Saxon Reading Foundations, previously titled Saxon Phonics and Spelling, has undergone a thoughtful transformation to continue supporting today’s classroom and reflect the latest research in how students learn to read. With revised materials and a refreshed name and logo, the program now offers a more cohesive and accessible experience for both teachers and students.
Built to teach key foundational reading skills, Saxon Reading Foundations is grounded in the research behind the Science of Reading and cognitive science. The latest updates are designed to make instruction more efficient, more engaging, and more aligned with how children acquire early literacy skills.
Digital Experience with Heinemann Flight
Saxon Reading Foundations is now fully integrated into Heinemann Flight, a digital platform designed to support teachers with flexible, personalized instruction. Flight combines the best of technology, content, and pedagogy, giving educators access to a rich library of instructional resources, modeling videos, and support tools all in one place. This blended experience allows teachers to easily transition between print and digital materials, enhancing lesson delivery and student engagement.
When teachers launch Saxon Reading Foundations on Flight, they’ll find key instructional materials organized for easy access and reference, including newly added resources such as Revised Phonological Awareness Activities and Phonics Assessments. By streamlining access to core and supplemental materials, Heinemann Flight empowers educators to deliver dynamic, research-based instruction with confidence.
Research-Backed Instructional Updates
Recent science of reading-aligned instructional updates to the program’s instructional design, especially in Kindergarten and Grade 2, reflect a deeper commitment to helping students build foundational literacy skills in a way that’s both efficient and developmentally appropriate.
Redesigning Kindergarten Scope and Sequence
One of the most impactful changes is the revision to the Kindergarten Scope and Sequence. Instead of introducing one letter per week, the program now introduces one letter per day, accelerating the pace at which students engage with phonics concepts. This shift allows for earlier and more frequent practice, helping students internalize letter-sound relationships more effectively.
To support this faster pace, Saxon Reading Foundations has introduced Review Lessons, a new lesson type that ensures students continue to receive the repetition and reinforcement needed to master each concept. With this change, the total number of kindergarten lessons has been reduced from 140 to 120, and the weekly lesson count has shifted from five to four. Additionally, the number of Kindergarten assessments has been streamlined from 26 to 11, and are now embedded directly into student workbooks at the beginning, middle, and end of the year.
Phonological/Phonemic Awareness Integration
Phonological and phonemic awareness instruction has also been strengthened. Updates to the Scope and Sequence and instructional routines, originally released as a standalone resource, are now fully integrated into all Kindergarten lessons and the first 70 Grade 1 lessons. This ensures that students receive consistent, embedded instruction in these foundational skills from the very start.
To support this instruction, the Phonological Awareness Picture Deck, previously available only online, is now included as a printed component in the Kindergarten materials, making it easier for teachers to use during lessons.
Decodable Practice Expansions
Decodable practice is a cornerstone of Saxon Reading Foundations, and recent updates have made it even more accessible and impactful across K-2. In Kindergarten, worksheets now include decodable words at point of use, giving students immediate opportunities to practice decoding during instruction. In Grades 1 and 2, new decodables passages, available digitally on Heinemann Flight, use controlled text aligned with taught phonics patterns and sight words, ensuring students only encounter content they’ve been explicitly taught.
However, decoding is only half the story. Saxon Reading Foundations now emphasizes encoding, or spelling, which is the process of putting sounds back into written form. Research shows that decoding and encoding are two sides of the same coin—improvements in one lead to improvement in the other. By practicing both together, students reinforce the connection between sounds and letters, strengthening their ability to read and spell with accuracy and confidence.
Morphology Extension Lessons
In Grade 2, Saxon Reading Foundations introduces Morphology Extension Lessons that help students understand how word parts, such as prefixes and suffixes, change the meaning of words. These lessons support vocabulary development and strengthen decoding and encoding skills.
The Morphology Extensions build on the affix instruction already present in Grade 2 lessons. Each of the nineteen extensions includes student practice sheets focused on decodable words aligned with the core lessons. While the lessons remain online, they are now referenced directly in the Grade 2 materials, making it easier for teachers to integrate them into instruction and bridge the gap between phonics and vocabulary.
Continuing the Commitment to Early Literacy
With its latest updates, Saxon Reading Foundations offers a more streamlined, research-aligned approach to teaching early literacy. From a reimagined Kindergarten Scope and Sequence to Morphology Extension Lessons, every enhancement is designed to support how students best learn to read and offer teachers the tools they need to deliver effective instruction.
With refreshed materials, a new name and logo, and a clear instructional vision, Saxon Reading Foundations continues to evolve, empowering educators and helping students build the skills they need to become confident, successful readers.
Request a sample and discover how Saxon Reading Foundations can help your students build a strong foundation in reading.
