Students that struggle in their phonics lessons.

Top Tips for Using UFLI with Students Who Struggle with Reading, have a Learning Disorder or Speak English as a Second Language

Supporting students with reading challenges or ESL backgrounds requires thoughtful scaffolding, sensory-rich routines, with playful persistence. UFLI (University of Florida Literacy Institute) offers a powerful framework—but how we deliver it makes all the difference. Here are my top tips for making UFLI work wonders in your classroom:

1️⃣ Minimize Distractions to Maximize Learning

Cognitive overload can sneak in through cluttered visuals, background noise, or redundant teaching materials and interfere with cognitive load. Keep your learning space clean and calm. Strip away anything that doesn’t serve the core learning goal—especially when introducing new phonics concepts.

2️⃣ Start with a Snappy Warm-Up

Kick off each session with a brief, high-impact warm-up like Heggerty or flashcards. PhOrMeS offers free phoneme-to-grapheme flashcards that are perfect for quick reviews of sounds and spelling rules.

3️⃣ Build Strong Sound-Letter Connections

Before moving on, ensure students can confidently retrieve phoneme-to-grapheme correspondences from memory. Daily exposure is key. Try starting with a phonics chant like this one, or use the Better Alphabet Song. Reinforce with letter-to-sound worksheets that blend tracing, handwriting, and sound recognition.

4️⃣ Integrate Handwriting with Phonics

Before diving into a new UFLI lesson, review the previous day’s content through handwriting and simple CVC practice. These morning worksheets follow UFLI’s scope and sequence and emphasize stroke order and direction—perfect for reinforcing muscle memory and phonics simultaneously.

5️⃣ Routine with a Twist

Consistency is essential, but don’t let routines become robotic. Mix up your delivery, allow time for student responses, and offer corrective feedback. For students with learning disorders, I often reteach the same lesson using a different modality. Boom Learning decks aligned with UFLI’s sequence are a great way to reinforce concepts in a fresh format. You can even generate a quick link for your tier 2, intervention teachers to use in their lessons.

6️⃣ Review, Repeat, Reinforce

Repetition is your best friend. Encourage reading and spelling practice constantly—yes, even through homework! I’ve created scaffolded homework bundles that cover everything from letter sounds, word work, spelling and games! Sit with students to model how to use the sheets, then gradually build confidence to pair working with a stronger reader. Use them for tier 2 support or intervention. Making sure to check in regularly for understanding and accuracy.

7️⃣ Scaffold Spelling Rules

Before introducing a new spelling rule, hand out phonics bookmarks to support students throughout the lesson. For deeper engagement, use this interactive spelling workbook where students can record and review their own spelling rules.

8️⃣ Connect Decoding to Meaning—Strategically

Vocabulary growth thrives when decoding is paired with meaning. But here’s the golden rule: don’t show the picture until after the student has attempted to sound out the word. This preserves the integrity of the reading process and strengthens both decoding and comprehension.

🎲 Bonus Tip: Make It Fun

Early wins build confidence. Use games that encourage repetitive reading in joyful ways—try Honeycomb Race, Lucky Squares, or Dots and Boxes. When students laugh and learn together, magic happens. These are perfect for students to use for shared reading, helping and correcting each other in a fun and supportive way.

UFLI Game Honeycomb Race

UFLI Games Lucky Squares

UFLI Games Dots and Boxes

Let UFLI be your foundation—but let your creativity, responsiveness, and playfulness be the spark. Your students will thank you with their progress and pride.