Mastering sounds in words is an important foundational skill for young learners. Here’s how to make it happen for every student.
1. Can you hear sounds in words? Phonological Awareness
The first step to students learning a new phonics sound in words is to hear the sounds in words through phonological awareness activities. Phonological activities are auditory activities to help students learn to hear the new sound in words. During this stage, students listen to words and determine if the new sound is in the word or not. Students should also be able to isolate this sound within the word to determine if they hear the sound at the beginning, middle, or end of the word. Then students move to the next level of manipulating the sounds in words. Manipulating includes adding, deleting, or changing sounds in words to make new words. Once students can successfully identify and manipulate the new sound in words, they are ready to move to the next level towards mastery.
2. Can you recognize sounds in words? Phonics
In order for students to be able to read they need to learn and master each sound in words. This next step builds on a student’s knowledge of the sound in words by adding a visual component. This could be pictures of objects with the sound in words or letters to represent the sound in words. This step helps students make the connection from the sound to words. Now students will be able to apply their knowledge of the sound to sound out words that have the new sound. By understanding sound in words, they will have the knowledge they need to figure out words they do not know as they are reading. When students are quickly and easily able to break apart a word using the sounds in words they know, then they are less likely to get frustrated or give up.
3. Can you read sounds in words? Decoding
In order for students to move toward mastery of learning sounds in words, they should read every day. When students read every day they increase their ability to apply the sounds in words they have learned and apply them to their reading. The more students read the more likely they are come across a word with the sound in words they are learning. Then they can practice using their knowledge to figure out the word in a text by sounding out the word. Students begin to recognize more words and develop an increased vocabulary. When students read the same words over and over they begin to automatically recognize the words and therefore are able to read them fluently.
4. Can you write sounds in words? Writing
Students should also write daily. When students write they are applying their knowledge of letter/sound correspondences to the sounds they hear in the word. This application their knowledge helps move them to full mastery. Students have reached a level of independent mastery once they are able to successfully apply their knowledge of sounds in words to their writing.
You can buy these intentionally planned and differentiated centers in my TPT store. There are 21 individual word family centers or you can buy the bundle to get a discounted price! Click here to get them today and start teaching your students how to be fluent readers.
