Session 7: The Skills Strand: Understanding Synthetic
Phonics
Sequence of Sessions
Overarching Objectives of this May 2013 Network Team Institute

The purpose of this May 2013 Pilot Training/Network Team Institute is to provide a general understanding of CKLA-NY program and it’s design,
link CKLA-NY to the comprehensive model of language arts instruction, as discussed by the State, (i.e., the Three Pillar Model), and to support
participants in beginning to use the Listening and Learning strand of materials.
High-Level Purpose of this Session
The goal of this session is to help participants understand, or refine their understanding, of synthetic phonics and how this approach supports
children’s learning the foundational skills in reading.
Related Learning Experiences

This training is the first in a series of trainings on the use of CKLA-NY. It provides background knowledge that will be relevant to
upcoming trainings on implementing the Skills strand.
Session Outcomes
What do we want participants to be able to do as a result of this session?
How will we know that they are able to do this?
In this session, participants will be able to:
1. Participants will be able to define synthetic phonics.
2. Participants will be able to articulate at least one way that synthetic phonics
supports children’s reading acquisition.
Participants will demonstrate knowledge and skills related to
the learning objectives through completed activities and insession discussions.
Session Overview
Section
Orientation to
the Skills
Strand
Key
Principles of
Synthetic
Phonics
Define
Synthetic
Phonics
Time
10
minutes
15
minutes
10
minutes
Overview
Prepared Resources
Facilitator Preparation
Orient towards
the Skills strand,
Session 7: The Skills Strand - Understanding Synthetic
within the context
View
Phonics - PPT ;slides 3-6
of the Three Pillar
Play video of Lucy & Ricky from 1:49 to 3:15 on
Model
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMZsDaTxaKo.
Prepare teachers
to consider the
value of synthetic
phonics by seeing
the complex
relationship
between sounds
and spellings.
Consider what
you have heard
and how this may
be similar or
different from
what you do now.
Session 7: The Skills Strand - Understanding Synthetic
Phonics - PPT ;slides 7-18
Handouts:
The Chaos (23_session7_TheChaos_Adamspoem.docx)
Session 7: The Skills Strand - Understanding Synthetic
Phonics - PPT;slides 19-21
Session Roadmap
Section 1: Orientation to the Skills Strand
Time: 10 minutes
In this section, you will introduce participants to the intent of the Skills
strand.
Materials used include:
 Powerpoint slides 3-6
Time
Slide #/ Pic of Slide
Script/ Activity directions (Please Note: Here we provide key ideas per GROUP
slide. A full script is provided within the power point slides. To see these,
select the “Notes” view).
5 minutes
Slide 3
Key Points:
1. Play video of Lucy & Ricky from 1:49 to 3:15 on
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMZsDaTxaKo.
1. This clip reminds us that the job of language arts instruction in P–2 is so
enormous.
2. Not only do we want to support children’s exposure to, thinking about, and
discussion of complex texts, but we must transform young children from oral
language to written language users.
Slide 4
Key Points:
1. Critical nature of Foundational Skills instruction in P–2.
2. Reading doesn’t ‘just happen.’ The code must be learned.
3. Fluent and automatic decoding is the gateway to complex text.
WG
Slide 5
Key Point:
1. The intent of our training on the Skills strand today is to help you envision
why the program looks the way it does. And how the design of the Skills strand
may reflect shifts—small or large—to your current practice.
Slide 6
Key Point:
1. Overview of materials
Section 2: Key Principles of Synthetic Phonics
Time: 15 minutes
In this section, you will have participants consider the value of and
Materials used include:
rationale underlying a synthetic phonics approach to phonics instruction.
 Slides 7-18
 The Chaos (23_session7_TheChaos_Adamspoem.docx)
Time
Slide #/ Pic of Slide
30
minutes
Slide 7
Script/ Activity directions (Please Note: Here we provide key ideas
per slide. A full script is provided within the power point slides. To see
these, select the “Notes” view).
GROUP
Key Point:
1. This section prepares participants to recognize the complexity of the written
code in English.
Slide 8
Key Points:
1. Table activity
2. Read aloud to recognize complexity of written spellings in English
Handout: The Chaos (23_session7_TheChaos_Adamspoem.docx)
SG
Slide 9
Key Points:
1. Table activity
2. Read aloud to recognize complexity of written spellings in English.
WG
Slide 10
Key Points:
1. Table activity
2. Read aloud to recognize complexity of written spellings in English.
Slide 11
Key Point:
1. Activity debrief to illustrate the intent behind making knowledge of the code
automatic.
SG
Slide 12
Key Point:
1. Activity debrief to illustrate the intent behind making knowledge of the code
automatic.
WG
Slide 13
Key Point:
1. Discuss the complexity of letter-to-sound relationships.
Slide 14
Key Points:
1. Preparing participants to consider the cognitive reasons that support a soundfirst/synthetic phonics approach.
I
Slide 15/16/17/18
Key Points:
1. Preparing participants to consider the cognitive reasons that support a soundfirst approach.
WG
Section 3: Define Synthetic Phonics
Time: 10 minutes
In this section, you will have participants reflect on their understanding of Materials used include:
synthetic phonics and how this may be similar or different from their
 Slides 19-21
current practice.
Time
Slide #/ Pic of Slide
Script/ Activity directions (Please Note: Here we provide key
ideas per slide. A full script is provided within the power point
slides. To see these, select the “Notes” view).
GROUP
15
Minutes
Slide 19
Key Point:
1. Definition of synthetic phonics and the organizing principles of CKLA.
WG
Slide 20
Key Point:
1. Provide participants a protocol for consider the way that synthetic phonics
connects to, and departs from, their current practice.
I/SG
Slide 21
Key Point:
1. Transition
Use the following icons in the script to indicate different learning modes.
Video
Reflect on a prompt
Turnkey Materials Provided

Additional Suggested Resources

WG
Active learning
Turn and talk