How to Teach the Sounds of Y (a.k.a. Sneaky Y®) so kids just GET IT!
Why Wait to Teach the Sounds of Y?
There’s an elephant in your classroom.
And it’s huge.
You sweep by it every day in your classroom, several times in fact, and probably without ever even noticing. It’s most conspicuous during morning calendar time, as that’s its favorite time of day.
So now that you’ve spotted the elephant, it’s time to get rid of it!
Think of Secret Stories® as your “elephant-exterminator!” The Secrets are the logical explanations for letter sound behavior that learners’ brains crave! They are the reasons WHY letters “do what they do” when they don’t do what they should!

Giving Beginning Readers Easy Access to “High-Leverage” Phonics Skills
There is perhaps nowhere that elephant exterminator is needed more than on our morning calendar, especially when it comes to the letter Y!
It’s literally everywhere, and not once can it be found making the ONE sound that beginning grade learners are told to expect it to, which is “yuh!” as in: yellow, yes, you and yak.

Y is literally everywhere, yet not one time does it ever say, “yuh!”And the classroom calendar isn’t the only place these elephants like to roam.
It seems we have elephants running around everywhere!
Making Phonics Make Sense
When you don’t make sense, it’s time to tell a “Secret!”


Sneaky Y® Digital Pack on TpT

Sneaky Y® Secret Story digital “cheat-sheet” is included in the Superhero Vowel® cheat-sheets in Secrets of the Superhero Vowels digital pack on TPT


And now, there is a “new and improved” elephant spray in the form of a power-packed guided reader that’s all about Sneaky Y® and his sneaky shenanigans! It’s called Sneaky Y’s Secret and it explains how Sneaky Y® got to be so sneaky! (Special thanks to Susan Eklove for the adorable text and Poco & Pop for the beautiful illustrations!)
Here’s a sneak-peek!





In closing, remember this “cool dude” from the video up above?

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For information on bringing Katie to your school or district for workshops, click here. |
The teacher's comment about the Secret Stories being the "lifeblood of her classroom" really nailed it, and I couldn't agree more with everything that she said! The secrets really do permeate every aspect of our day, not just when reading and writing, but ALL DAY LONG, and even outside the classroom! I have heard other teachers say that they are the most tool in their classroom, but I would go a step further and say that the Secret Stories have made me the teacher that I've always wanted to be. They don't just make it easy to teach reading, they make it FUN! And not just for the kids, but for me too! I can totally relate to the teachers in those videos, as that's how I feel every day in my classroom when I'm telling the secrets to my kids!
Thanks so much for posting this, and I can't wait for more! I had also heard through the grapevine in my district that you were going to be the keynote at our state reading conference this year, so now I'm saving up to go, as I would love to meet you!!!
Even in kinder, they them so fast and start using them that there's really no reason NOT to teach them, especially since they're seeing the secrets every single day in text! Having a way to explain everything in a way that makes sense (and that kids love!) just changes everything about teaching in kindergarten. Finding out about the Secret Stories was the best thing that ever happened to me as a teacher, and I'm on my 14th year in the classroom!
Hi Katie,
Thank you!! I was at the SoMirac conference on March 29, 2017 in Hunt Valley, MD. You were an absolute inspiration for me!! I am/try to be a"singer" of songs to reinforce and cement concept attainment as well.. ( even though I can NOT carry a tune in a bucket or anything else :/ .. lol) I find your creative style is almost strikingly similar to mine.. I am not comparing what you do with what I do ..but our approach to learning seems so similar. I was awestruck by your presentation and my reading teacher could NOT WAIT for me to see you present… As a matter of fact, I am presenting some little tidbits of your material at a faculty PD next week. I want to engage and motivate my staff to check out your blogs and also try to implement some of your awesome ideas!! Thank you so much for sharing your creative spirit and inspiring me to try new and innovative ideas!! :)
Meredith