Little Learners Love Literacy® Year 2 Playbook

When you ask a question to check for understanding, all students give an answer in unison. Often this is preceded by a hand gesture to indicate that all students are to respond. This technique works well for questions with a finite, short answer.

Choral responses ensure all students are engaged and are learning the content being taught. This technique boosts confidence for students who may not be comfortable sharing a response individually.

• Ask the question. For example, ‘What is the suffix?’
• Students respond in unison.
• Provide confirmation and praise when the whole group answers correctly. Provide scaffolding or model the answer when incorrect, before repeating the question for a choral response.
• Optional: Follow a choral response with the Select a student technique (cold calling). This allows individual students to be successful in front of the whole group.

Choral response can become more elaborate when students are used to the technique. You can plan a prompt and the response you want
students to use.
For example:
Prompt: ‘Suffix -ful' 
Response: ‘Full of’
Prompt: ‘Help’ (base word)
Response: ‘Helpful’ (word with affix)

Teach the new prompt and responses before asking students to respond.

When you ask a question to check for understanding, students turn to the person next to them to briefly discuss their thinking in response to your prompt. This technique allows all students to rehearse their thinking aloud while you listen for understanding and common errors.

• Assign each student as Partner A or Partner B.
• Ask a question that requires the students to discuss their thinking with a partner.
• Give students thinking time. Then cue students to begin by nominating which partner will start the discussion, for example, ‘Partner A, turn to Partner B and tell them x. Use full sentences. Then swap.’
• Bring the class back together using a chosen prompt, for example clapping for students to replicate, or saying a chant such as ‘Ready, set’ with students responding ‘You bet!’
  
• Use the Select a student technique to allow students to share their answers with the class.
• Address errors as a whole class with scaffolding, or further modelling, as required.
  

Note: Teach expectations explicitly before using this technique, including who each student’s partner is, who speaks first, and how to answer
in full sentences.

This technique is also referred to as ‘cold calling’. When checking for understanding, the teacher asks a question and selects a student to respond, rather than inviting volunteers. Two or three students may be asked to respond to the same question to check understanding across the class.

Select a student is used consistently in Little Learners Love Literacy® lessons to promote active thinking and participation. It establishes the expectation that all students are listening and engaged, and allows the teacher to model correct responses and address errors or misconceptions at the point of need.

• Ask a question.
• Provide thinking time (either a moment for students to think by themselves or prompt them to turn to their partner to discuss their thoughts).
• Using a warm tone and body language, call on a student by name and prompt them to share an answer.
• Provide feedback by confirming the correct response, addressing an incorrect response immediately, or returning to the student who provided the incorrect response after other students have answered.
  
• You may first call on a student who can confidently answer the question to prevent the sharing of incorrect information, then ask a less confident student second or third so they have the opportunity to hear from others first.
  

Note: Selecting students rather than relying on raised hands supports inclusion by avoiding hearing from the same students and ensuring all students are expected to think and participate.

Individual mini whiteboards are an integral part of teaching and learning with Little Learners Love Literacy®. Teaching students the appropriate way to use mini whiteboards will help to reduce any distractions. We use a clear routine – 'write it', 'chin it', 'wipe it', 'park it' – to allow all students to show a written response at the same time. This enables you to scan the class and provide feedback and immediate error correction or modelling, as required.

• Prompt students to ‘write it’ – students write the grapheme, word, phrase or sentence.
• Provide appropriate time for the task before prompting students to ‘chin it’ – students hold their whiteboards under their chin for you to see.
• Provide feedback and correct any errors. If required, model the correct answer to the whole class and repeat the process.
• Prompt students to ‘wipe it’ – students clean their whiteboard.
  
• Prompt students to ‘park it’ – students put their whiteboards on the floor or table, with their marker and eraser sat neatly on top.
  

Note: Take enough time to deliberately scan all whiteboards before providing feedback or moving on.

Focus: phonics, fluency, spaced practice

What is it?

Speed Sounds is a daily review of previously taught grapheme–phoneme correspondences.

Purpose

Daily interleaved practice is key to committing the alphabetic code (required for both reading and spelling) to long-term memory, allowing for automatic retrieval. In Year 2, the focus is on the Speed Sound rather than the Chitter Chatter Chant. Students are encouraged to read and spell without reliance on mnemonics at this stage.

Resources

Speed Sounds and Chants cards (classroom size) or Little Learners Love Literacy® Online Speed Sounds slides

Preparation

Select approximately 10–15 Speed Sounds cards for each lesson. Refer to the cards listed in the daily lesson notes (in the Teacher Activity Resource) or choose your own. Include the most recently taught sounds and any sounds students need additional practice with. Swap previously taught cards in and out of your deck each day to support spaced retrieval practice.

Steps

• Ensure students are seated facing you and looking at the cards or slides. Briefly introduce the routine. Say: 'Let’s start with Speed Sounds. Are you ready? Let’s go!'
• Show the grapheme side of each card and have students say the sound once, at a steady pace. Provide feedback as required.
• Mix the cards and repeat at a faster pace. Say: 'Are you ready to be speedy? Let’s go again!'
• Check for understanding: Hold up a card and ask, 'What is this sound?' Cold call two or three students to respond. Use cards based on recent teaching or student performance.

Error correction

If you hear an error, pause the routine and have students say the sound together again. If needed, clearly model the sound, drawing attention to your mouth position. For example, say: ‘Watch my mouth /ā/. Now you try.’

Note any sounds individual students find challenging for follow-up in small-group instruction where you can provide additional modelling and practice.

Our YouTube channel has a collection of videos that demonstrate the Speed Sounds routine. 

Focus: phonics, morphology, fluency, spaced practice

What is it?

Speed Words is a daily opportunity for students to apply their knowledge of known Speed Sounds to read words with increasing automaticity (fluency).

Purpose

Students must decode a word several times to ‘map’ the string of graphemes in their brain. Once words are mapped, students can recall them automatically. The more mapped words students have, the more fluent their reading becomes. In this routine, students practise decoding words using previously taught grapheme–phoneme correspondences and morphemes. This supports the transfer of decoding skills to fluent word reading.

Resources

Teacher-made flashcards or Little Learners Love Literacy® Online Speed Words slides. Printable Speed Words for our decodable books can be found on our website. 

Preparation

Select 5–10 decodable words for each lesson. Refer to the Speed Words listed in the daily lesson notes or choose your own. Use words containing the most recently taught grapheme–phoneme correspondences or morphemes, and any words students have found tricky. Swap previously taught words in and out of your deck across lessons to support spaced retrieval practice.

Steps

• Ensure students are seated facing you and looking at the cards or slides. Briefly introduce the routine. Say: ‘Now it’s time for our Speed Words. Decode the words together. Let’s go!’
• Show a word card and have students sound out and blend to read the word chorally. Continue until students have read all the words. Provide feedback as required.
• Have students read the words again without sounding out. Say: ‘Are you ready to be speedy? Let’s go again!’ Provide feedback as required.
• Check for understanding: Hold up a card and ask, ‘What is this word?’ Cold call two or three students to read the word. Select words based on recent teaching and/or student performance during the routine.

Error correction

If you hear an error, pause the routine and ask students to decode the word together again. If needed, model decoding the word, then say: ‘Now you try.’ Ask students to read the word again before continuing with the routine.

In this video, a teacher demonstrates the Speed Words routine with younger students. 

Focus: word reading, fluency, spaced practice

What is it?

This is a daily review of previously taught Heart Words. These words are needed in order to read a range of connected texts but are not yet fully decodable or contain irregular spellings. Heart Words need to be explicitly taught.

Purpose

As with Speed Words, students must read a word several times to ‘map’ the string of graphemes in their brain. Once words are mapped, students can recall them automatically. The more mapped words students have, the more fluent their reading becomes.

In this routine, students practise reading and recalling previously taught Heart Words, supporting automatic word recognition and fluent reading of connected text.

Resources

Heart Words flashcards (downloadable from our website) or Little Learners Love Literacy® Online Heart Words slides  

Preparation

Select 5–8 Heart Words for each lesson. Refer to the Heart Words listed in the daily lesson notes (in the Teacher Activity Resource) or choose your own. Use the most recently taught Heart Words and any words students have found tricky.

Each day, swap previously taught Heart Words in and out of your deck to support spaced retrieval practice (interleaved practice).

Steps

• Ensure students are seated facing you and looking at the cards or slides. Briefly introduce the routine. Say: ‘Now, let’s check our Heart Words!’
• Show a card and have students say the word chorally. Continue until students have read all the words.
• Check for understanding: Hold up a card and ask, ‘What is this word?’ Select two or three students to read the Heart Word. Do this with 1–2 Heart Words, selecting words based on recent teaching and/or student performance during the routine.

Error correction

If you hear an error, pause the routine and ask students to say the word together again. If needed, revise the Heart Word by modelling how to read it. Quickly remind students of the tricky part of the spelling, then model sounding out and blending the word to say it. Say: ‘Now it’s your turn.’ Ask students to sound out and blend, then say the word. Students read the word again, then continue with the routine.

Focus: morphology, fluency, spaced practice

What is it?

Speed Morphemes is a daily routine where students review previously taught morphemes (prefixes and suffixes) and practise applying them to base words.

Purpose

Daily, spaced practice with morphemes supports students to recognise meaningful word parts automatically and apply this knowledge when reading and spelling. In Year 2, students move beyond simple recognition to actively adding morphemes to base words and explaining how the meaning of a word changes. This supports vocabulary development, word-level fluency and spelling accuracy.

Resources

Morphemes and Chants cards or Little Learners Love Literacy® Online Speed Morphemes slides  

Preparation

Select one or more previously taught morphemes for each lesson. Refer to the morphemes listed in the daily lesson notes (in the Teacher Activity Resource) or choose morphemes students need additional practice with. As students progress through the Year 2 sequence, rotate previously taught morpheme cards in and out across lessons to support spaced retrieval practice.

Steps

• Ensure students are seated facing you and looking at the cards or slides. Briefly introduce the routine. Say: ‘Let’s revise our Speed Morphemes. Are you ready? Let’s go!’
• Show a morpheme card and have students say the chant, then the morpheme and its meaning together. Maintain a steady pace and provide feedback as required.
• Show the card again. This time, say a base word and have students add the morpheme to say the new word. For example, say: ‘write’ and students respond ‘rewrite’.
• Repeat with any remaining morphemes.
• Check for understanding: Hold up a morpheme card and ask students to say the morpheme and its meaning. Select two or three students. Select morphemes based on recent teaching and/or student performance during the routine.

Error correction

If you hear an error, pause the routine and have students say the morpheme and meaning together again. If needed, model the morpheme clearly and restate its meaning. Then say: ‘Now you try.’ Ask students to repeat the morpheme and meaning before continuing with the routine. Note any morphemes students find challenging for follow-up in small-group instruction.

Focus: phonics, morphology, spelling, fluency, spaced practice

What is it?

Speed Write provides students with regular opportunities to practise writing sounds, words and word parts that have been taught in the lesson. This includes Speed Sounds, Speed Words and Speed Morphemes, as well as focus Heart Words where applicable.

Purpose

Speed Write supports spelling fluency and accuracy by requiring students to recall and write recently taught content. Writing places greater cognitive demand than reading, so accurate and fluent spelling is a strong indicator of mastery. This routine allows teachers to quickly check understanding, address errors and reinforce correct spelling patterns.

Resources

• Mini whiteboards, markers and erasers
• Speed Write word list (from the Teacher Activity Resource)
• Little Learners Love Literacy® Online Speed Write slides (optional)

Preparation

Select a small number of items from the Revise routines used that day. This may include Speed Sounds, Speed Words, Heart Words or Speed Morphemes, depending on the stage. Refer to the Speed Write list in the daily lesson notes or select your own items aligned with recent teaching.
Ensure students have access to their mini whiteboards, markers and erasers.

Steps

• Ensure students are seated facing you and ready to begin. Briefly introduce the routine. Say: ‘Let’s speed write some of the sounds, words or morphemes from today. Show me your whiteboard when I say “chin it”.’
• Dictate the first sound, word or morpheme. For example: ‘The sound is /ā/ as in tray. Say it and write it.’
• Check for understanding: Ask students to ‘chin it’ and scan all responses.
• Model the correct spelling on the board. Students tick correct spellings or correct errors on their whiteboards.
• Repeat with the remaining items. When finished this routine, ask students to 'wipe it' and 'park it' as per your classroom mini whiteboard routine. 

Error correction

If an error is observed, pause the routine. Ask students to say the sound, segment the word or identify the morpheme. Model the correct spelling and say: ‘Now it’s your turn.’ Students correct their spelling before continuing.

Focus: spelling, reading, handwriting (phonological awareness, phonics, morphology)

What is it?

Single-word dictation on mini whiteboards, or dictation of word chains on mini whiteboards. When the lesson plans provide word lists and sound swap word chains, you can choose which you’d prefer to use, or do both, depending on your students and any time constraints. Handwriting correction and modelling can be provided in whole-class feedback, as required.

Purpose

Students apply new learning by spelling new words accurately (with correctly formed letters), following your modelling and guidance. In the sound swap activity, students manipulate words to identify one single grapheme or phoneme to change each time, building their phonemic proficiency and mastery. In Year 2, this routine also supports the accurate spelling of words containing taught morphemes.

Resources

• Mini whiteboards, markers and erasers
• Spelling on mini whiteboards word list (from the Teacher Activity Resource)
• Little Learners Love Literacy® Online Spelling on mini whiteboards slides (optional)

Preparation

• Select 6–8 words to dictate. Refer to the Spelling on mini whiteboards word list in the daily lesson notes or choose your own, ensuring your words use the focus grapheme–phoneme correspondences or morphemes for that day and include a range of one-syllable and multisyllabic words.
• Distribute students’ whiteboards, markers and erasers at the start of the lesson.

Steps (one-syllable words)

• Introduce the routine. Say: ‘Let’s practise our spelling. We’re going to spell six words on our whiteboards. Show me your whiteboard after each one when I say “chin it”.’
• Model spelling the first word for students; for example, chain. Say: ‘First, it’s my turn – eyes on me. I’m going to spell the word chain.’ Say an example sentence: ‘I chain my bike to the post. Chain.’
• Count the sounds on your fingers as you say them. Say: ‘First, I sound it out using my spelling fingers: /ch/ā/n/ – three sounds.’
• Draw three lines on the board as you say /ch/ā/n/. Say: ‘Then I will write a grapheme for each sound.’ Write ch on the first line as you say /ch/. Write ai on the second line as you say /ā/, explaining your choice. Then write n on the third line as you say /n/.
• Say: ‘Next, I need to read the word to check my spelling.’ Model checking by sounding out and blending.
• Say: ‘Now it’s your turn.’ Students write chain on their mini whiteboards. Ask students to ‘chin it’ and provide feedback. Repeat with the remaining words.

Steps (multisyllabic words)

• Model spelling the first multisyllabic word; for example, fragrant. Say: ‘First, it’s my turn. I’m going to spell the word fragrant.’ Say an example sentence: ‘I love the fragrant smell at the bakery. Fragrant.’
• Clap the syllables, saying: ‘First, I clap the syllables: fra–grant – two syllables.’
• Count the sounds in the first syllable using your spelling fingers. Say: ‘/f/r/ā/ – three sounds.’ Draw three lines and write a grapheme for each sound, explaining your choices. Repeat for the second syllable.
• Say: ‘Next, I will read the word to check my spelling.’ Model sounding out and blending each syllable, then blending the whole word: fra–grant, fragrant.
• Say: ‘Now it’s your turn. The word is fragrant.’ Students repeat the word, clap the syllables, write the word, and read it back to check their spelling. Ask students to ‘chin it’ and provide feedback. Repeat with the remaining words.

Steps (sound swap)

• Introduce the routine. Say: ‘Let’s practise our spelling. We’re going to write a sound swap word chain on our whiteboards. Show me your whiteboard after each word when I say “chin it”.’
• Model spelling the first word; for example, cape. Say: ‘First, it’s my turn – eyes on me. I’m going to spell the word cape.’ Use an example sentence.
• Count the sounds using your spelling fingers and draw sound lines. Write a grapheme for each sound, explaining your choices. Add the silent e and explain its role.
• Say: ‘Next, I will read the word to check my spelling.’ Model sounding out and blending.
• Say: ‘Now it’s your turn.’ Students write cape and ‘chin it’. Provide feedback.
• Dictate the next word in the chain (for example, case). Ask: ‘What do you need to change?’ Students identify and write the new word underneath.
• Continue with the remaining words in the chain, changing one grapheme or phoneme each time (for example, cap – cape – case – cane – can).

Focus: spelling, reading (phonemic awareness, phonics, morphology)

What is it?

The Super spelling whole-class routine is used throughout the Little Learners Love Literacy® program. There are two versions of the routine: word chain (easier) and sound swap (harder). In Year 2, Super spelling is most commonly used in a sound swap format, where one grapheme or morpheme is changed at a time.

Super spelling involves the teacher dictating a word and students building the word as a class using large grapheme cards. The class reads the word they have built together to check spelling and fix any errors with teacher guidance.

There is an optional extension at the end of this routine where the same word list is dictated for students to write on mini whiteboards, gradually removing scaffolding and supporting students towards mastery.

Purpose

Students apply new learning by spelling new words accurately as a team. Cognitive load is reduced in this routine (no handwriting required and cards provide limited spelling choices), making it ideal for applying brand new knowledge to spell words for the first time.

In the sound swap version, students manipulate words to identify one grapheme or phoneme to change each time, building phonemic proficiency and spelling mastery.

The responsibility for checking and fixing spelling sits with the whole class, allowing you to use error correction as valuable teaching opportunities throughout the routine.

Resources

• Stages 1–7 Speed Sounds and Chants cards (display-size)
• Super Spelling word list or word chain (from the Teacher Activity Resource)
• Little Learners Love Literacy® Online Super spelling slides (optional)
• Mini whiteboards, markers and erasers (optional extension)

Preparation

• Select a sound swap word chain (approximately 6–8 words) from the daily lesson notes.
• Gather the required display-size Speed Sounds and Chants cards. 
• If using the optional extension activity, ensure mini whiteboards and markers are available.

Steps 

• Distribute the display-size Speed Sounds and Chants cards listed in the lesson notes. Students say the sound represented by each card chorally.
• Support students to build the first word in the chain. Say: ‘The word is beach. I like to swim at the beach. Beach. Let’s sound it out using our spelling fingers – /b/ē/ch/.’
• Ask: ‘What is the first sound in beach? /b/.’ The student with the b card stands at the front of the class holding it. Ask: ‘What is the next sound?
  /ē/.’ The student with the ea card stands next in line. Ask: ‘What is the last sound? /ch/.’ The student with the ch card stands next in line so that the word beach is formed.
• Students say the sounds and then decode the word chorally to check the spelling. Provide feedback as required.
• Dictate the next word and ask: ‘Which card do you need to change?’ The student with the appropriate card moves into position and the student with the redundant card moves back to the group. Students decode the word chorally to check the spelling.
• Continue with the rest of the sound swap word chain.
• Optional extension: Pack the cards away and have students get out their mini whiteboards. Say: ‘Now that we’ve built the words with our Speed Sounds and Chants cards, it’s time to write them on your mini whiteboards.’ Follow the Spelling on mini whiteboards procedure to dictate the same Super spelling words.

Focus: reading, writing (vocabulary knowledge)

What is it?

The Words of the week routine explicitly teaches one new Tier 2 word each day (Days 1–4 each week). The word is taken from the choral reading passage of the day.

The routine involves reading the word chorally and providing a student-friendly definition and synonyms. Students then define the word to their partner in their own words. Students read an example sentence before creating their own sentence using the new word. The word is revisited several times during the lesson through choral reading, Let’s write, and the Review activities. Each new Word of the week should be added to your word wall for ongoing reference.

On Day 5, all new Words of the week are reviewed and practised.

Purpose

Tier 2 vocabulary is neither everyday language nor domain-specific technical language. It is language that students often encounter in writing but use less frequently in speech. These words need to be explicitly taught to support comprehension and improve the quality of students’ writing.

The purpose of this routine is to develop students’ understanding of the choral reading text by explicitly teaching the meaning of Tier 2 vocabulary. This routine provides a framework for teaching any Tier 2 words students may struggle with in the choral reading text or across the school day. Follow the procedure, add the words to your word wall, and ensure they are revisited and used regularly throughout the weekly routine.

Resources

• Words of the week lesson notes or summary grid from the Teacher Activity Resource (including definition, example sentence, synonyms
and questions)
• Words of the week flashcards (from the Teacher Activity Resource)
• Little Learners Love Literacy® Online Words of the week slides (optional)

Preparation

Print and cut out the Word of the week flashcard, if using.

Steps (Days 1–4)

• Introduce the routine. Display the Words of the week flashcard (or slide). Point to the word and say it. Ask students to repeat the word. Say, ‘Let’s learn our new word of the week. Today’s word is investigate. What’s the word?’
• Decode the word for students. Break multisyllabic words into syllables and decode each syllable to read the word (for example, in-ves-ti-gate). Students repeat chorally.
• Define the word and provide examples of synonyms to support understanding. Say, ‘Investigate is a verb meaning to look at something carefully and closely to learn the facts about it. Other similar words include explore, research, and inspect.’
• Ask students to turn to their partner and tell them the new word and what it means in a full sentence. Select 2–3 students to share their responses. Provide feedback.
• Read the example sentence together chorally. Ask students to read it again.
• Check for understanding by asking students to use the new word in a sentence of their own. Say, ‘Turn to your partner and tell them a new sentence using the word investigate.’ Select 2–3 students to share their sentences. Provide feedback.
• Add the word to your word wall.

Steps (Day 5)

• Introduce the routine. Say, ‘Let’s review all our Words of the week.’ Read all four words together, referring to the cards on the word wall.
• Display a silly sentence using some (or all) of the Words of the week and read it together chorally (for example, Should we destroy or celebrate fragrant flowers?). Ask students to read it again.
• Ask a comprehension question about the sentence. Say, ‘What do you think we should do? Turn to your partner and tell them your answer and your reason.’ Select 2–3 students to share their responses. Provide feedback.
• Display one of four sentences with a gap on the board (for example, Detectives _____ the case of the missing coins.). Read it aloud. Students turn to their partner to fill the gap with one of the Words of the week. Say, ‘Turn to your partner and decide which word of the week fits in the gap.’ Select 2–3 students to share their answers. Provide feedback, confirm the correct word, and read the completed sentence together as a class. Repeat with the remaining sentences and Words of the week.

Focus: reading (fluency, comprehension)

What is it?

Students read a decodable passage together, following the teacher’s model, using one text split into four connected parts. Each part (or passage) contains words that reinforce the grapheme–phoneme correspondence or morpheme taught that day, as well as the Word of the week.

Students begin with echo reading, where the teacher reads a sentence with expression and students repeat, providing scaffolding for all learners. During this stage, the teacher can model decoding tricky words and explore vocabulary. The class then reads the whole passage together chorally.

Reading is followed by discussing the Word of the week in context and exploring the text through a set of provided comprehension questions.

Purpose

The Choral reading routine provides students with a scaffolded opportunity to improve reading fluency, including accuracy, automaticity (rate) and prosody. It also supports comprehension by revisiting the Word of the week in context and through comprehension questions following each passage.

The comprehension questions are designed to check students’ literal understanding of the text, as well as promote deeper thinking and discussion through inference, connections to prior knowledge and experiences, and expression of personal opinions using evidence from the text. As the passages read across the week are connected, with each day building on the previous passage, there are also opportunities for prediction and reflection.

The purpose of this routine is to develop students’ understanding of the choral reading text by explicitly teaching the meaning of Tier 2 vocabulary. This routine provides a framework for teaching any Tier 2 words students may struggle with in the choral reading text or across the school day. Follow the procedure, add the words to your word wall, and ensure they are revisited and used regularly throughout the weekly routine.

Resources

• Little Learners Love Literacy® Online Choral reading slides
• Choral reading teacher notes from the Teacher Activity Resource (for comprehension questions)
• Little Learners Love Literacy® Online Words of the week slides (optional)

Steps (Day 1)

• Ensure students are seated facing the text. Briefly introduce the routine. Say, ‘Now it’s time for choral reading. Let’s start our new text
  for the week.’
• Begin with echo reading. Model reading the first sentence while students listen and follow along, tracking with their finger. Discuss any tricky words. Reread the sentence with students. Repeat with the remaining sentences in the passage. When modelling, take opportunities to demonstrate key skills such as decoding words with the focus grapheme–phoneme correspondence or morpheme, reading multisyllabic words, identifying Heart Words, and reading with expression, as appropriate for your students.
• Choral reading: After echo reading each sentence, reread the whole passage together. Say, ‘Now we’ll read the passage together. Track with your finger as you read aloud.’ Optional: The class may reread the passage in unison again if required.
• Word of the week: Locate the sentence in the passage that includes the new Word of the Week taught earlier in the lesson (for example, investigate). Read it chorally. Ask students, ‘What’s another word you could use instead of investigate in this sentence? Turn to your partner and tell them.’ Select 2–3 students to share their ideas. Provide feedback and clarify appropriate synonyms, such as explore or find out.
• Use some or all of the comprehension questions provided in the daily lesson notes to discuss the text. Allow thinking time before selecting students to respond. For more inferential or complex questions, ask students to turn to their partner to discuss before sharing responses. Provide feedback.

Steps (Days 2–4)

• On Days 2–4, begin by chorally rereading the previous passages from earlier in the week. Say, ‘Now it’s time for choral reading. Let’s start by rereading the parts of the story we’ve read so far. Track with your finger as we read aloud together.’
• Read the new passage following the same procedure as Day 1.

Focus: spelling, handwriting (phonics, morphology)

What is it?

Let’s write is a teacher-led dictation routine where students write a phrase and a sentence in their workbooks on lined paper. The supplied phrases and sentences include words with the focus grapheme–phoneme correspondence or focus morpheme of the day, as well as the Word of the week.

After students have written the phrase and sentence, the teacher models writing them correctly, thinking aloud while writing. Students then cross out any mistakes and correct their work.

Purpose

Let’s write provides targeted spelling and handwriting practice with no scaffolding, allowing students to show what they know. This enables the teacher to formatively assess understanding and progress. While the routine functions as a formative assessment tool, it is also instructional, with errors and misconceptions addressed during the session through modelling and feedback.

Resources

• Let’s write phrase and sentence (from the daily lesson notes in the Teacher Activity Resource)
• Writing workbooks and pencils
• Little Learners Love Literacy® Online Let's write slides (optional)

Steps 

• Say, ‘Look at me and listen carefully.’ Say the phrase investigate the backyard clearly. Students repeat the phrase.
• Say, ‘Now write the phrase.’ Students write investigate the backyard without modelling or prompts. Students reread their writing to check it.
• Repeat with the sentence. If the sentence is long, chunk the dictation to manage cognitive load. Say, ‘Look at me and listen carefully.’ Say the sentenceThe detective will investigate the facts to solve the case. Students repeat it.
• Say, ‘Now write the first part of the sentence – The detective will investigate the facts’. Students write without modelling or prompts. Then say, ‘Now write the second part of the sentence – to solve the case.’ Students write without modelling or prompts. Students reread their writing
  to check it.
• Model writing the phrase and sentence and read them back. Students tick correct words or make corrections. Students may also illustrate their writing (to demonstrate comprehension) while you check individual work, as required.

Focus: reading (fluency)

What is it?

Reader’s theatre is a teacher-led fluency routine where students receive modelling and instruction to read a dialogue, poem, or song with appropriate expression, emphasis and pace.

As a class, students explore the meaning and purpose of the text before practising in pairs. Students continue rehearsing with their partner before selected pairs perform the text at the end of the lesson.

Purpose

Reader’s theatre is a collaborative strategy for developing oral reading fluency through reading and rehearsing scripted texts such as dialogues, poems and songs. Memorisation is not the focus; instead, students reread the text multiple times to build familiarity with the language and practise appropriate expression.

The Little Learners Love Literacy® Fluency Fun reader’s theatre texts are decodable, providing students with further opportunities to read texts that include the focus grapheme–phoneme correspondences and morphemes.

Performing the text also builds students’ confidence in speaking and presenting in an enjoyable and engaging way.

Resources

• Fluency Fun books containing Reader’s theatre texts
• Reader's theatre daily lesson notes (from the Teacher Activity Resource)
• Little Learners Love Literacy® Online Reader's theatre slides (optional)

Preparation

Read the text aloud before the lesson to practise expression, stress and intonation. Note: Some Reader’s theatre texts are songs and require
a run-through before modelling the performance to the class.

Steps 

• Introduce the text. Say, ‘Let’s look at this week’s Reader’s theatre text, which is a dialogue.’
• Model reading the text with expression while students track along with their fingers.
• Discuss any tricky words or Tier 2 vocabulary (interesting words are listed at the back of the Fluency Fun books).
• Read the text chorally as a class. As the Reader’s theatre texts are designed for paired reading, the left side of the room could read one part and the right side could read the other.
• Use the comprehension questions in the daily lesson notes to discuss the meaning and purpose of the text.
• Assign students a partner and a character from the script. Students take turns reading their assigned lines, focusing on accuracy, fluency and expression. Students rehearse the text several times while you circulate and provide feedback.
• At the end of the lesson, select 1–3 pairs to perform the text to the class. Provide feedback, and invite students to share one thing they liked about the performance and why.

Focus: phonics, morphology, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, writing

What is it?

Small group reading and writing is a teacher-led routine where students read texts aligned to the Little Learners teaching sequence in a small group while other students complete partner reading. The Year 2 Teacher Activity Resources recommend planning 10–15 minutes on Monday to Thursday each week.

Sessions are carefully planned and focused, allowing students to apply the phonics, morphology and reading skills that have been explicitly taught in whole-class lessons.

In Little Learners Love Literacy®, Small group reading and writing uses only texts that align with the Little Learners teaching sequence so students can practise decoding unfamiliar words and applying their morphology knowledge. Each session also includes short spelling and sentence-level writing tasks to strengthen transfer from reading to writing.

Purpose

Small group reading aligned to the Little Learners teaching sequence supports students to build fluency, prosody and understanding through rereading familiar decodable texts. It allows the teacher to closely observe students’ reading behaviours, check accuracy and expression, and provide immediate feedback or correction where needed.

These sessions also provide opportunities for targeted spelling and sentence-level writing practice, helping students apply phonics, vocabulary and morphology knowledge in meaningful contexts.

Resources

• A copy of the Little Learners text for each student and the teacher (for example, a Fluency Fun text or decodable book)
• Mini whiteboards, pens and erasers (if using)
• Speed Sounds and Chants cards or Morphemes and Chants cards
• Find, answer, write worksheets (included with Fluency Fun texts)
• Relevant Teacher Activity Resources

Preparation

• Select a group of 5–6 students with similar ability or a shared reading/writing/spelling focus.
• Plan which text will be read with the group. Choose a text within the zone of proximal development. Some groups may work with Year 1 or Year 2 decodable books, Fluency Fun texts or library books/chapter books depending on need. Note: the Appendices in the Year 2 Teacher Activity Resources provide a list of suggested decodable texts for each week that you might want to use, but this may vary according to your groups' needs.
• Read the text and any teacher notes prior to the lesson.

Steps 

• Before reading: Briefly prepare students by revising key Speed Sounds, morphemes, Heart Words or vocabulary that appear in the text. Introduce the text and set the purpose for reading.
• During reading: Students read the text aloud using choral reading, tracking under each word. Provide guidance and error correction as needed, prompting students to sound out and blend unfamiliar words, and use their morphemic knowledge where relevant. Pause briefly to check understanding, discuss illustrations or clarify meaning where appropriate.
• After reading: Celebrate students’ effort and success. Check understanding through a short discussion or vocabulary check, and follow up with a brief extension activity such as Find, answer, write.
  
  Spelling and writing practice in these sessions is a must. The following activities are recommended:
  • Dictate some words used in the text you’ve been reading. Students can use the words in a sentence before writing their own sentence.
  • Dictate some sentences used in the text you’ve been reading.
  • Use the Let’s write resource included in most weeks to dictate words, phrases, sentences or challenge sentences.
  • Use any unused Let’s spell challenge lists from the Teacher Activity Resources.
  • Scaffold students’ spelling using Let’s spell or Sound Swap Word Game from Stage 7 Review or Stages 7.1–7.4 depending on student needs.

Focus: phonics, fluency, spaced practice

What is it?

Partner reading is a routine where students take turns reading Fluency Fun texts or decodable books with a partner. While this routine takes place, the teacher works with a small group.

Purpose

Partner reading builds fluency, prosody and understanding through reading and rereading a variety of one-page texts on different topics or previously read decodable books. Students complete partner reading with minimal scaffolding and without close teacher supervision, although a roaming adult is highly recommended if available.

Resources

• Fluency Fun books or other decodable texts

Preparation

• Consider what students need to do when their partner reads a word incorrectly and ensure students understand.
• Pair students either by similar reading ability, or by pairing more advanced readers with struggling/developing readers.
• To support students with this routine, you could allocate the name of a fruit to each pair of students – for example, each child would be a ‘grape’ or an ‘orange’. That way, students will know what to do when you say, ‘Grapes read first today.’

Steps

• Introduce the routine. Say, ‘It is time for partner reading. Find your partner.’ Ensure each pair has their Fluency Fun text or decodable book. Say, ‘Take turns reading to your partner. When your partner is reading, you will be checking the words on the page. If they read a word incorrectly, put up your hand to let them know. Then swap. Grapes go first today.’
• After completing partner reading with a Fluency Fun text, students complete a Find, answer, write sheet linked to the partner reading text. These activities focus on comprehension, vocabulary development and writing.

Focus: reading, spelling, writing (comprehension, extended writing)

What is it?

Find, answer, write is a simple routine completed individually after Partner reading with a Fluency Fun text. The Find, answer, write worksheet is divided into three sections, always following the same structure. Students use the Fluency Fun text to formulate their responses.

Purpose

The Find, answer, write activity sheet encourages students to reread the Partner reading text closely. It supports students to deepen their comprehension of the text they have read, while also providing opportunities to practise spelling and writing skills.

Resources

• Find, answer, write worksheets (one per student)
• Corresponding Fluency Fun text (one per student or one between two)

Steps 

• After completing Partner reading using the Fluency Fun text, students respond to the text by working through the three sections of the activity sheet:
  Find – Students write a list of words from the Fluency Fun text that contain the focus grapheme–phoneme correspondence or morpheme.
  Answer – Students respond to four questions about the text using full sentences. Students write their responses on the sheet and may refer back to the text.
  Write – Students read the extended writing task and complete it in their workbooks.
• Mark the sheet and provide feedback to students.