They learn the sounds of the letters of the alphabet and how to blend those sounds into phonemes and words. They also learn how the system or phonetic code works. Knowing the sound is not enough, if you don't know when a certain letter makes a certain sound, you won't be able to decode very many unfamiliar words. Formula Three works because it is organized in a way that is easy for students to understand and apply themselves. Anything one understands is easier to remember.
Students understand how the code works.
This makes blending so much easier. They learn to control the vowels, which is critical, by learning a few simple rules and laws. The skills part of the program also includes a spelling and learning formula. The Spelling Formula teaches students a process so they can spell most words quickly and remember how to spell these words long after a memorized list of words has faded from memory. They learn how known words are put together and this helps them attack words they don't already know.