​

2 min

  • Open your manual to Step 8.2
  • Prepare to rehearse

Silent Solo

6 min

In pairs, role play your routine.

Pairs

Directions:

  • (2m) Take turns sharing your routine, as if you were delivering it to your class. �
  • (1m) Share feedback: “It was effective when…” and “Next time try…” �

Repeat for your partner

p. 14

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 8.3: Decodable Passage

​

Reference manual pp. 32-33

p. 14

Day 2

Step 5: New Concept Review

Step 6: Word Work

Step 7: Irregular Words

Step 8: Connected Text

  • 8.1 - Reading Sentences
  • 8.2 - Sentence Dictation
  • 8.3 - Decodable Passage
  • Timing: ~8 minutes
  • Teacher projects decodable passage; students have hard copy
  • Teacher facilitates multiple reads to build fluency, using most supportive to least supportive modes of reading, as needed:
    • Echo read
    • Choral read
    • Partner read
    • Independent whisper read
  • Students briefly establish comprehension, e.g. turn and talk to retell the story, write a sentence and/or draw and label a picture of what happened

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Review the Step 8.3 Decodable Passage difference makers

Turn and talk:

  • How do the difference makers ensure the routine lands with impact?

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 8.3: Ms. Burton, 2nd grade at Fisher practice #1

As you watch, consider:�

  • How might you describe the teacher’s instruction relative to our difference makers?
    • ✅ Got it!
    • Almost there!
    • Not yet

p. 15

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 8.3 debrief

RIGHT STUFF:

​

​

RIGHT SOUNDS:

��BRING THE JOY: �

✅

Text in hand!

✅

Ms. Burton’s energy is not dramatic, but kids are with her and she conveys care and investment in the work.

✅

p. 15

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 8.3 debrief

KEEP IT CRISP:

�

✅

  • Ms. Burton chooses vocab that impacts meaning (e.g., cruise ship) is SHORT AND SWEET.
  • Ms. Burton keeps her narration to a minimum and has full command of students’ attention - VERY IMPRESSIVE in a novice teacher!
  • There are MINOR opportunities to save time on materials distribution and some of the questions in the middle, but this is overall really strong.

p. 15

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 8.3 debrief

ALL THE KIDS:

​

​

​

�

Almost there!

�There are a handful of moments when Ms. Burton takes individual student responses in which we could give all the kids opportunities to respond. Importantly, though, she’s already posed a turn and talk question about what happens in the story, so the individual questions aren’t INSTEAD OF giving all students the opportunity to put the text into their own words. In UFLI, as opposed to EL, our top line focus is oral reading fluency, so we do want to keep individual turns to a minimum.

p. 15

Curriculum & Instruction

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Step 8.3 debrief

HANDS AND VOICES:

​

​

​

​

✅

We LOVE how clear Ms. Burton is on observable reading jobs for all students through the three reads - choral reading with finger tracking, then partner reading with finger tracking, then whisper reading with finger tracking. This is exactly what Megan focused on during rehearsal!

p. 15

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Step 8.3: Ms. Van Buren, 1st grade @ Fox, practice #2

p. 16

As you watch, consider:�

  • How might you describe the teacher’s instruction relative to our difference makers?
    • ✅ Got it!
    • Almost there!
    • Not yet

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Step 8.3 debrief

✅

  • Ms. Van Buren’s vocabulary instruction is SHORT AND SWEET, and she has students produce the words.
  • Ms. Van Buren uses prompts to maintain energy and pacing, e.g. “Ready, go!”

BRING THE JOY:

​

​

​

KEEP IT CRISP:

✅

Ms. Van Buren is having a lot of fun with her students, e.g. “say good morning to your finger.”

p. 16

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Step 8.3 debrief

ALL THE KIDS:

​

HANDS AND VOICES:

✅

✅

Ms. Van Buren is crystal clear on her expectation for finger tracking during choral reading, and prompts students to read “loud and proud.” She uses her voice to “conduct” the first choral read so that it stays on track, and students get high-quality practice.

p. 16

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Step 8.3 debrief

MAX IT OUT:

​

​

​

​

​

FIX IT FAST:

​

Almost there!

We see students reading the text MORE THAN ONCE, with greater fluency on the second read! We’d be even more excited if they did a third read, but we’ll take it. We can level up the COMPREHENSION at the end by having students produce language about the text (e.g. turn and talk, then write a sentence).

✅

Ms. Van Buren does a nice job of resetting the choral read when needed, and her circulation during reading allows her to listen in on and support individual students as needed.

p. 16

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Step 8.3: Ms. Chappell, Kinder @ Swansboro, video #3

p. 17

As you watch, consider:�

  • How might you describe the teacher’s instruction relative to our difference makers?
    • ✅ Got it!
    • Almost there!
    • Not yet

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Step 8.3 debrief

✅

Ms. Chappell conveys warmth and care in her tone.

RIGHT STUFF:

​

​

​

RIGHT SOUNDS:

​

​

​

BRING THE JOY:

���

✅

Text in hand, even in kindergarten! Note: Ms. Chappell is projecting an exact match for the student handout - especially helpful in kinder.

✅

Ms. Chappell infuses expression into her echo read, which helps students practice fluently.

p. 17

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Step 8.3 debrief

KEEP IT CRISP:

​

​

​

​

​

​

ALL THE KIDS:

✅

Ms. Chappell efficiently prompts for “my turn/your turn” during the echo read. She pauses and quickly restates her expectation when she hears student voices during the “my turn.” Without losing momentum, she shows her students that she means what she says and she’s attending to whether they do it or not.

✅

We can’t SEE the students, but we hear whole class prompts and choral responses. We DON’T see/hear individual turns.

p. 17

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Step 8.3 debrief

HANDS AND VOICES:

���

Almost there!

  • During the echo read, students aren’t JUST listening and then repeating what Ms. Chappell says. We hear her positive narration to affirm students’ tracking and highlight students who are meeting expectations. She doesn’t EXPLICITLY state that students should track with their finger.
  • Note: There’s a possible opportunity to increase the rigor here by moving from echo to choral reading in the last paragraph, but it’s hard to judge this without seeing how students are doing with the echo read.

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Take it live!

2

12 min

Pairs

1

3 min

Silent Solo

  • Open your manual to Step 8.3
  • Prepare to rehearse

In pairs, role play your routine.

p. 18

Recommended Step 8 lessons for rehearsal:

  • Kinder: 45
  • 1st and 2nd: 53

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Take it live!

2

1

​

​

3 min

  • Open your manual to Step 8
  • Prepare to rehearse

Silent Solo

12 min

In pairs, role play your routine.

Pairs

Directions:

  • (5m) Take turns sharing your routine, as if you were delivering it to your class. �
  • (1m) Share feedback: “It was effective when…” and “Next time try…” �

Repeat for your partner

p. 18

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Be mindful of “tricky lessons” across the scope & sequence

Lessons

Reason

51/52 (/ng/ /nk/)

These phonemes are tricky to pronounce.

42 (FLSZ)

This is the first time you can’t use the magnetic trays with only one of each letter, because of the double letters—however, the magnetic boards that all schools received last year have tiles for these double letters.

​

This one also requires familiarity with the rule that we only use ff, ll, ss, zz after a short vowel.

43: - all, -oll, -ull

Also uses double letters, but can be tricky for ELLs because of the way to pronounce the vowel sounds

Lesson 63/64

This is the first time you blend and segment a two syllable word, which has its own routine that is different from the single syllable segmenting. See pages 24 and 28 of manual for two syllable blending and segmenting routines.

64: -ed

The word work section requires printing a slide from the deck, or creating an anchor chart, etc. It’s not traditional word work & requires some pre-planning.

67 & 68

Step 6 Word Work changes from chains to Decoding & Blending (not necessarily “tricky” but something to note).

82 /er/ spellings

The step 5 script is long and tricky so prereading is helpful.

99

Step 6 Word Work changes from chains to Word Sort with graphic organizer *additional word chains are still available.

p. 18

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92

Applying our UFLI difference makers to progress monitoring

p. 19

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Let’s shift to PM: Weekly progress monitoring at a glance

Suggested Pacing of UFLI Foundations Lesson Implementation

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Concept 1

​

Concept 1

​

Concept 2

​

Concept 2

​

Concept 1 & 2:

Review &

Assess

  • Administered whole class, typically on every 5th day of instruction
  • Teacher dictates sounds, letters, words and sentences and students write them

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Our difference makers consist of two steps: PM.1 review and PM.2 assess

PM.1�Review

PM.2

Assess

Turn and talk:

  • How do the difference makers ensure progress monitoring lands with impact?

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Mrs. Turner, 1st grade at Francis: PM.1

p. 19

As you watch, consider:�

  • How might you describe the teacher’s instruction relative to our difference makers?
    • ✅ Got it!
    • Almost there!
    • Not yet

Lesson 95

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PM.1 debrief

RIGHT STUFF:

​

​

​

�RIGHT SOUNDS:

✅

Mrs. Turner is using the new concept review slides and students have lined whiteboards and markers for spelling practice.

✅

p. 19

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PM.1 debrief

Almost there!

Mrs. Turner uses precise and succinct teacher language during her review of the concept. She resets students as needed (“shhh”), however student responses aren’t consistently choral during “let’s read”. There’s a long time interval between each spelling word without a clear stamp on the correct spelling at the end.

BRING THE JOY:

​

​

​

KEEP IT CRISP:

✅

Mrs. Turner is warm and positive with her students.

​

p. 19

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PM.1 debrief

ALL THE KIDS:

​

​

​

HANDS AND VOICES:

✅

​

​

Almost there!

Students get practice applying the concept to reading and spelling words during the review. There’s an opportunity to use hands and voices during 1) decoding (e.g., tap and blend) to ensure all students are blending and 2) when reviewing the correct spelling with students.

p. 20

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Take it live: PM.1 Review

2

12 min

Pairs

1

4 min

Silent Solo

Prepare to rehearse PM.1 REVIEW using the difference makers

​

In pairs, role play your routine.

p. 20

  • Assessment items from lesson 91 and 92 are located in the notecatcher�
  • Slides are linked in the ERG

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Take it live: PM.1 Review

2

1

​

​

4 min

Prepare to rehearse PM.1 REVIEW using the difference makers

Silent Solo

12 min

In pairs, role play your routine.

Pairs

Directions:

  • (5m) Take turns sharing your routine, as if you were delivering it to your class. �
  • (1m) Share feedback: “It was effective when…” and “Next time try…” �

Repeat for your partner

p. 20

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Ms. Elston, 1st grade at Broad Rock: PM.2

p. 21

As you watch, consider:�

  • How might you describe the teacher’s instruction relative to our difference makers?
    • ✅ Got it!
    • Almost there!
    • Not yet

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PM.2 difference makers

RIGHT STUFF:

​

�

​

RIGHT SOUNDS:

​

​

​

​

✅

​

✅

It’s a little hard to hear on the video, but it was notable during the observation how good the STUDENTS’ phoneme articulation was when they orally segmented!

p. 21

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PM.2 difference makers

✅

We don’t see the whole routine, but we see efficient dictation and students on task during this short clip.

BRING THE JOY:

​

​

​

​

KEEP IT CRISP:

✅

We don’t see how Ms. Elston frames the review and assessment earlier in the lesson, but she’s warm and energetic here. Both she and the students appear confident and eager.

p. 21

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PM.2 difference makers

ALL THE KIDS:

​

HANDS AND VOICES:

✅

Almost there!

Ms. Elston dictates the sentence fluently, and has students echo her. This is great! There’s an opportunity to then prompt students to pound out/count the words, to help them hold onto how many words they need to write. However, we see and hear students actively sounding out words and reading their sentences back, such that dictation isn’t silent and students are getting meaningful practice DURING the assessment!

p. 21

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Take it live: PM.2 Assess

2

12 min

Pairs

1

4 min

Silent Solo

Prepare to rehearse PM.2 ASSESS using the difference makers

In pairs, role play your routine.

p. 22

  • Assessment items from lesson 91 and 92 are located in the notecatcher�
  • Slides are linked in the ERG

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Take it live: PM.2 Assess

2

1

​

​

4 min

Prepare to rehearse PM.2 ASSESS using the difference makers

Silent Solo

12 min

In pairs, role play your routine.

Pairs

Directions:

  • (5m) Take turns sharing your routine, as if you were delivering it to your class. �
  • (1m) Share feedback: “It was effective when…” and “Next time try…” �

Repeat for your partner

p. 22

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Lunch

Please be back at 1:00 pm

107

Share your parking lot questions!

https://tinyurl.com/P4RParkingLot25

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Afternoon connector

Turn and talk: �My ideal summer day involves …

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109

Small groups, part 1: The UFLI Assessment and Planning Portal

p. 23

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Reflecting on small group instruction

Table Talk

Whip around at your table and share your response to the prompts.

1

3 min

Discuss:

  • How do you currently plan for small group instruction?�
  • What are you mostly seeing in small groups that’s more successful? Less successful?

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UFLI small groups are meant to reinforce current unit concepts

Small group instruction in the Tier 1 literacy block…

  • … is supplemental/as needed (e.g. “core plus more”)
  • … is informed by the curriculum-embedded assessments (e.g. dictation, fluency) from the grade level scope and sequence
  • … mostly focuses on concepts you taught in the past week (or, minimally, in this unit)
  • … occurs in the Tier 1 literacy block for students who need it

Instructional heavy lifting is accomplished through the whole group lesson

p. 23

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What we’ll explore this afternoon

  • Review:
    • Progress monitoring scoring in UFLI
    • Small group planning�
  • NEW: UFLI Assessment and Planning Portal Tool�
  • Best practices in small group instruction

​

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Review progress monitoring scoring

Consider:

  • How does this align with your current approach to progress monitoring?
  • What is new or different?

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Small group planning

Consider:

  • How does this align with your current approach to small group planning?
  • What is new or different?

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Overview of the UFLI Assessment and Planning Portal

The Portal was designed in partnership with, and is endorsed by Dr. Holly Lane from UFLI. It is intended to support the effective implementation of UFLI, with a focus on progress monitoring and small group instructional support, key pillars of the program.

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Step 1: Administer weekly UFLI progress monitoring

Administer UFLI progress monitoring (encoding assessments) based on the UFLI manual at the end of each week (Day 5).

​

​

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Step 2: Input Spelling Data

Scan student assessments into the UFLI Portal on Project Read using your laptop camera.

​

OR type in misspelled words directly. There is no need to enter number of points.

​

​

​

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Step 3: Instantly see small groups and lesson plans

Analyze and create small groups and activities for each day of the following week:

​

  1. Small groups of students by day, per concept
  2. Lesson plans for each day, concept, and group

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Step 4: Analyze data

Get additional analytics on progress monitoring: breakdown of accuracy by student on attempted encoding of all the grapheme-phoneme correspondences in the progress monitors of the selected lesson(s)

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How the UFLI Assessment & Planning Portal works

Consider:

  • What excites you about the new UFLI Portal?
  • How do you see this supporting / supplementing your current approach to small group planning?
  • What questions do you have?

p. 24

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Let’s see the portal in action!

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Review the sample UFLI Portal lesson plan

​

​

1

2

Review the sample lesson plans and analysis from the UFLI Portal and consider the prompt.

​

Solo

4 min

Discuss at your tables

Partner Share

8 min

Directions:

  1. Review the sample student input, summary (lesson plan), and analysis in the ERG.�
  2. Consider: How do the plans and recommendations align with your own planning processes and use of UFLI resources?

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Review the sample UFLI Portal lesson plan

Discuss at your tables

Partner share

4 min

2

Review the sample lesson plans and analysis from the UFLI Portal and consider the prompt.

Solo

8 min

1

Directions:

  • Review the sample student input, summary (lesson plan), and analysis in the ERG.�
  • Consider: How do the plans and recommendations align with your own planning processes and use of UFLI resources?

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The UFLI Assessment Portal …

DOES

DOES NOT

make recommendations for small group instruction in the assessed concept(s)

make recommendations for intervention in addition to core small group instruction

recommend specific manual lessons/routines for small group instruction

make recommendations for independent station work

provide classroom-level data views

provide custom school-level views or to ability to track/visualize a student’s progress over time (yet!)

analyze weekly UFLI progress monitoring (encoding assessments)

analyze UFLI fluency assessments that come at the end of the unit, starting after Lesson 41

p. 24

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Frequently asked questions

  1. How were the instructional recommendations for groupings and activities from the manual determined?��Instructional activity recommendations have been developed by the experts at UFLI to pinpoint specific student growth areas. AI, trained by Dr. Holly Lane and her team, assists in the analysis of student encoding and algorithmically groups students based on UFLI’s recommended structure.�
  2. What if a student consistently struggles with a given lesson? Will it go further back in the scope and sequence?��The UFLI Portal always anchors in remediation of the concept being assessed, and recommendations are aligned to the grade level scope and sequence. The Portal doesn’t yet make recommendations for intervention (which should, of course, still occur). �
  3. Can a teacher overlay their own data?��Teachers can download their own data and manipulate it independently in a spreadsheet, however they cannot import other data (e.g. VALLS) to make instructional recommendations.

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Frequently asked questions

  • Does the Portal make independent work recommendations?��Recommendations are solely for teacher-led small group instruction, not independent seat work.�
  • For whom is the Portal available?��RPS purchased licenses for all elementary schools based on projected K-3 enrollment. �
  • Will RPS be purchasing other Project Read tools like AI Tutor and Decodable Generator?��RPS is not purchasing additional products from Project Read, but will continue to explore tools that can best support teacher planning and student learning.�
  • What if I think the scanning has misread a student's handwriting?��The scanning feature only pre-populates the input fields. The teacher has the ability to edit any spelling data before submitting for analysis and small group creation.

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Next steps for rolling out UFLI Assessment Portal

  • By late-July - All students are rostered
  • By late-July - All RPS educators have access to a UFLI Portal account
  • August 2025 - All RPS educators trained at their school site

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128

Break

Share your parking lot questions:

https://tinyurl.com/P4RParkingLot25

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129

Small groups, part 2: Applying best practices in small groups

p. 25

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Let’s explore the small group practices of three highly successful RPS educators

Even in the absence of helpful tools like the UFLI Portal, these teachers have been using data to plan and execute small group instruction during the UFLI block in their classrooms.

Aliyah Hoye, K

Woodville

Whitney Barnes, 1st

Lois Harrison-Jones

Anna Turner, 2nd

Oak Grove-Bellemeade

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Review teacher small group case studies

​

​

1

2

Read the case studies and respond in your handout

Silent Solo

10 min

Share your responses to the prompts at your table

Turn & Talk

15 min

p. 25

As you read the case studies, consider:

​

  • What makes each teacher’s approach to small group planning effective? How are they leveraging data to inform small group instruction?
  • How does each teacher support students to be successful while working independently?
  • What are you taking away from the case studies?

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Review teacher small group case studies

Share your responses to the prompts at your table

Turn & Talk

10 min

2

Read the case studies and respond in your handout

Silent / Solo

15 min

1

p. 25

As you read the case studies, consider:

​

  • What makes each teacher’s approach to small group planning effective? How are they leveraging data to inform small group instruction?
  • How does each teacher support students to be successful while working independently?
  • What are you taking away from the case studies?

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Helpful resources for independent stations

p. 26

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UFLI decodable passages from whole group

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UFLI Supplemental Decodable Passages

Additional practice opportunities are available through UFLI Supplemental Decodable passages, along with decodable reader series that many schools purchased last year.

Linked in the ERG!

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Decodable readers from the UFLI decodable text guide

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Additional resources from the RPS UFLI Google site

Bookmark this site:

www.tinyurl.com/RPSUFLI

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Access Roll & Reads

Lesson Resources → Lessons XY → Roll & Read

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Access UFLI Games Site

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Table reflection

5 min

Turn and talk

Share your response to the prompts at your table.

Discuss:

  • How have you used these resources for independent station work with your students?
  • What have been some lessons learned?

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Key ideas about small group instruction

#1: Difference makers apply to small group as well as whole group UFLI

Examples:

  • Using the specific language in the manual and accompanying slides to KEEP IT CRISP when reviewing a new concept
  • Facilitating a blending drill using HANDS AND VOICES
  • Prompts directed to ALL THE KIDS during word work

Non-examples:

  • UFLI routines facilitated without difference makers
  • Other instructional routines that aren’t part of UFLI

p. 26

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Key ideas about small group instruction

#2: Independent station work should be coherent in terms of the foundational skills materials in use

Examples:

  • UFLI decodable passages from whole group
  • UFLI supplemental decodable passages
  • Decodable readers from the UFLI decodable text guide (e.g., Developing Decoders)
  • Roll and reads
  • UFLI games

Non-examples:

  • Leveled readers
  • Worksheets from Teachers Pay Teachers

p. 26

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Key ideas about small group instruction

#3: Independent stations should provide students with more at-bats with decoding and encoding

Examples:

  • Reading words aloud during roll & read practice
  • Whisper reading and/or partner reading of decodable text
  • Writing about decodable text

Non-examples:

  • Cutting, glueing, coloring

p. 26

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Reflect on these key ideas about small group instruction

Discuss:

  • What resonates from these lessons learned?
  • What might you add or change?

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145

Looking ahead, gratitude, and closing

p. 27

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Table reflection

5 min

Silent solo

Set a whole group and small group goal for this upcoming year

What goals for your UFLI instruction would you like to set for this upcoming year?

  • Set a whole group and small group instruction goal. E.g.
    • (Whole) I will keep my routines crisp in order to hold enough time for the most rigorous practice at the end of each lesson.
    • (Whole) I will adjust ____ in my facilitation of Step __ to reflect a new idea from today’s videos and/or table discussions.
    • (Small) I will use the recommended routines and groupings from the new UFLI Portal.
    • (Small) I will implement ___ in independent stations, adapted from today’s case studies.

p. 27

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Next steps

  • UFLI Portal: All students should be rostered by start of year.
  • We will continue our Passion4Reading priority work in school teams this fall.

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Please complete the survey

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Spicy Nugget & Gratitude

Share a “spicy nugget” What are you taking from our time together?

Share gratitude for a colleague

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Thank you