Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) is a mathematics instructional strategy that focuses on students using problem-solving strategies to construct their own understanding. Little research has been conducted to help determine what CGI could look like in other subject areas. The purpose of this study was to investigate ways to apply CGI to a phonics lesson and determine if cognitively guided phonetic instruction could have a positive impact on the achievement and self-efficacy of tier two and three special education students. A pre and post assessment and survey were administered and compared student achievement and self-efficacy. The study concluded that cognitively guided phonetic instruction allowed students in these tiers to achieve similar growth in their phonetic abilities and self-efficacy when compared to their higher achieving gifted and on-level peers.