Bonus Letter Blitz

Verbatim Teacher Think-Aloud:

"My turn. Watch me tap and spell puff.
1. Tap with me: thumb to index /p/, thumb to middle /ŭ/, thumb to ring /f/. Three sounds.
2. Check 3 rule keys: One syllable? Yes. Short vowel? Yes, /ŭ/. Ends in /f/? Yes!
3. Because it ends in f right after short vowel, it gets a bonus letter: p - u - f - f.
4. In Fundations, we mark bonus letters with a star ⭐ right above the second letter."

Rule Check: "How many sounds in puff? 3! How many letters? 4!" Marking Standard: Star ⭐ ONLY the bonus twin letter.

Fundations Level 1 Unit 4 • Anita Archer Explicit Protocol Page 1 of 2 • Turn for Dictation & Feedback

Instructional Routines & Intervention Scripts Page 2 of 2

Guided Practice, Dictation Protocol & Corrective Feedback

3 Phase 3: Guided Practice ("We Do" - 6 Minutes) Tapping & Choral Analysis

Archer Cueing Routine: "Elbows up, fingers ready to tap. Word is bell. Tap it!"

Together: /b/ (thumb-index), /ĕ/ (thumb-middle), /l/ (thumb-ring).

Teacher: "Vowel sound?" → Students: "/ĕ/, short e!"

Teacher: "Does it need a bonus letter?" → Students: "Yes! Double l!"

Teacher: "Spell and mark in the air!" → Students: "b - e - l - l - star!"

Repeat briskly for: miss (/m/ /ĭ/ /s/ → double s), buzz (/b/ /ŭ/ /z/ → double z), cliff (/k/ /l/ /ĭ/ /f/ → double f).

4 Phase 4: Structured Dictation Routine ("You Do" - 6 Minutes) Workout Worksheet

Follow Anita Archer's Think → Tap → Write → Star → Check cycle on the Student Workout Sheet:

1. Sound Dictation

1. /f/ (f)
2. /l/ (l)
3. /s/ (s)
4. /z/ (z)

2. Word Dictation

1. puff (p-u-f-f*)
2. yell (y-e-l-l*)
3. grass (g-r-a-s-s*)
4. fizz (f-i-z-z*)

3. Nonsense Words

1. toff (t-o-f-f*)
2. doss (d-o-s-s*)
Tests pure rule application.

Sentence Dictation Script: "The pup will run up the hill."
Teacher says sentence → Students echo → Count words on fingers (7 words) → Write → Star bonus letters in will and hill → Check capital 'T' and period.

Immediate Archer Corrective Feedback Routines

Error: Single letter (e.g., *bel* or *puf*)

1. Stop immediately: "Hold your pencils."
2. Check key: "Vowel sound in bell? /ĕ/."
3. State rule: "Short vowel before /l/ needs bonus letter l!"
4. Retest: "Fix it and star your twin."

Error: Stars base letter instead of twin

1. Model: "First letter is base sound. Second is bonus twin."
2. Prompt: "Where does the star go? Over the twin at the end."
3. Verify: Have student erase and reposition star ⭐.

Intervention Differentiation & Accommodations

For Struggling Writers (Tier 3):

Use pre-segmented 4-box Elkonin sound frames. Place a yellow star sticker directly above the 4th box so students receive a visual anchor to double the ending consonant.

For Rapid Finishers (Extension):

Introduce consonant blends with bonus endings: cliff, thrill, smell, press, cross. Ask students to underline the blend and star the bonus letter.

Fundations Level 1 Unit 4 • Anita Archer Explicit Protocol Page 2 of 2 • Teacher Implementation Guide