In this reading exercise, students read many words containing <ai> or <ay> (e.g. “wait” and “way”). For efficiency and engagement, we find it best to work on extended code targets like <ai> and <ai> while also working on reading fluency (accuracy, speed and expression) with sentences and short passages.

This reading workout is about a young man named Jay who likes to daydream. While exploring his bay, cheering on a racing snail, saving a stray donkey, fishing with bait, and trying to avoid his dreaded Cor Anglais music lesson, he dreams of Spain and Norway, of Viking raids, of dragon slaying and of leading the search for the Holy Grail. With not a hint of Netflix or Minecraft, Jay lets his imagination run wild while exploring the world around him.

This no-prep exercise can be used for:

• decoding practice; or
• word or sentence level written dictation (encoding) practice.