CVC Words Teaching Pack: Activities + 16 Decodable Stories | Science of Reading

This CVC Words teaching pack forms part of a structured literacy program for introducing young learners to reading and spelling. It aligns with the Science of Reading and includes a detailed teaching manual, 138 supporting activities, and 16, 100% decodable stories—all designed to help students build strong foundational reading skills.

What is Included

1. The teaching manual offers clear, step-by-step guidance on helping children master blending (reading) and segmenting (spelling) CVC words. The program's unique structure ensures that even students with processing difficulties can succeed by introducing concepts systematically and building on previous learning.

2. The 138 supporting activities focus on developing phonemic awareness - that is, the ability to hear and order individual sounds in words. These exercises strengthen both reading and spelling skills through simple, engaging activities and games.

3. The 16 decodable stories feature Farmer Tom, his wife and children Sam and Pam, and their farm animals in adventures that young readers can actually decode independently. Each story includes word practice lists at the beginning, connecting new vocabulary to familiar rhyming patterns. The stories are in one convenient 32-page book (for eco-printing) with reader-friendly formatting, with a large, clear font and generous spacing.

Why This Approach Works

1. Unlike many phonics programs, these stories maintain strict decodability while telling genuinely engaging narratives, no phonics drills!

2. Students read only CVC words they can sound out, plus four essential sight words (a, the, is, of). The books have no curveballs to knock the confidence of young readers. They are always introduced to all the words they need to read each story, before they read it. They then meet familiar words in the subsequent stories.

3. This planned repetition builds fluency and confidence as readers recognise words they've successfully decoded before.

4. The beautiful watercolour illustrations make children want to read them again and again, whilst not encouraging picture-guessing—an important element in Science of Reading instruction.

Best For:

This program suits students in kindergarten through early first grade (ages 4-6) who have basic CVC blending ability and need systematic practice. It works well for small group instruction, one-on-one tutoring, or homeschool settings and wherever structured, research-based materials are needed.

Who can use it?

This resource can be used by teachers, though it is especially written with parents in mind. Having the stories in one book means more affordable printing, and the ease of use with non-technical vocabulary makes it attractive to even the least confident parent. The manual helps with assessment and troubleshooting, and the programme suits even children who need longer to learn to blend and segment CVC words, ensuring that they do not begin to rely on word-recognition before they can truly sound out - a common trap of many programmes.