Bridge the Gap 2025 Edition

The Heggerty Bridge the Gap Phonemic Awareness Intervention (2025 Edition) offers concise, systematic lessons tailored for Tier 2 and Tier 3 reading interventions. Created for students in second grade and above, the program helps close phonemic awareness gaps through targeted, research-based instruction and engaging activities for older learners.

What’s Included in the Bridge the Gap Intervention Curriculum

Each Bridge the Gap manual provides educators with the tools they need to deliver explicit, systematic phonemic awareness interventions for older students.

• Targeted Intervention Lessons: 35 short lessons designed for Tier 2 and Tier 3 reading intervention with students in second grade and above.
• Skill Progression: A systematic sequence that addresses critical phonemic awareness skills such as blending, segmenting, adding, deleting, and substituting sounds.
• Flexible Delivery: Lessons can be used in small groups or individual instruction as part of a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS).
• Phonemic Awareness Activities for Older Students: Engaging, age-appropriate exercises that close learning gaps while keeping students motivated and engaged.
• Teacher Support Materials: Includes clear instructional routines, modeling guidance, and progress-monitoring tools for effective implementation.
• Print Format: Coil-bound manual printed on letter-size paper (8.5" × 11") with laminated covers; total book weight is 2.0 lbs.

Learn more and view sample lessons here.

Who It’s For

The Bridge the Gap Phonemic Awareness Intervention is designed for:

• Students in Grades 2 and above who need additional decoding and sound-awareness support
• Reading interventionists and classroom teachers providing Tier 2 or Tier 3 reading intervention
• Literacy specialists and instructional coaches working with struggling readers as part of RTI or MTSS frameworks

This curriculum helps students close phonemic awareness gaps that prevent fluent reading and spelling, building the foundation for continued literacy growth.

How It Works

The Bridge the Gap Phonemic Awareness Intervention provides teachers and specialists with a simple, structured routine that targets the specific phonemic awareness skills older students need to master for fluent reading. Each lesson takes only a few minutes and is easily integrated into any Tier 2 or Tier 3 reading intervention block.

Here’s how educators use it in small-group or one-on-one settings:

1. Identify: Determine which students have gaps in phonemic awareness using assessment or classroom observation.
2. Plan: Select phonemic awareness intervention lessons that are tailored to each student's specific needs and skill level.
3. Teach: Deliver short, 5 to 7-minute lessons that focus on essential skills, such as blending, segmenting, and manipulating phonemes.
4. Engage: Use phonemic awareness activities for older students that are age-appropriate and designed to build confidence and engagement.
5. Monitor: Track progress through informal observation and performance on decoding and spelling tasks.
6. Adjust: Reteach or advance students as they demonstrate mastery, ensuring ongoing progress toward fluent reading.
7. Reinforce: Connect the day’s skill to classroom reading or phonics instruction to strengthen transfer and retention.

Frequently Asked Questions About Bridge the Gap

Who is Bridge the Gap designed for?
Bridge the Gap is designed for students in second grade and above who require targeted support in phonemic awareness as part of Tier 2 or Tier 3 reading interventions.

How long does each lesson take?
Each lesson takes about 5–7 minutes and follows a structured, predictable routine that makes implementation simple in any intervention setting.

Can this program be used with older students?
Yes. Bridge the Gap is designed for phonemic awareness intervention with older students, providing age-appropriate activities that help them close gaps and improve decoding fluency.

Does Bridge the Gap align with the Science of Reading?
Yes. Like all Heggerty programs, Bridge the Gap is fully aligned with the Science of Reading and emphasizes explicit, systematic instruction to support decoding and fluency.

How does this program fit within MTSS or RTI frameworks?
Bridge the Gap works seamlessly within Tier 2 and Tier 3 intervention programs, providing structured lessons that complement phonics and reading instruction.