Steps

Face-to-Face Procedures

Online Practice

• Counting and specifying speech sounds in words.
• Differentiating vowel and consonant sounds.
• Associating English consonant sounds and their letter symbols.
• Associating the fifteen English vowel sounds with their letter symbols in six syllable-types.

Isolator Procedure–

• Make sure the client can see your face.
• Show a picture of a word from the client's current Word Bank. Pronounce the word.
• Then, holding up your left hand closed into a fist,  begin with your thumb, raise one digit for each speech sound in the word. (Note that from your vantage point the sounds are sequenced backwards, from right-to-left, but from the client's vantage they are sequenced from left-to-right.) Ask the client to follow along with you using their right hand.
• Say the word again. Ask the client to isolate one of the phonemes in the the word by pointing to the digit on their right  hand  that corresponds with the order of that phoneme. ("Where is the /_/?")
•  Say a different one syllable word from the Word Bank. Ask the client to use his/her right-hand and, beginning with the thumb, raise one digit for each speech sound. 
• Note there are no letters displayed in this introductory routine. This is purely a phonemic task (not phonics).  All sound - letter correspondences are introduced using this procedure ( beginning with speech to print).
• When all the major phoneme - grapheme correspondences and all syllable types have been introduced the Isolator procedure is not as much a focus of therapy  and is used more for error correction.

Explain the Level’s target element(s) using the clinician coaching in the grey section at the bottom of each page.

The Lexercise Letter-Sound Deck displays graphemes one at a time. Ask the client to pronounce the speech sound associated with each  grapheme. Memory cues follow each grapheme in case they are needed.

• MatchStar: Sounds
• MatchStar: Letters
• MatchStar: Sounds to Letters

• Isolator

Steps

Face-to-Face Procedures

Online Practice

• Reading and spelling one syllable, phonetically regular words.
• Reading and spelling phonetically regular, compound words.
• Reading and spelling multi-syllable, phonetically regular words with one or more unstressed syllable(s) and reduced vowel sounds.
• Reading and spelling "sight" words.

Flash Word Procedure – Ask the client to read the Level’s words.

1. Each word is presented on a grid. Usually the grid contains 9 words (3x3). The goal is to read each word right on the first try within 2 seconds.
2. The client's personal Word Bank words can be sent to the Parent Portal from which word cards can be printed for practice at school or home.

White Board Spelling Procedure (Materials: a white board with guide lines and dry erase markers.) – Ask the client to spell words from the Level's words.

1. Count the speech sounds & make a sound line for each speech sound (phonemes)

2. Fill in lines with the right graphemes to spell the word.

For "sight" words (as especially phonetically irregular "sight" words)

Do not count sounds or use sound lines. Rather, using Dictionary.com and Etymonline, explain how the word came to be spelled as it is. Point out the part of the word that has the unexpected spelling and use symbol imagery and/or memory cues to help the client remember it.

• MatchStar: Sounds
• MatchStar: Letters
• MatchStar: Sounds to Letters

• Descriptor (requires rapid word reading)

Steps

Face-to-Face Procedures

Online Practice

• Reading and spelling words with (eight) inflectional suffixes and derivational suffixes; applying spelling patterns for doubling and dropping letters.
• Matching inflectional and derivational suffixes with their meanings.
• Applying spelling patterns for doubling and dropping letters when adding suffixes.
• Reading and spelling words with prefixes.

Word Inquiry Procedure 

Use a Word Inquiry Matrix and the word sums procedure to isolate the word's base element(s) and any affixes (suffixes and prefixes).  Ask the client to say what each affix means.  Use Dictionary.com as a resource.

Use suffixing Patterns Flow Chart (attached to the article at the link above) to practice suffix spelling. 

• MatchStar: Suffixes
• Teach use of Mini Matrix Maker so the client can  investigate words' structure & meaning

Steps

Face-to-Face Procedures

Online Practice

• Matching (base) words with their meaning.
• Categorizing (base) words.
• Matching (base) words with their essential attributes.

Descriptor Procedure – Write a word from this Level’s Word Bank in column 1 of the chart below. Guide the client with questions so the client verbally provides the details to complete columns 2 and 3 and the word’s unique definition.

 Word Inquiry Procedure 

Select an affixed word at this Level and, working with the client, create a word matrix (as described by RealSpelling & WordWorksKingston). Focus on the meaning of the base element and how the affixes modify it.

Note:

• Descriptor

Steps

Face-to-Face Procedures

Online Practice

• Formulating a base sentence with a subject and a predicate.
• Expanding the predicate of a sentence.
• Expanding the subject of a sentence.
• Categorizing a string of words as a sentence or a phrase.

Ask the client  to read sentences and from their current Lexercise Level; The goal is >95% word reading accuracy, fluent phrasing and appropriate inflection. Use repeated reading to improve accuracy. Practice phrase chunking to improve fluency and expression.

Using a controlled sentence from this Level ask the client to identify (e.g., circle) all the instances of a specific part of speech.  (e.g., Circle all the nouns.)

Note: See "The Parts of Speech: How to Teach Them Explicitly and Systematically" 

Steps

Face-to-Face Procedures

Online Practice

• Selecting the appropriate word to fill in a blank in text.
• Reading passages accurately and fluently.

Reading Selections - Select a passage that you think the client can read with at least 90% word reading accuracy. Facilitate accuracy by:

1. reading the passage aloud to the client first and then asking the client to re-read it aloud;
2. buddy reading with the client, taking turns reading sentences, paragraphs or pages;
3. target and pre-teach /coach any words you expect to be difficult for the client to read ;
4.  provide opportunities for repeated readings

Note: Here are some sources for online reading passages and books:

• Bob Books and the Bob Books app
• Time for Kids
• ReadWorks

Use an online source of reading selection (e.g., ReadWorks) for reading practice.

Steps

Face-to-Face Procedures

Online Practice

• Writing sentences to dictation with correctly printed letters, correctly spelled words and correct capitalization and punctuation.

Sentence Dictation Procedure – Select a "controlled" sentence from the client's current Lexercise Level. (A controlled sentence contains only orthographic structures that have been introduced and practiced.)  Read the sentence and ask the client to write it, spelling the words accurately and using accurate sentence conventions. (See scoring form for Dictated Sentences.) Review with the client the points that will be awarded for accuracy, including the 5 point bonus for a sentence with no errors.

The goal is letter formation accuracy and fluency (>20 acceptable letters in 30 sec.). If handwriting is a barrier to spelling and sentence writing consider using the Chancery Script Curriculum.