Decode Detectives Teacher Guide
Tier 2 Intervention • 3-Student Small Group
Decode Detectives Lesson Guide
35-Minute Protocol
Fluency + Heart Words + b/d
UFLI Heart Words
said (ai = /e/), they (ey = /ā/), from (o = /ŭ/), what (a = /ŭ/)
b vs. d Multisensory
"bed" anchor: b (bat/belly first), d (donut/doorknob first) + mouth shape cues.
Fluency Objective
Phrase scooping & repeated reading of target decodable text with expression and 95%+ accuracy.
1
Multisensory b / d Discrimination Drill
6 Mins
Teacher Script: "Make your 'bed' with your two fists in front of you. Left hand makes b (bat and ball), right hand makes d (donut and door). Look: they spell b-e-d! Now feel your mouth: when we say /b/, our lips press flat like a line (bat first). When we say /d/, our tongue taps the roof of our mouth like a round donut."
Action: Rapid visual card flash (12 cards: bad, dog, bed, dip, bat, dug, dot, bug). Students make fist anchor before sounding. Prompt: "Lips or tongue first?"
2
UFLI Heart Word Orthographic Mapping
9 Mins
Routine: Tap sounds → Map graphemes → Mark the Heart Part → Spell aloud.
said
3 sounds: /s/ /e/ /d/
♥ over ai (/e/)
they
2 sounds: /th/ /ā/
♥ over ey (/ā/)
from
4 sounds: /f/ /r/ /ŭ/ /m/
♥ over o (/ŭ/)
what
3 sounds: /w/ /ŭ/ /t/
♥ over a (/ŭ/)
3
Guided Phrase Scooping & Pacing
7 Mins
Teacher Modeling: "Good readers do not read like robots: Dan... had... a... dog... We scoop words into meaningful chunks!"
Model drawing curved scoops underneath target phrases on the student sheet: [Dan had a big dog] [from the red barn] [what did they say?]. Students echo-read each scoop with natural rhythm.
4
Repeated Decodable Fluency Routine
13 Mins
Read 1: Whisper Cold
Focus: Accuracy
Students whisper read independently. Tutor taps and supports student with b/d hesitation.
Read 2: Choral / Partner
Focus: Scooped Phrasing
Tutor leads choral reading, then pairs students to alternate sentences using finger tracking.
Read 3: Hot Sprint (1 min)
Focus: Rate & Expression
1-minute timed reading per student while others track silently. Count WCPM and color star.
Pro-Tip for b/d Struggler: Keep the green dot sticker on the left thumb (b) and red on right thumb (d).
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Intervention Pacing & Student Progress Record
Live Observation Grid & Immediate Error Correction Protocol
Date: 2026-11-03
Correction: b / d Reversal Error
- Halt immediately: "Pause right there." (Do not let them guess).
- Prompt physical cue: "Check your fists! Make your 'bed'."
- Mouth check: "Look at that first letter. Does it start with a straight bat (lips closed: /b/) or a round donut (tongue up: /d/)?"
- Reread sentence: Have the student reread the entire phrase smoothly from the start.
Correction: Heart Word Hesitation
- Identify the word: "That is one of our Heart Words: said."
- Spot the regular parts: "/s/ at the beginning, /d/ at the end."
- Remind the heart part: "What is tricky? The ai says /e/! We learn that part by heart."
- Read & re-scoop: Have the student tap the word, read it aloud, and reread the whole phrase.
3-Student Session Observation Notes
Score Scale: 1 (Emerging), 2 (Developing), 3 (Automatic / Mastered)
| Student & Profile | b / d Accuracy | Heart Words (4) | Fluency WCPM | Next Steps / Notes |
|---|
| | | | |
| Student 1: _________________ | | | | |
Focus: Severe b/d reversal
|
Anchor used: Y N
Self-corrects: [ / 5 ]
|
• said: [ ] • they: [ ] • from: [ ] • what: [ ]
|
Cold: _____ wpm
Hot: _____ wpm
Target: +10 wpm
|
|
|
Student 2: _________________
Focus: Slow choppy phrasing
|
Anchor used: Y N
Self-corrects: [ / 5 ]
|
• said: [ ] • they: [ ] • from: [ ] • what: [ ]
|
Cold: _____ wpm
Hot: _____ wpm
Target: +10 wpm
|
|
|
Student 3: _________________
Focus: Heart word automaticity
|
Anchor used: Y N
Self-corrects: [ / 5 ]
|
• said: [ ] • they: [ ] • from: [ ] • what: [ ]
|
Cold: _____ wpm
Hot: _____ wpm
Target: +10 wpm
|
|
3-Minute Exit Showdown Check Tutor Dismissal Ticket
Before leaving, each student completes 3 fast flashes: 1. Show "bed" fists and state sound for b and d. 2. Rapidly read 2 randomly chosen Heart Words (said, they, from, what). 3. Read 1 scooped fluency sentence from the story smoothly with storyteller voice.
Decode Detectives • Small Group Tutoring Suite Page 2 of 2