How Do I Fit It All In? Organizing Your Literacy Block to Align with the Science of Reading
Have you ever thought to yourself, “How in the world am I supposed to fit all of this in?”
If you’re anything like us, the idea of research-based instruction and data-driven practices gets you excited. But if it also feels overwhelming or stressful, that’s okay too.
One of the best ways to eliminate overwhelm is to put a structure in place. The good news is that decades of research, often referred to as the Science of Reading, provide a clear roadmap for what belongs in that structure.
Of course, the challenge is that there’s a lot we need to include in a literacy block if we want to align with the Science of Reading:
Explicit instruction in the 5 Core Components of Literacy (phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension)
Opportunities for writing, since reading and writing are reciprocal processes
Targeted support based on individual student needs
Ongoing data collection and review activities
It can definitely feel like a lot. But here’s the thing: instruction that aligns with the Science of Reading doesn’t have to be complicated. You just need a framework you can follow, one that ensures you’re covering everything that matters without it feeling overwhelming.
Step 1: Know What Skills to Teach
Before you can organize your literacy block, you need to know exactly which skills should be included. That’s where a clear framework comes in.
Every lesson should systematically address the five core components of literacy (phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension) along with reciprocal writing skills. But within each of these components, there are dozens of specific concepts that students need to master over time.
For example, in phonological awareness alone, students need to practice skills such as blending, segmenting, and manipulating sounds. In phonics, they’ll encounter syllable types, vowel teams, and spelling patterns. Vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and writing each have their own sets of critical subskills as well.
To make this easier, we’ve created a Structured Literacy Scope Checklist. This checklist breaks down the specific skills within each literacy component so you can quickly see what’s already included in your instruction and where you may need to fill in gaps.
👉 Download the Structured Literacy Scope Checklist here
Having clarity on what to teach gives you the foundation you need before you start mapping out your time and lesson flow.
Step 2: Organize Your Lesson Components
Once you know what you’re teaching, the next step is deciding how you’ll fit the components into your lessons.
It’s important to remember: these components don’t all have to be crammed into a single session. A well-structured lesson plan might take several days to fully complete. What matters most is that, across your instructional block, you’re giving students systematic practice in each of the five core areas.
Depending on your setting, this can look a little different.
In Intervention or Special Education Settings
If you’re working one-on-one or with small groups, you’ll want to work through as many lesson components as possible in each session, but not at the expense of mastery. Go as fast as you can, but as slow as you must.
Some scheduling options include:
Divide sessions into reading and writing days. For example, focus on decoding, vocabulary, and fluency one day, then reinforce those skills through writing the next.
Cover what you can and send the rest as home practice. For students who can work independently, tasks like vocabulary practice or paragraph writing can extend learning outside of your session.
Pick up where you left off. For students who need more time and repetition, simply continue the lesson in the next session, ensuring no component is skipped.
How to Organize Your Literacy Block in the Classroom
If you have a daily literacy block, you’ll want to think about how to distribute the components across the week.
A common approach is to introduce one new pattern (phonogram, syllable type, or spelling rule) each week, then provide extended practice across five days. Whole-class lessons can cover big-picture concepts, while small-group instruction allows you to listen to students read and address breakdowns in real time.
The key is balance: ensuring that students not only move through patterns, but also build strength across all five components of literacy in both reading and writing.
The Bottom Line
Yes, there’s a lot to fit in. But it’s not impossible, and with the right structure, it becomes not only manageable but rewarding.
And if anyone can do this, it’s you. We know this because you’re here, reading this blog to get information about how to best support your students, that’s next level!
Looking for more support?
Join us for one of our FREE on-demand PD trainings to learn more about the 5-step framework we use to fit everything into our structured and systematic intervention lessons.
If you work in the elementary setting - Check out our free training, Delivering Effective Elementary Literacy Intervention: The 5-Step Framework for Grades K-6 to learn more and get free resources you can use to support your instruction!
If you work in the secondary setting - Check out Delivering Effective Secondary Literacy Intervention: The 5-Step Framework for Grades 6–12 to learn more and get free resources you can use to support your instruction this year!