Looking to add something new to your phonics instruction, that makes your life easier, not harder and more complicated? Teaching phonics can often seem like a big puzzle that builds very slowly one piece at a time. Unfortunately, that’s what learning to read can also feel like, moving at a snail’s pace.
Have you tried Secret Stories? I’ve started incorporating Secret Stories as a way to introduce more of the phonics code upfront. Phonics is an integral part of the Reading Rope and 5 Pillars for Reading Instruction.
Phonics and The Reading Rope: A Perfect Pair
The Reading Rope by Dr. Hollis Scarborough, picture a thick, braided rope. It has two main parts:
- Word Recognition (the lower strands) – This includes phonemic awareness, decoding (phonics!), and sight recognition. These skills help kids read the words on the page.
- Language Comprehension (the upper strands) – This includes vocabulary, background knowledge, and verbal reasoning—aka all the things that help kids understand what they’re reading.
Both parts of the rope are essential, but here’s the most important part: If kids struggle with decoding, they struggle with EVERYTHING else. You can’t build strong comprehension skills if reading the words themselves is a painful, slow process. That’s why teaching phonics is non-negotiable.
I’ve taken two workshops by the founder of Secret Stories, Katie Garner. I own two sets of her Flashcards and the book that goes with it for the stories. I love the size and weight of the smaller flashcards and am able to fit them on my bulletin board.
Secret Stories: Giving Kids the Whole Code
One of the things I love about Secret Stories is that it gives kids phonics upfront, making it easy to integrate into any reading routine. After we do our Heart Word Scramble, we jump right into a Secret Story, and the whole process takes just about three minutes. The best part? It works with any program! I’ve used it alongside IMSE, UFLI, and now with HMH Into Reading at our school, seamlessly fitting into any structured phonics approach.
Traditional phonics instruction teaches kids one letter-sound relationship at a time… and it can take years before they’ve learned all the phonics rules they actually need to read fluently. For example, instead of waiting for kindergartners to learn “th” in first or second grade (and not just two separate “t” and “h” sounds), Secret Stories teaches it right away using an engaging, brain-friendly “secrets” or a short story that help kids remember tricky phonics patterns. My students get really excited about learning some of these little tricks.
- Kids already need to know words like the, this, that, those, teach them the tools to read them.
- Secret Stories gives kids fun explanations (and stories) to help them remember why letters behave the way they do.
This accelerates decoding, which means kids can blend words, read fluently, and build comprehension much faster.
Why This Matters for the Reading Rope
When kids decode faster, they recognize words more easily. This strengthens their word recognition strands on The Reading Rope. And when word recognition becomes automatic, kids can focus more on the comprehension strands, like understanding what they’re reading rather than just sounding it out.
So instead of reading feeling like that never-ending puzzle, Secret Stories helps kids crack the code quickly—and that makes all the difference in building strong, confident readers!
Note: A few phonics stories I’ve adapted to fit my students needs.
Tip: Do not laminate. First of all, the card stock on the 6×6 size is very sturdy. Second, there is too much glare when they are laminated.
FAQ
How many sets of Secret Stories do I have? I actually have two sets. One set I hang up all year and one that I use to introduce and teach. I love having two sets!
Where did I get the frame from? Free on TPT! They’re available in several colors, size to what you need. Print. Laminate. Cut out the middle. Click here.
Helpful Links
UFLI Essential Resource Bundle
Resource Links:
Phonics Flashcards from Secret Stories 6×6 – Decorative Bright – they have a condensed story on the back, so I also purchased the Secret Stories manual.