Do you use the IBRDS protocol for teaching phonics? It goes like this:
I: Introduce the sound and spelling pattern
B: Blend words
R: Read sentences
D: Decodable texts
S: Spelling

This process is a simple lesson design to teach a new sound or spelling pattern, and can occur in a daily or weekly cycle. To me, it seemed such a simple organization and quickly I adapted it to start teaching my kinders about vowel teams, digraphs, and blends!





The lessons are simple, and supplement the (very little!) phonics instruction provided by my districts curriculum. Interested? Let me walk you through a week of learning.

Every day begins the same way: reviewing the sound and spelling pattern, blending words, and reading sentences with the words in context. From there, the days each focus on different areas of the IBRDS protocol, finishing with a spelling assessment to determine whether or not the kiddos have been able to apply the sound and spelling pattern in their writing!

Lets try it with /oo/ words!

Day 1: Introduce, blend words, read sentences. Focusing on introduce by creating a list or circle map of /oo/ words (students could make one with you, or you could make the writing interactive!)

Day 2: Introduce, blend words, read sentences. Focus on spelling with a whiteboard/eraser activity, where students see a picture and write the word using the new spelling pattern!



Day 3: Introduce, blend words, read sentences. Apply the phonics and spelling patterns in context, focusing more on decoding words. This is also a great day to pull out a decodable text and read it chorally or as an echo read whole-group!



Day 4: Introduce, blend words, read sentences. Play a game that allows students to decode words--either in or out of context, depending on the rest of your instruction. For /oo/, the game is included in the PowerPoint!



Day 5: Introduce, blend words, read sentences. Spelling focus, and assess. There are tons of way to make this day continue to be fun, like a celebration of learning! For oo, give your students Fruit Loops to cover up the o's on their spelling!



The one element not included in the PowerPoint is decodable texts. I am provided decodable text by my curriculum that I am prescribed to use, but am not able to share. Whatever set you decide to use in your instruction, decodable texts will help your students apply the sound and spelling pattern to reading in books. Find decodable readers or short poems that use the target sounds, or have your students search for it in any books you are reading in class!

I hope you find the IBRDS protocol useful to add to your toolbox of phonics instruction!

Find the /oo/ PowerPoint here.

Yours,

Ms. M