★★★★★ Trusted by 100,000+ Educators & Districts Nationwide
Secret Stories™ Phonemic Awareness Cards ESSA Strong Tier 1 evidence rating · LXD Research
🧠 Science-Backed ESSA TIER I STRONG
✓ 100K+ Educators USING NOW
↑ 1.5-2+ Grade Level READING GAINS
🏆 Used by millions of students
What's Included
  • 39 Sound Cards - every Secret Stories® phonics pattern Core
  • Say It → See It → Apply It routine on every card back No prep
  • Bridging Sound to Print teacher & parent insert Included
  • Free printables toolbox on our free resources page Free

Secret Stories™ Phonemic Awareness Cards

★★★★★ Trusted by 100,000+ Educators & Districts Nationwide
★★★★★ 4.9 52,000+ verified reviews

Bridge the gap between phonemic awareness and print - 39 cards, every phonics pattern, one complete research-aligned routine.

  • Say It → See It → Apply It - phonemic awareness through orthographic mapping into real reading and writing, on every card
  • Blending and segmenting practice, reading word lists, and spelling words - a complete lesson on one card, zero prep
  • Layers onto any curriculum - nothing to replace, no training required
$59.95$44.95
or 4× $11.23 with Shop Pay
Preorder - ships on or around August 28
Order now and your Sound Cards ship from our South Carolina warehouse the moment the first run arrives.
Or 4 interest-free payments of $11.23 with Shop Pay
We accept
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📖 The Sound Cards require a Classroom Kit (or Homeschool Kit for families) - it holds the actual 15-20 second Secret Stories and poster visuals the cards reference.
Choose your setup
Sound Cards only · $44.95 I already own a Secret Stories® Kit. Just the cards for me.
New to Secret Stories? Classroom Kit (required) · $149.99 $199.99 The book that teaches every Secret, the full poster set, and the phonics songs. First-time buyers start here, then add the Sound Cards. →
✓ Preorder: ships on or around August 28 from South Carolina
🏛️ Buying with a purchase order? Schools & districts welcome →

Say It → See It → Apply It

Most phonemic awareness programs stop at the sound. The research points to a clear sequence: hear the sound, connect it to the letter pattern, then use it in real reading and writing. Every card runs that sequence start to finish.

Step 1 · Say It

Phonemic awareness

Students blend and segment the target sound. The teacher models, students respond, and the sound becomes automatic before the pattern is introduced.

Step 2 · See It

Connect sound to print

Students learn the Secret Story for the pattern - a 15-20 second narrative that ties the sound to its letters through the social-emotional memory pathways that develop earliest - then find the pattern amongst other letters to deepen recognition.

Step 3 · Apply It

Real reading & writing

Students immediately read words that contain the pattern, then spell and write them. Every lesson ends with the code in their hands, not just in their ears.

The Phonics Supplement

Secret Stories® isn't a curriculum, it's a phonics supplement

It layers on top of whatever phonics program your school or home is already using, Heggerty, UFLI, Orton-Gillingham, your district adoption, anything. Start with the Kit, then add Sound Cards to bridge sound to print.

🎬 Secret Stories® overview for teachers & educators
ESSA Strong Tier 1 evidence rating
ESSA STRONG
EVIDENCE-BASED
1.5-2+
GRADE LEVEL READING
GAINS
100K+
EDUCATORS & DISTRICTS
6x
CORE CURRICULUM IMPACT
Trusted by 100,000+ Educators and Districts Nationwide

Proven Results Backed by Research

Check case studies
🔍
27
studies
👥
Millions
of students nationwide
🖥️
30+
teacher participants
📊
6x
the impact of any core curriculum

What's Inside the Sound Cards Set

39 cards. Every Secret Stories® phonics pattern. A complete lesson on every card back.

Secret Stories™ Phonemic Awareness Cards
01

39 Sound Cards - the full phonics code

Complete coverage of every Secret Stories® phonics pattern: Superhero and Lazy Vowels, consonants, digraphs, blends, and the complex patterns. The card front carries the pattern and its embedded mnemonic visual.

Secret Stories™ Phonemic Awareness Cards
02

A complete lesson on every card back

The full Say It → See It → Apply It sequence with blending and segmenting practice words, reading word lists, and spelling words. Everything needed for the lesson is on the card. No prep required.

Secret Stories™ Phonemic Awareness Cards
03

Bridging Sound to Print insert

A research-grounded teacher and parent guide: the brain science behind the cards, how to use each one, and how to read the notation (slash marks = say the sound, bold text = read aloud to students).

Districts & States Trust Us

Adopted by school districts + recognized at the federal level

Approved for Title I, II, and IV federal funding. ESSA Strong evidence rating verified by independent peer review.

Palm Beach County · FL
NYC DOE · New York
Featured district adopter
100K+
Educators & Districts Nationwide
ESSA Strong Tier 1 evidence rating
ESSA Strong · Tier 1 Evidence
Verified by LXD Research · the highest evidence rating defined by the Every Student Succeeds Act
Read the Meta-Analysis & Studies →

Real teachers. Real classrooms. Real results.

Average results 1.5–2+ grade levels of reading growth using Secret Stories®

Names, grades, and tenure verified. Real teachers sharing measurable results from their own classrooms.

16of20
Came in well below grade level. By spring, all but 2 are readers.
"The 2 who aren't will qualify for services, but that's 2, not 16."
C
Courtney M.
Kindergarten · Pre-K/K classroom
11of20
Kindergarteners hit Florida FAST Level 4 or 5 by December.
"Every single student showed significant growth from August. I didn't believe it would work this fast."
I
Irene
Kindergarten · Florida FAST scores
30of32
Title I intervention students reading at or above grade level by spring.
"Last year it was 11. The only variable was Secret Stories®."
D
Mr. Donovan
Title I Intervention · Multiple grades
R
Mrs. Reyes
Kindergarten Teacher
3+ yrs using SS
"My kids don't just learn the stories, they USE them. A student hit a tricky word yesterday and said 'Oh! That's Mommy E!' without me prompting. That never happened with our old phonics program."
T
Tara K.
1st Grade · UFLI user
Pairs with UFLI
"It's not another program to learn. I teach my UFLI lesson, and Secret Stories® makes it stick. The stories do what decodables alone can't, kids actually remember why letters do what they do."
A
Andrea
1st - 2nd Grade
3+ yrs using SS
"I had every phonics rule taped to my wall. Kids walked right past them. With Secret Stories®, they point at the posters mid-sentence and correct themselves. The stories make the rules real."
M
Micki
1st Grade · 24 years teaching
Veteran teacher
"I've been teaching 24 years. The gap between kids who've been read to and kids who haven't is bigger than ever. Secret Stories® is the only thing that closes it for both groups at the same time."
H
Homeschool Mom
Parent · Pre-K homeschool
Parent
"My 6-year-old went from refusing to read to begging for 'one more secret' before bed. He corrects words on cereal boxes now. Worth every penny for our family."
J
Jenna L.
1st Grade · Bought out of pocket
Word-of-mouth advocate
"Bought it with my own money. Within two months my principal asked what I was doing differently. She ordered it for the whole grade level. That never happens."
A
Coach Adriana
Reading Specialist · 15 yrs
Specialist
"I've used 11 phonics programs in 15 years. This is in the top 2, and it's the only one kids actually beg to do."
K
Kerri
Kindergarten
3+ yrs using SS
"I turn all the posters face-down on day one. When we find a Secret in our reading, the kids yell 'THERE'S A SECRET!' and we flip it over together. When someone's absent, the first thing they check is if we turned any new ones over."
Teachers, in their own words
  • "3 of them moved up two reading levels in a month. I was skeptical. I am not anymore."
  • "The only phonics tool my ELL students actually remember."
  • "I've never had a parent email me about phonics before. Three did this year asking what we're doing differently."
  • "Kids who can't sit still for 5 minutes will sit for 20 when there's a new Secret to learn."

Results You Can See, Not Just Hear About

Real classrooms, real growth, year after year. Watch teachers share their results.

★★★★★
"What a difference in only 2 short weeks."
✓Verified teacher review
#realresults#teacherapproved
★★★★★
"Closed the phonics gap for my Tier 3 group."
✓Verified teacher review
#tier3#interventions
★★★★★
"The most useful and interactive posters I have."
✓Verified teacher review
#classroomstaple
★★★★★
"11 students at grade level last year. 34 this year."
✓Verified teacher review
#schoolwide#growth
The Phonics Supplement

Secret Stories® isn't a curriculum, it's a phonics supplement

It layers on top of whatever phonics program your school or home is already using, Heggerty, UFLI, Orton-Gillingham, your district adoption, anything. Start with the Kit, then build out from there.

Required for Use
Classroom Kit

Classroom Kit

Complete classroom setup with the Secret Stories® book, teaching guide, 12.5" x 12.5" embedded mnemonics sound posters, and musical phonics songs download. The Sound Cards require this kit - it holds the actual Secret Stories and poster visuals the cards reference.

  • Secret Stories® Book + Teaching Guide
  • 12.5" x 12.5" Sound Posters
  • Musical Phonics Songs Download
  • Available in 4 color themes
$149.99 $199.99
Shop Now
Recommended Add On
Student Workbook Level 1

Student Workbook Level 1

250+ pages of structured guided practice. Reinforces the Secret Stories® phonics patterns for independent student work.

  • 250+ pages of guided practice
  • Structured phonics exercises
  • Independent student work
  • Aligned to Secret Stories® method
From $129.95 $299.99
Volume pricing: 6-pack $74.99/workbook · Class set $65/workbook
Shop Now
Highly recommended, layer these on
Secret Stories® App
iOS & Android
Mobile companion for at-home practice and on-the-go review. Kids beg to use it, parents love that it's actually screen time worth having.
Student Workbook
Guided practice
250+ pages of structured phonics practice that reinforces the same patterns on the Sound Cards. The ideal complement for independent student work.
Great add-ons, when you are ready
Better Alphabet Cards™
1 deck per classroom
Whole-class alphabet deck for daily warm-ups and shared instruction. Works alongside the phonics Sound Cards.
Take-Home Literacy Packs
1 per student family
Sends Secret Stories® home with the family. Closes the home-school practice loop and keeps caregivers in sync with what's happening in class.
Tell us your situation
Recommended Start
Class Kit + Sound Cards
Start with the Class Kit - the supplement layer that drops on top of whatever phonics program your school uses. The Sound Cards pair with it perfectly for small-group rotations and independent practice.
Highly recommended next
  • Student Workbook (1 per student)
  • Secret Stories® App for at-home practice
Start with this → Talk to a literacy expert
The Research

The science behind why Secret Stories® works

Secret Stories® was built on 25+ years of cognitive science research into how the brain learns to read, bridging phonemic awareness, decoding, and meaning-making through narrative.

ESSA Strong Tier 1 evidence rating
What does ESSA Strong mean?
The Every Student Succeeds Act's highest evidence rating

ESSA defines four tiers of evidence. "Strong" (Tier 1) is the top, it requires at least one well-designed, randomized controlled trial showing statistically significant positive effects. Districts can use Title I, II, and IV federal funding to purchase ESSA Strong programs without additional approval.

Read the Research → Read the Meta-Analysis →
27
PEER-REVIEWED STUDIES
Across K-5 classrooms, ELL populations, and Tier 3 interventions.
1.5-2+
GRADE LEVEL GROWTH
Average reading fluency gain across classrooms using Secret Stories®.
92%
OF STRUGGLING READERS
Reached benchmark within 12 weeks in 2023 efficacy study.
6×
THE IMPACT OF CORE CURRICULUM
Effect size on phonics mastery vs. district-adopted basal alone.
EFFECT SIZE → HIGHER IS BETTER
SOURCE: EVIDENCEFORESSA.ORG
Avg. of 100 most-researched programs
McGraw-Hill · Wilson · Scholastic · F&P…
.24
+ Explicit phonics added
Core curriculum with phonics layered in
.41
+ Secret Stories®
1.62 avg. effect size · 27 studies
1.62
★ 6x THE AVERAGE
ESSA Strong Tier 1 evidence rating
ESSA TIER 1
.24 ES · industry average
.41 ES · + explicit phonics
1.62 ES · + Secret Stories®
Implementation

From box to bridge in under 8 weeks

Designed to slot into your existing literacy block, no curriculum overhaul required.

Day 1
Open the box, pick a card
No training needed. The Bridging Sound to Print insert explains the routine, and every card back is a step-by-step guide. Start with the pattern your class is working on.
5 min setup
Week 1-2
Run the routine daily
Say It as the warm-up, the 15-20 second Secret Story from your Kit as the focus, Apply It as the closer. One card, a few minutes a day.
10 min/day
Week 3-6
Rotate patterns and review
Cycle new cards in as your curriculum reaches new patterns, and loop earlier ones through centers and small groups for spaced review.
10 min/day
Week 7+
The code in their hands
Students run the blending and segmenting themselves and reach for patterns in their own writing. Send cards home so families reinforce the same routine.
Ongoing
Bridging Sound to Print
The Bridging Sound to Print insert ships with every set for fast in-lesson reference.
Included with every set
Free Resources
Downloadable resources, printables, and implementation guides to support your classroom.
Included with Value Pack
Facebook community
175K+ teachers in our private group sharing lessons daily.
Free to join
PD Videos
10+ hours of free bonus phonics videos. Additional PDs sold separately.
Free bonus videos included
📦
Preorder
Ships on or around Aug 28
💳
4 Payments via Shop Pay
Interest-free, instant approval
🏛️
Purchase Orders Welcome
Schools & districts approved
⭐
100,000+ Educators & Districts
52,000+ verified 5-star reviews

How Secret Stories® Outperforms Traditional Phonics

Secret Stories®
Other Programs
Backed by 27 peer-reviewed studies
ESSA Strong evidence rating
Designed for both teachers AND parents
Works without scripted lessons or training
Engages students through storytelling
Teaches WHY letters make their sounds
Used in 100,000+ classrooms
✓ Ships in 1-2 business days · ✓ 4 interest-free payments with Shop Pay

Frequently Asked Questions

Most phonemic awareness tools stop at the sound - blending, segmenting, maybe rhyming, all in isolation. Sound Cards go all the way to print. Every card follows the Say It → See It → Apply It routine, taking students from phonemic awareness through orthographic mapping and into real reading and writing in one complete sequence.
Yes. The Classroom Kit (or Homeschool Kit) is required. The cards reference the Secret Stories® patterns and embedded mnemonics taught through the Kit, which holds the actual 15-20 second stories and large poster visuals. If you are buying the cards, make sure you have a Kit first.
K-5+, and any learner still mastering word recognition. That includes older students with decoding gaps, English Language Learners, and students in intervention. The routine is engaging enough for young learners and efficient enough for upper elementary students closing gaps fast, without feeling like baby work.
A few minutes per session. Say It (blending and segmenting) takes 2-3 minutes, the Secret Story itself 15-20 seconds, and Apply It (read and write) another 3-5 minutes. You do not need the whole card back in one sitting - many teachers run Say It as a warm-up, See It as the lesson focus, and Apply It as a closer or center work.
No, and that is by design. Sound Cards are a tool, not a program. When your current program reaches a tricky phonics pattern, you reach for the card. Nothing is replaced, nothing is overhauled - the cards make what you are already doing more effective.
Secret Stories® is ESSA Tier 1 aligned with an average effect size of 1.62 across 27 studies, against a 0.5 national average. The routine is grounded in the National Reading Panel finding that phonemic awareness instruction with letters produces effect sizes nearly twice as large as oral-only instruction (0.67 vs 0.38), and in the orthographic mapping research of Dr. Linnea Ehri. The full meta-analysis is on our research page.
Absolutely - with the Homeschool Kit. The cards and the Bridging Sound to Print insert are written for parents as well as educators, and the routine is simple enough for the kitchen table or a nightly reading routine. Many teachers send home the Secrets their students are learning so families can reinforce them.
They cover the complete set of Secret Stories® phonics patterns: Superhero and Lazy Vowels, consonants, digraphs, blends, and complex patterns. The front carries the pattern and its embedded mnemonic visual. The back is divided into Say It, See It, and Apply It. Each card is a complete, self-contained routine.
No formal training. The insert explains the approach, and every card back reads as a step-by-step guide - pick up a card and begin. Professional development is available at thesecretstories.com for anyone who wants to go deeper, and support@thesecretstories.com can field specific questions.
Because the cards are a printed product, all sales are final - but you can preview the cards in the images above. We have been around 25+ years and our 4.9 star rating from 52,000+ reviews speaks for itself.
For Schools & Districts Buying with a purchase order? Tap to view the Vendor Pack & PO terms
For Schools & Districts

Buying with a purchase order?

Download the Vendor Pack. It has everything your AP team needs to issue a PO today: ordering instructions, signed W-9, sole-source affidavit, product catalog, and editable order form.

  • POs accepted from U.S. school districts and schools
  • 11% S&H itemized on the PO · Payment by check (Marenem, Inc.)
  • Email POs to support@thesecretstories.com
  • Invoices mailed within 5 business days
Download Vendor Pack (PDF) Book a District Consult
✓ Sole-source verified ✓ ESSA Strong Tier 1 ✓ Title I / II / IV funding eligible ✓ EIN 66-1097428

The missing bridge between sound and print.

39 cards, every phonics pattern, one research-aligned routine. Preorder now - the first run ships on or around August 28.

TRUSTED BY
100K+
TEACHERS