The Sound City Reading program teaches students to read and spell phonetically.  It is carefully structured so that students learn new material in a step by step manner.  The materials are carefully sequenced so that students will experience success.  The program has materials to teach students who have not yet learned the alphabet up through students who are ready to learn advanced phonics patterns.  
       You can see the five teaching levels on the chart on the right.  Click on the chart to see an enlarged version.

Level 1

• Teaches the letters of the alphabet and their sounds.
• Teaches beginning oral blending, a sub-skill that is needed  to read words phonetically.
• Teaching beginning segmenting, a sub-skill that is needed to spell words phonetically.
• Develops rhyming awareness.
• Develops pencil skills as students trace or draw typical handwriting strokes that are a part of pictures. 
• Develops beginning handwriting skills as students trace large and small letters using correct letter formation.

Level One -
​Learning The Alphabet

Students learn to recognize the letters of the alphabet and give their sounds.  They practice tracing large and small letter patterns to learn the correct letter formation for each letter.  They do exercises with the teacher to develop oral blending and segmenting skills.  They become familiar with the concepts of beginning and ending sounds in words. ​ 

Level 2 - Exploring Sounds In Words

Students review the letters of the alphabet and their sounds.  They continue to practice letter formation by tracing large and small letters on lines paper.  Students at level two are expected to be able to write the letters independently, given the letter sounds.  Working with the teacher, students identify pictures and write the letter that shows the beginning or ending sound.  Students begin to spell simple short vowel words with plastic letters by saying the sounds in each word and placing the letters from left to right accordingly. 

Level 2 - Exploring Sounds In Words

Students review the letters of the alphabet and their sounds.  They continue to practice letter formation by tracing large and small letters on lines paper.  Students at level two are expected to be able to write the letters independently, given the letter sounds.  Working with the teacher, students identify pictures and write the letter that shows the beginning or ending sound.  Students begin to spell simple short vowel words with plastic letters by saying the sounds in each word and placing the letters from left to right accordingly. 

Level 4 Books

 These books teach phonics patterns using word lists in which all of the words contain the same new pattern.  Students spell and read the words to become familiar with the new pattern, and then apply their knowledge by reading practice stories that contain the new patterns.  After students have learned enough patterns, they will also be able to read several "beginning to read" children's books, which are listed in the sequence charts.  There are three different sets of books that can be used at level four.  Each set teaches the same phonics patterns in the same sequence and uses the same set of practice stories.  

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This set of eight books has extra-large print.  The vowels and vowel patterns are printed in specific colors to indicate the vowel sound and to make the vowels stand out in words.  Students do two oral blending exercises with the teacher to prepare them to read each set of ten new words.  Then students read the words and find the matching picture.     

This set of eight books is printed in all black print.  For most of the phonics patterns, there are more than ten words in each new word list.  Each word is shown with a small picture to show its meaning.  In addition to the word lists and practice stories, these books also include a set of illustrated sentences for extra practice with each new pattern.  

In this set of books, the eight phonics patterns books at level four are divided into three separate volumes.  The word lists contain both one and two-syllable words.  The words are not illustrated.  The same set of illustrated practice stories are included. 
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