How to Make UFLI Lessons More Engaging (With Help from The Teach-to-Read Blueprint)

Let’s be honest: UFLI is solid. It’s systematic, research-backed, and packed with great content.

But… sometimes it's a little hard to keep our students engaged.

If you’re a tutor or teacher using UFLI every day, you might’ve found yourself thinking:

“My students are learning, but they’re not exactly excited about it.”

“I wish I had time to create fun add-ons, but I’m already stretched thin.”

“Piecing together materials that align with UFLI on TPT is time-consuming, plus, it's starting to add up!”

If that’s you, you’re not alone.

I created The Teach-to-Read Blueprint (TTRB) with teachers and tutors like you in mind. I wanted you to have a flexible, plug-and-play curriculum that is built to bring the FUN back into structured literacy.  It's an entirely original curriculum that was created to follow the structured literacy methodology and created to align with much of the UFLI scope and sequence. TTRB can be used as a stand-alone structured literacy curriculum for tutors and specialists, but it also makes for a great way to "boost" any curricula you already use.

Let’s dive into how you can boost UFLI engagement today using simple strategies and tools (and how TTRB can make it easy as a great supplement to the popular curriculum, especially if you are using UFLI as an online tutor).

1. Add Playful Practice with Games Created to Align With UFLI

Word work and blending routines can become repetitive fast, even if they’re essential.

Here’s how I break it up:

• Game-style decoding practice using interactive tools or printable gameboards

  
  

• TTRB's famous "Claim the Castle" game, a super fun variation on the classic Roll-and-Read (👉Get a sample!)

  
  

• Interactive reading passages that mirror UFLI lesson focus

💡 Inside The Teach-to-Read Blueprint, each unit includes skill-matched games that take zero prep and instantly boost engagement—online or in person.

“I used to dread word work. Now my students beg to play another round.” — TTRB user

UFLI’s own Game Generator can be a helpful starting point, especially for quick Word Work practice. But if you're looking for something more interactive and visually engaging—without needing to create or prep materials yourself—I’ve built a full library of ready-to-use games inside The Teach-to-Read Blueprint. Each game is designed to align with many of the skills presented in the UFLI sequence, so you can boost engagement without going off track.

2. Make It Multisensory Without the Mess

Multisensory learning is a core part of structured literacy—but not every classroom has a sand tray or letter tiles on hand.

Try this instead:

• Use LCD writing tablets for instant finger-tracing and spelling

  
  

• Let students “tap and map” with finger prompts on-screen or on whiteboards

  
  

• Incorporate digital manipulatives during the word work portion

💡 TTRB includes ready-to-go whiteboard word-work instruction, pop-ups for decoding practice, and click-and-drag games that you could use to make UFLI units even more fun. No extra tools or prep needed. Read more about getting creative when teaching with UFLI: Tips For Teachers and Tutors)

3. Follow the Sequence, But Reinforce the Skills — With Fun!

UFLI lessons are intentionally designed to help kids learn systematically, but that doesn’t mean we can't inject a little extra fun into the routine!

Here’s how I keep structured literacy instruction engaging:

• Swap out worksheets for digital task cards or mini-games, like those on Wordwall

  
  

• Keep the pacing tight with predictable lesson structures

  
  

• Let students lead by having them generate example words, tap out sounds, or “teach” you the steps

💡 TTRB follows a similar unit progression as UFLI, so you can sub in an interactive activity or alternate decodable without breaking alignment. (Teaching online? Check out 5 Top Tips For Online Tutors Using UFLI

4. Use Decodable Texts That Students Actually Want to Read

UFLI decodables are super useful, but sometimes lack engagement, humor, or relatability, especially for older students.

That’s where TTRB shines:

One of the interactive games included in The Teach-to-Read Blueprint — perfect for fun and easy supplementation to your UFLI routine.

• Interactive decodable texts with clickable elements

  
  

• Age-appropriate narratives (no baby talk)

  
  

• Printable passages for younger and older readers with beautiful, full-color illustrations

  
  

💡 Every TTRB unit includes original decodable texts designed to align with most of UFLI’s target skills, but with modern formatting and built-in engagement. (Read more about stories to supplement UFLI instruction here: Decodable Texts to Use With UFLI — Or Any Reading Program)

5. Reduce Your Prep Load (So You Can Focus on Teaching)

Let’s face it. Being creative takes time. And when you’re tutoring or teaching full-time, you don’t have hours to design custom games or reformat phonics cards.

Instead of starting from scratch every week, imagine this:

You open a TTRB lesson—

Everything is there: scripted lesson slides, games, decodables, and even a progress-tracker for your students!

You teach, and your students are smiling.

That’s what I built The Teach-to-Read Blueprint to be.

“It feels like I finally have a way to make UFLI extra fun. But without scrambling before every lesson.” — Literacy Specialist

Final Thoughts: UFLI + TTRB = Structure + Joy

You don’t have to choose between structure and fun.

You can keep the strong foundation UFLI offers—and layer on engaging, interactive tools that make teaching (and learning) joyful!

If you’re a UFLI-using tutor, teacher, or specialist looking to reduce your prep and boost student motivation…

👉 Click here to explore The Teach-to-Read Blueprint

Reclaim your time, and watch your students shine! (Like some of my favorite superstars with dyslexia, Keanu Reeves and Robin Williams!)

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🔍 Want to help your own student thrive with a dyslexia-friendly approach? I’ve built a curriculum designed to make decoding easier, lessons more engaging, and instruction fully online. 👉 Teach-To-Read Blueprint

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About the author: 

I’m a dyslexia specialist and creator of The Teach-to-Read Blueprint, a plug-and-play structured literacy curriculum for tutors and teachers. I help educators make research-backed reading lessons effective and engaging—online or in person.

Read next:

👉 My Favorite Word-Work Games For UFLI-Users — Check out my top recs for fun word-work games!