Reignite the Spark: How to Keep UFLI Lessons Fresh, Not Boring

Let’s get real for a moment.

UFLI is powerful, research-backed, and incredibly well-structured. But if you’re delivering these lessons every day (or tutoring students who are already getting UFLI at school), you’ve probably hit that moment where it's starting to feel a little...flat.

Maybe your student’s eyes start to glaze over by the time you reach the third “Roll and Read” row. Maybe you are the one zoning out.

The good news? You don’t need to reinvent the wheel or go rogue to fix this. You just need a few tools, tweaks, and a little breathing room in your routine.

Here’s what I do when UFLI starts feeling stale.

1. Add the “Fun-Factor” — Without Changing the Skill

One of the biggest myths about UFLI is that you have to deliver it exactly as written every time. While UFLI's scripted lessons offer a clear, structured approach, it is not strictly required to deliver them exactly as written. In reality, there’s plenty of room to bring in alternate formats, as long as the skill focus remains the same.

Try these:

• A quick Claim the Castle dice game (a gamified Roll and Read alternative)

• A memory match with nonsense words and real words

• A 'Make the picture match the sentence' game that improves fluency and comprehension

All of these are part of my regular tutoring routine now, thanks to TTRB, where you’ll find interactive slide decks, decodable activities, and no-prep games that align with UFLI’s sequence, but feel completely fresh. You can even grab a free sample of Claim the Castle here to see how it works.

2. Keep the Pacing Tight (Even When You’re Tired)

Aim for a “perky pace” in every section of your lesson. Every teacher and tutor knows that the "downtime" that happens when you are transitioning to a new activity or searching for your materials = lost focus.

It’s not about rushing. It’s about rhythm:

• Keep transitions smooth

• Have teaching materials lined up and ready to go

• Make student materials easy to access by creating a "kit" for each student in a place they can easily reach

Students tend to follow your energy. When you tighten things up, engagement often rebounds instantly. Teachers and tutors know that time is a luxury we cannot afford to waste! The Teach-To-Read Blueprint keeps lessons sequenced and organized, all in one place, so you can keep things moving and keep kids engaged.

3. Let the Student Lead Sometimes

UFLI is structured, but that doesn’t mean you have to be the one doing all the prompting. Kids love to "show what they know". It's a confidence boost when they get the chance to teach the teacher, and it gives them an opportunity to recall all that important learning they've done!

Try:

• Letting them teach you a skill from the lesson

• Take turns teaching their partner one thing they've learned that week

• Giving choices (e.g., “Do you want to play Word Race or Claim the Castle today?”)

These exercises do more than just reinforce skills. They give kids a sense of ownership over their learning, keep them invested in learning more, and give them a little confidence boost!

4. Use a Supplement That Aligns (So You Don’t Have to DIY)

When UFLI starts to feel boring, many teachers end up trying to build their own games or lessons from scratch. But who has time for that?

That’s exactly why I created The Teach-to-Read Blueprint. It follows the similar skills and sequencing to UFLI, but includes:

• Interactive games

• Digital task cards

• Original decodable texts

• Built-in student engagement tools

All of it is ready to go—so you can supplement without sacrificing structure.

Final Thoughts: Keeping kids engaged during literacy blocks is key — and it doesn't have to be hard

If you've been feeling the pinch before your literacy blocks to find something, anything to keep it from getting boring, it doesn't mean you aren't doing it right. It means you're human!

By building in some variety, letting students take the lead, and using tools that align with (but energize) the UFLI sequence, you can make each lesson feel more dynamic—without veering off course.

 Read Next:

👉 How to Make UFLI Lessons More Fun — A breakdown of no-prep strategies, digital tools, and TTRB games that bring joy back to structured literacy.

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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.

🔍 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