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Fundations® Teacher Spotlight: A Multimodal Approach to Comprehensive Phonics Instruction

Two, four, six, eight. Who do we appreciate? Our amazingly dedicated Fundations® teachers like Mary Jarrell! Mary is a first-grade teacher and the K-2 Fundations lead at Warfield Elementary School in Indiantown, Florida. We connected with Mary to find out about her experience implementing Fundations in her district. Thank you, Mary, for sharing your journey with us!

What challenges was your school trying to address prior to implementing Fundations?

We needed a more comprehensive phonics program than our reading curriculum provided. Our school is a Title I school with a very high Spanish population. Fourteen of the 17 students in my classroom this year speak Spanish as their home language and six of my students are Tier 2 or Tier 3 in academics. Having Fundations at our school now is so vital to fill gaps in their phonics, phonemic awareness, spelling, handwriting, and reading skills.

What factors led your team to choose Wilson Language Training® and Fundations?

Wilson makes it easy for both teachers and students to engage with the material. Every component of Fundations serves a purpose—it incorporates vocabulary, word recognition, handwriting, and other critical aspects of reading that our students need. 

How has Fundations helped address challenges? 

The program’s direct and explicit nature ensures all students can interact with and grasp the concepts. The data we collect through Fundations are invaluable—they guide our instruction and ensure we’re meeting each student’s needs. 

What steps did your school take to implement Fundations effectively?

Our county initially adopted Fundations in 2017, but we did a reboot of our implementation this year to make sure it was being taught with fidelity. Every K-2 teacher at our school was given support to properly set up their classroom and provided all the necessary supplies they would need to start the program.

How has Wilson supported your team throughout this journey?

Wilson Literacy Advisor Jenn D’Aoust recently visited our school for Fundations walk-throughs with our administrative team, which provided valuable insights and next steps.

During the walk-throughs, we observed all K-2 teachers delivering their Fundations lessons, looking specifically at implementation and student engagement to highlight the outstanding work our teachers and students are doing. This allowed us to identify both areas of success and opportunities for growth.

One major next step, which we’ve already started implementing, is dedicating team planning time to review and discuss Fundations data. Setting aside this specific time has been incredibly beneficial for our team and has enhanced our focus on supporting student progress.

What resources have been most helpful to you as an educator?

The Fundations Learning Community resources in Wilson Academy are my go-to. It’s a treasure trove of outstanding materials that I use regularly. The Targeted Instruction Resources have been very helpful when planning my intervention lessons—I love the intervention lesson plan!

How do you know Fundations works? 

Even as a state-status school with a high ELL population, we see our students fully engaged and performing well in Fundations. It’s their favorite time of the day! 

What sets Fundations apart from other literacy programs?

Fundations can be used for whole-group Tier 1 instruction as well as Tier 2 small-group interventions, making it incredibly versatile. 

What do you find most effective about Fundations for improving literacy skills?

The program allows students to master skills through repeated, varied practice. Its multimodal approach—writing, building, sky writing, and more—meets the diverse needs of my students. 

How does Fundations cater to diverse learning styles? 

Every lesson incorporates multiple modalities, ensuring all students—whether visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learners—are engaged.

What changes have you noticed in student engagement or performance since implementing Fundations?

Our walk-through data show an 80 percent increase in student engagement since the start of the year. Fundations consistently ranks as the most engaging subject during administrative observations.

What are your students’ favorite parts of Fundations?

The students love to learn new sounds and use them in their writing or reading. The “games” in FUN HUB Practice are another student favorite—they love the extra practice!

How are you using the Fundations Readers in your classroom?

I feel so lucky to have a full set of Fundations Readers Level 1—they’ve become my go-to resource for small groups. I love that each book allows me to address multiple skills—including vocabulary, decoding, comprehension, and fluency—all in one lesson. It’s so easy to use them across different levels of mastery within the class, making planning much simpler. 

The best part is the flexibility they offer. I can send students off to read them independently or add them to their book boxes, confident that they have the skills to successfully read and enjoy the books. They are such a fantastic tool for helping students transfer the Fundations skills they’ve learned into their reading practice!

Can you share a memorable success story or student aha moment?

One of my favorite moments was seeing students use their decoding skills during their FAST state test. I also love when a student excitedly says, “Mrs. Jarrell, I found a glued sound in my book!” 

What do you appreciate most about Fundations as an educator? 

The abundance of resources and scaffolded activities for students who need extra practice, especially our ELL learners, makes a huge difference.

How has Fundations made you a more effective educator? 

It ensures I’m teaching all components of Structured Literacy. With Fundations, Geodes, and Fundations Readers in my classroom, I have all the tools my students need to succeed. 

Fostering confident, independent readers and writers, together.

Schedule a meeting today to discover how Wilson Language Training can be your partner in success.