How to Design a Structured Literacy Block

You know the principles of Structured Literacy. You’ve embraced explicit instruction, you understand the importance of a systematic sequence, and you’re fully on board with the science of reading. But how do you actually fit phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, small-group time, and writing into one coherent block without the day feeling like a chaotic race against the clock?

The good news is that a Structured Literacy block isn’t about squeezing in as many activities as possible; it’s about designing intentional time so that every minute of instruction is purposeful and connected.

In this guide, we’ll walk through what a well-planned block looks like in practice, from time allocation to the specific components that drive instruction. Whether you're working with a strict 90-minute literacy block or a slightly different schedule, this framework will help you differentiate for every learner in your room.

What is a Structured Literacy block?

Fundamentally, a Structured Literacy block is a dedicated, uninterrupted period of reading instruction. While school schedules vary, the National Reading Panel and science of reading research emphasize that a 90-minute block is the sweet spot for meaningful progress, as it provides enough time to address word recognition and language comprehension—the two critical sides of the Simple View of Reading.

It's helpful to think of this 90-minute window not just as a time slot on your calendar, but as a well-designed instructional architecture. This architecture specifies which components are taught to the whole group versus addressed in small groups, and how independent practice reinforces what you’ve explicitly taught. Without this intentional design, it’s easy for the entire literacy block to slip away, leaving students without the systematic instruction they need to become skilled readers.

The 3 components of a well-designed literacy block

While the exact timing can vary based on your grade level or school requirements, the backbone of an effective literacy block schedule generally consists of three parts:

1. Whole-group word recognition instruction: Systematic, explicit phonics and phonemic awareness for the entire class

2. Small-group differentiated instruction and independent practice: Targeted skill work based on assessment data, implemented while other students work independently

3. Whole-group language comprehension: Read-alouds, vocabulary building, and oral language development for the whole class

If we only focus on phonics, we are missing half the equation. A vital rule of thumb is that word recognition and language comprehension must appear in every literacy block. They cannot be alternated by day, as the Simple View of Reading teaches us that skilled reading is the product of both.

How to structure a 90-minute literacy block

Here is a breakdown of how to allocate your time effectively in a Structured Literacy block schedule.

Part 1: Whole-group word recognition (~20 minutes)

This segment is designed for every student in your room. By modeling and practicing together during this time, you ensure every child gets exposure to the systematic sequence, irrespective of their current skill level.

In practice, the pace of a Structured Literacy lesson in this segment is brisk and focused. You might start with a brief cumulative review of a previously learned phonics pattern, keeping in mind that review builds mastery over time and is not optional in Structured Literacy. Then, move into sound manipulation (phonemic awareness), blending and segmenting practice, or the introduction of a new grapheme-phoneme correspondence. Ensure you include dictation, as reinforcing encoding (spelling) alongside decoding (reading) is a powerful way to solidify learning.

Part 2: Small-group instruction and independent practice (~50 minutes)

This is the epicenter of your block, the longest and most differentiated portion of the day. While you meet with two to three small groups in 15–20 minute rotations, the rest of the class engages in independent practice.

Use your universal screening and progress-monitoring data to form groups based on specific needs such as gaps in phonics patterns, fluency, or a specific comprehension skill. This is where you provide more targeted interventions and direct scaffolding for students who are at risk. The key here is that your small groups are flexible and data-informed. 

Meanwhile, independent practice must be a purposeful review of content you have already explicitly taught; it shouldn’t be considered filler or left to free choice. Exercises might include word sorts, reading decodable texts, or phonics games.

This is also where a tool like Lexia® Core5® Reading becomes an invaluable partner. While you engage in a lesson with one group, Core5 provides the rest of your students with explicit, systematic practice at their individual skill levels. It ensures their independent time is active and aligned with the same science of reading principles you are using at the teacher table.

Part 3: Whole-group language comprehension (~20 minutes)

This is where you bring the class back together to focus on the second pillar of reading: language comprehension. Students build the knowledge to understand increasingly complex texts during this time.

This segment often centers on a read-aloud of a complex, knowledge-rich text. As the teacher, you are modeling how a skilled reader thinks by predicting, questioning, and synthesizing information. Be sure to pre-teach vocabulary before you begin, and use discussion routines during and after reading. It’s important to remember that you are teaching comprehension here and not just assessing it. This time is especially critical for multilingual learners and students with limited background knowledge who need robust oral language exposure to access grade-level content.

Fitting writing into your Structured Literacy block

One common question is: "Where does writing go?" The answer is that writing isn't a separate, isolated block; it is woven across all three segments of the Structured Literacy block. In Part 1, dictation practice integrates spelling directly with your phonics instruction. Independent practice in Part 2 should include sentence-level and word-level writing tasks. Finally, in Part 3, following a read-aloud, a 10–15-minute focused writing opportunity reinforces the vocabulary and background knowledge students just learned.

Including handwriting and spelling instruction within the literacy block rather than a separate writing workshop drives home the concept that encoding and decoding are two sides of the same coin. Moreover, when students practice writing the patterns they read, they develop much stronger orthographic memory. 

How Core5 and LETRS support every part of the block

Lexia’s programs are designed as instructional tools built on the same explicit, systematic, and cumulative principles you use in your classroom every day.

• Core5 provides an Adaptive Blended Learning model grounded in the science of reading that is particularly effective during the independent practice portion of your block. It ensures student engagement in individualized, skills-based practice that helps you adjust your small groups in real time based on the data it provides. 

• Lexia® LETRS® (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) is the professional learning framework that gives you the "why" behind the "what." It equips you with a deep understanding of language structure, empowering you to deliver explicit phonics instruction in Part 1, form groups in Part 2, and design robust comprehension lessons in Part 3 of your Structured Literacy block.

Design your block. Protect your block.

The most important step in this whole process is to design your Structured Literacy block intentionally and protect it fiercely. This time is a non-negotiable part of the school day. Establish strong routines for transitions so that moving between whole-group and small-group time becomes second nature for your students.

Don’t worry about being perfect on day one—a high-quality Structured Literacy block is something you refine over time as you get to know your students' needs through data. The goal is to have the architecture in place so that every minute is working toward systematic, cumulative growth for every student in your room.

Explore how Core5 and LETRS can help you build a strong Structured Literacy foundation in your school, or contact us to learn more about how Lexia® supports every student.