Milestone map
Milestone map
3 milestones
Learn letter sounds and blend simple words
2–3 weeks (15 min/day)
Know the sound each letter of the alphabet makes (including short vowels) and blend consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words aloud — cat, sit, hop, big, fun. A parent or teacher reads a list of 20 CVC words one at a time and listens to the student decode each word by saying the sounds and blending them together.
Proof required
Submit a video or voice recording of the student reading 20 simple CVC words aloud — sounding out each letter and blending — with a parent or teacher note confirming which words were read correctly.
What gets checked
- At least 16 of 20 CVC words decoded correctly using letter-sound blending
- Student sounds out unfamiliar words rather than guessing from context
- Both consonants and all five short vowels (a, e, i, o, u) are represented in the 20 words
Common mistakes
- Memorizing words as whole shapes rather than decoding by sound — test with made-up words (fep, zot, bim) to check if the student is truly decoding or just recognizing familiar words
- Skipping the sounding-out step and guessing from the first letter — 'bat' becomes 'ball' — slow down and require each sound to be said
Powstik Guide
A recording of 20 CVC words sounded out.
Steps
- Practise one letter sound a day.
- Blend three sounds into a word.
- Pick 20 CVC words on cards.
- Record the child reading each one.
Template
| Word | Sounded out | Blended correctly | |------|-------------|-------------------|
What gets sent back
- Fewer than 20 words.
- Words read from memory, not sounded out.
- No recording.
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
What a verifier looks for
- Test with nonsense words (fep, zot, mib) in addition to real CVC words — if the student can decode nonsense words, they're using phonics correctly
- Listen for sounding out, not guessing — 'b...a...t = bat' is correct; 'b...ball!' is guessing
- 16 of 20 correct is the pass bar; below that, identify which vowel sounds are causing errors
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Read simple sentences and short books
1–2 weeks (daily read-aloud, 10–15 min)
Read simple sentences aloud with accuracy and basic fluency — not just individual words, but connected text. A parent or teacher listens to the student read a Level A or B early reader (20–30 pages with 1–2 sentences per page) and confirms the student reads it with 90%+ accuracy, self-correcting when a word doesn't make sense.
Proof required
Submit a video or audio recording of the student reading at least 4–5 pages of a Level A/B early reader aloud, with a parent or teacher note stating the title of the book and confirming 90%+ accuracy and self-correction observed.
What gets checked
- 90%+ accuracy — no more than 1–2 errors per 20 words
- Self-correction observed at least once — student goes back to fix an error
- Reading sounds connected (not word-by-word, one-at-a-time) by the end of the book
Common mistakes
- Reading only familiar memorized books — choose a new book the student hasn't heard before to test true decoding
- Allowing skipping or substituting words without correction — this builds bad habits; pause and ask 'does that make sense? what sound does that letter make?'
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
What a verifier looks for
- Choose a book the student hasn't read before — familiar books can be memorized without decoding
- Count errors per page: 1–2 errors per page is acceptable; 3+ per page indicates the book is too hard or more phonics practice is needed
- Look for self-correction — it shows the student is monitoring comprehension as they read
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Read aloud to teacher or parent with 90% accuracy
3–5 days (consolidation read)
Read a complete Level B or C early reader aloud with 90%+ accuracy and demonstrate comprehension by answering 3 questions about what happened, who the story is about, and what they liked or found surprising. A parent or teacher administers the reading and questions and confirms the score.
Proof required
Submit a video or audio recording of the student reading a complete early reader (or at least 8–10 pages if the book is long), and a parent or teacher note confirming the title, the accuracy rate (90%+), and the answers to 3 comprehension questions.
What gets checked
- 90%+ accuracy across the full reading — 1 error per 10 words or fewer
- 3 comprehension questions answered in own words (who, what happened, what did you think?)
- Book is a Level B, C, or equivalent — not so easy it doesn't test decoding
Common mistakes
- Using a Level A book the student has already read many times — the assessment should test fluency on an unfamiliar or less-familiar text
- Answering comprehension questions with one-word responses — full sentences expected (not required for very young children, but sentences are the target for Grade 1)
Powstik Guide
A recording of a whole early reader at 90% accuracy.
Steps
- Choose a Level B or C reader.
- Record the full read-aloud.
- Count errors against total words.
- Ask three questions about the story.
Template
Book: Level: Words: Errors: Accuracy: __% Q1 (what happened): Q2 (who): Q3 (why):
What gets sent back
- Accuracy under 90%.
- Book read to the child first.
- No comprehension questions.
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
What a verifier looks for
- Choose a book the student hasn't read before — the assessment tests decoding, not memorization
- Count errors: 1 error per 10 words = 90% accuracy on 100-word text means no more than 10 errors
- For comprehension: accept any answer that demonstrates understanding of the basic story (who? what? what did you think?)
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