College of Education and Human Development

Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement

Highly-aligned. Systematic. Comprehensive.

Functional Phonics+Morphology

Functional Phonics+Morphology is a K-5 comprehensive foundational skills curriculum aligned with structured literacy practices that progresses from simple to complex focusing on building students' word reading and spelling skills over time, gradually introducing more complex spelling-sound correspondences and morphological concepts. 

Functional Phonics+Morphology

  • Provides explicit, systematic, and sequential teaching of foundational phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, and morphology at multiple levels. 
  • Has a flexible scope and sequence of evidence-based instructional practices built in a progression from simple to complex. 
  • Students will grow their meaning-making, word reading, and spelling skills through daily instruction and practice.

    Products

    • Digital lesson slides
    • Teacher manuals (available in print and PDF format)
    • Student workbooks (available in print and PDF format)
    • Formative assessments and digital data tracker
    • Classroom kits including student and classroom resources
    • Assessment manuals (available in print and PDF format)
    • Student materials (available in print and PDF format)
    • School-to-Home connections (available in English, Hmong, Russian, Somali, and Spanish)
    • Training materials including a video library of lesson components 

    To explore and purchase products for your district, visit our website

    Services

    • Robust curriculum trainings
    • Implementation support and consulting 
    • Coaching of the Coaches

    For more training and coaching options, visit our website.


    Contact our team to learn more

    Hear from our community

    Implementing Functional Phonics+Morphology has been a game-changer in foundational literacy instruction for our teachers! This research-based program provides explicit, systematic phonics instruction designed to build strong reading foundations for all students. Our teachers and students were craving a tool that provided structured, sequential phonics instruction and this program has delivered.
    Literacy coach
    Since implementing Functional Phonics+Morphology, we have seen remarkable growth in student engagement and foundational literacy skills. The structured approach has provided students with clear, consistent strategies that support their decoding, fluency, and comprehension. It has been especially beneficial for struggling readers, offering them the confidence and tools needed to succeed.
    Principal
    [This] program has helped my students become more confident and independent writers, as they are able to apply phonics rules with ease. I truly believe this program has played a pivotal role in their academic growth, and I would highly recommend it to other educators looking to strengthen their students' literacy skills.
    First grade teacher

    Frequently asked questions

      Functional Phonics+Morphology is a K-5 comprehensive foundational skills curriculum aligned with structured literacy practices that progresses from simple to complex focusing on building students' word reading and spelling skills over time, gradually introducing more complex spelling-sound correspondences and morphological concepts.

      Functional Phonics+Morphology was designed primarily as a core curriculum for Tier 1 instruction, but we also provide guidance for intensifying instruction in Tier 2 and Tier 3 settings.

      We encourage you to reach out to our team to discuss how FP+M can be adapted to meet your district’s specific needs.
       

      To access the Functional Phonics+Morphology (FP+M) curriculum, you will need to purchase either an individual license or a site license.

      • Individual License: Recommended for 15 or fewer users
      • Site License: Recommended for 16 or more users and includes access for up to 30 users, plus a district administrator license, site administrator license, and substitute teacher license

      To make a purchase, please complete our order form.

      License holders receive access to the full K-5 curriculum. This includes lesson slide decks, PDF versions of teacher manuals and student workbooks, independent and extended practice activities, Home-School Connection materials, assessments, and data trackers. Additionally, users gain access to a robust library of guidance materials, including webinars.

      District and site administrator licenses both receive full access to the Functional Phonics+Morphology platform, with the same view that a teacher would. In addition, district administrators are able to add or remove licenses from all sites within their district. Site administrators are able to add or remove licenses from their school site.

      To order print materials, please complete our order form or contact us directly at careiliteracy@umn.edu.

      A member of our team will follow up with a custom quote and information about next steps.

      For the first year of implementation, we strongly recommend an introductory training in Functional Phonics or Functional Morphology. This training helps educators:

      • Learn the purpose and structure of each lesson component
      • Develop skills in data-based decision-making and assessment
      • Practice implementation of routines and instruction
      • Ask questions and receive support from our team

      Training options include:

      • Introductory Training – Functional Phonics or Functional Morphology
      • 3-Hour Introductory Training + 3-Hour Follow-Up Session – Functional Phonics or Functional Morphology
      • Open Cohort Training – Functional Phonics or Functional Morphology (ideal for smaller districts or individual participants)

      For districts in Year 2 and beyond, we offer specialized topic-based trainings tailored to your district’s needs, as well as customized literacy support for ongoing implementation. Topic-trainings include:

      • Gradual Release of Responsibility and Explicit Instruction
      • Pacing & Maximizing Engagement
      • Checking for Student Understanding and Corrective & Affirming Feedback
      • Assessment and Data-Based Decision Making for Differentiation
      • Efficient and Effective Use of Instructional Materials and Setting Up Impactful Routines *Recommended for EOY wrap up or BOY refresher

      Please contact us at careiliteracy@umn.edu to discuss the best professional learning plan for your district.

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