Primary Phonemic Awareness Curriculum (English)

The Heggerty Primary Phonemic Awareness Curriculum (2022 Edition) comprises 24 weeks of concise, engaging lessons that develop foundational literacy skills. Designed for 1st and 2nd-grade classrooms, this supplement supports any reading program and helps students who need extra practice with blending, segmenting, and manipulating sounds.

What’s Included in the Primary Phonemic Awareness Curriculum

Each Primary Curriculum manual gives teachers everything they need to deliver explicit, systematic phonemic awareness instruction.

• Daily Lesson Plans: 24 weeks of easy-to-follow phonemic awareness lesson plans for whole-group instruction, lasting 8–12 minutes each.
• Scope and Sequence: Organized skill progression aligned to the Science of Reading and the Heggerty framework.
• Intervention Options: Adaptable for small groups or one-on-one early literacy intervention.
• Assessment Tools: Built-in digital assessment tools for teachers to monitor progress and identify student needs.
• Teacher Support Materials: Implementation guidance and professional learning videos to ensure fidelity and confidence.
• Print Format: Coil-bound, legal-size manual (14" × 8.5") with laminated covers; total weight 2.5 lbs.

More curriculum details >>

Who It’s For

The Primary Phonemic Awareness Curriculum is designed for:

• First- and second-grade classrooms (refer to page ii for 2nd grade instruction or use the FAQ guide)
• Reading intervention groups and literacy specialists
• Teachers supporting students who need additional practice in phonemic awareness and decoding

This curriculum helps educators build foundational literacy skills for all learners, from developing readers to those who benefit from targeted intervention.

How It Works

The Primary Phonemic Awareness Curriculum provides teachers with a simple, structured routine for daily instruction. Each lesson builds essential phonemic awareness skills through short, explicit practice that supports every reader.

Here’s how educators use it in the classroom:

1. Prepare: Review the day’s phonemic awareness lesson plan, which outlines the skill focus and includes step-by-step teacher prompts.
2. Teach: Lead an 8–12-minute whole-group lesson that engages students in blending, segmenting, adding, and deleting sounds.
3. Model: Demonstrate each activity using clear examples and guided repetition to support accuracy and participation.
4. Practice: Encourage students to respond chorally or individually to reinforce their auditory and verbal skills.
5. Assess: Use built-in assessment tools to track progress and identify students who need additional decoding support.
6. Intervene: Adapt lessons for small groups or intervention to provide focused, early literacy instruction.
7. Reinforce: Connect phonemic awareness to classroom reading and spelling activities to strengthen the transfer and application of skills.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Primary Curriculum

Who is the Primary Phonemic Awareness Curriculum designed for?
This curriculum is intended for first- and second-grade classrooms and can also be used for small-group intervention with students in Grades 2 and above who need additional decoding support.

How long does each lesson take to teach?
Each daily lesson lasts approximately 8–12 minutes and follows a consistent routine that supports explicit and systematic instruction.

Can I use this curriculum in conjunction with my existing reading program?
Yes. The Primary Curriculum supplements any core reading or phonics program and reinforces the foundational skills that help students develop reading fluency.

Does it align with the Science of Reading?
Yes. All Heggerty curricula are grounded in the Science of Reading and provide explicit, evidence-based phonemic awareness instruction.

Are digital resources included?
While this manual is print-based, teachers can access additional digital assessment tools and instructional support through myHeggerty.