ShortOriginal decodable reading
The Windy Hill
Short I passage · Short I with blends and -ill / -in words
This controlled text gives a learner a meaningful reason to apply already taught spellings. Preview the target words before reading, then reread for smoothness and meaning.
Before reading
Preview the focus words
Read each word from left to right. Say the vowel sound, blend the word, and briefly explain any word that is new.
Keep the reading tightly matched to this spelling pattern.
Enough connected text to practise phrasing without overload.
Answer from the printed passage, not from a guess.
Read and understand
The Windy Hill
Teaching note: Read once for accuracy, then reread for smoother phrasing and meaning.
Read it twice
Finn and his twin went up a hill. A brisk wind made the thin grass spin and swish.
Finn slipped, but his twin did not let him fall. They sat still by a big flat rock and had a drink.
When the wind went down, the twins ran back with a grin.
Talk about the text
Check understanding
Ask the learner to point to the sentence that gives each answer. This keeps comprehension tied to the words on the page.
- Who went up the hill?
- What made the grass move?
- What did the twins do when Finn slipped?
Read, spell, transfer
Five-minute word work
Find two focus words with the same ending or vowel pattern. Read them, then write them in a pair.
Choose one focus word. Change its first sound and decide whether the new word is real.
Say one sentence from the text. Let the learner write it, then compare each sound-spelling choice with the printed sentence.
Offline practice
Print this passage
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