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Website Support for Orthographic Mapping

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Website Support for Orthographic Mapping

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The word mapping tool lets you type in a word and see its graphemes and phonemes mapped out. It’s great for teaching phonics!

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Website Support for Orthographic Mapping

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Website Support for Orthographic Mapping

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The word mapping tool lets you type in a word and see its graphemes and phonemes mapped out. It’s great for teaching phonics!

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When kids and adults learn to read, they're connecting how words sound to how those sounds are represented by letters. Phonics instruction helps make those connections.

Phonics instruction also teaches spelling patterns and spelling rules. It teaches about parts of words called syllables. Learning common syllable patterns can help people become better readers and spellers.

To thrive in both reading and spelling, here are 15 important rules to know.

Every syllable of every word must have at least one vowel sound. A vowel can stand alone in a syllable, as in u*nit and an*i*mal. It can also be surrounded by consonants, as in jet, nap*kin, and fan*tas*tic.

Vowels can make different sounds. The sounds they make depend on where they are in a word. For example, is the vowel followed by a consonant? This helps determine if the vowel makes its short or long sound: go vs. got, she vs. shed, hi vs. him.

When there's only one vowel in a syllable and it is followed by at least one consonant, the vowel usually makes its short sound. Examples include on, itch, mas*cot, and Wis*con*sin. This pattern is called a "closed syllable" because the consonant "closes in" the short vowel sound.

When there is only one vowel and it is at the end of a syllable, the vowel makes its long sound, as in he and ban*jo. This pattern is called an "open syllable."

When e is the last letter in a word, and there's only one other vowel in that syllable, the first vowel in that syllable is usually long and the e is silent, as in sale and in*side. This syllable pattern is called "vowel-consonant-e."

Some teachers call this the "silent e" rule. Some call it the "magic e " rule. The e gives all its power to the other vowel and makes that vowel use its long sound ("say its name").

4. Consonant blends and digraphs

Digraph is a fancy word for two letters that represent one sound. In a digraph made of consonants, the two consonants work together to form a new sound. Examples include chap, ship, thin, whiz, and photo. Consonant blends are different. These groups of two or more consonants work together. But unlike digraphs, their individual sounds can still be heard as they're blended together. Examples include clam, gra sp, and scr ub.

In a vowel digraph, two vowels are side by side. The first vowel is long and says its name. The second vowel is silent, as in b oat, p aint, and b ea ch.

Sometimes, two vowels work together to form a new sound. This is called a diphthong. Examples include cl oud and b oi l.

When a syllable has a vowel that is followed by r, the vowel is "controlled" by the r and makes a new sound. Examples include car, bird, germ, form, and hurt. This rule is sometimes called "bossy r" because the r "bosses" the vowel to make a new sound.

Any vowel can make the schwa sound; it sounds like a weak uh or ih. Words like fr om and fin al have the schwa sound. Some words have more than one schwa sound, like apartm ent and b anan a. It's the most common sound in the English language.

8. Soft c and hard c, and soft g and hard g

When the letter c is followed by the vowels e, i, or y, it usually makes its soft sound. Examples of that are cent, circus, and cyclone. With other vowels, the letter c makes a hard sound, as in cat and co t.

Likewise, when the letter g is followed by the vowels e, i, or y, it usually makes its soft sound. Examples of that are gel, giant, and gym. With other vowels, the letter g makes a hard sound, as in gas, gorilla, and yo gu rt.

9. The "fszl" (fizzle) rule

The letters f, s, z, and l are usually doubled at the end of a one-syllable word immediately following a short vowel. Examples include st uff, gr ass, f uzz, and sh ell. Exceptions include qu iz and b us.

When a one-syllable word ends with the /k/ sound immediately following a short vowel, it's usually spelled with ck, as in d uck and tr ick. When the /k/ sound follows a consonant, long vowel sound, or diphthong, it's usually spelled with k, as in t ask, c ake, s oak, and h awk.

11. The /j/ sound and the /ch/ sound

In a one-syllable word, when a /j/ sound immediately follows a short vowel, it's spelled dge as in b adge, h edge, br idge, d odge, and sm udge. (The d "protects" the vowel from the "magic e " rule.)

In a one-syllable word, when a /ch/ sound immediately follows a short vowel, it's usually spelled tch as in c atch, f etch, st itch, bl otch, and cl utch. The exceptions to this rule are s uch, m uch, r ich, and wh ich.

When words end with a silent e, drop the e before adding - ing. Examples: bike/biking, give/giving, and dodge/dodging. This rule also applies to other suffixes that start with vowels, like - ed, - er, - able, and - ous. Examples: grieve/grievous, excite/excitable, and hope/hoped.

In a one-syllable word like win where one short vowel is followed by one consonant, double the consonant before adding a suffix that starts with a vowel. Examples: wi nner, wi nning, wi nn able.

For most words, add s to make them plural, as in cat/cat s. But when a singular word ends with s, sh, ch, x, or z, add es to make it plural, as in class es, brush es, and fox es.

To make plural a word that ends in a vowel immediately followed by y, just add s, as in toy/toy s. When y immediately follows a consonant, change the y to i and add es. Examples: family/famili es, pony/poni es, and treaty/treati es.

Suffixes follow a similar set of y rules. When there's a vowel right before y, keep the y and simply add the suffix. Examples include play/play ing and annoy/annoy ing.

When a word ends with a consonant followed immediately by y, change the y to i before adding suffixes like - ed and - est. Examples include carry/carri ed and happy/happi est.

But when the suffix begins with i, keep the y and simply add the suffix, as in fly/fly ing and baby/baby ish.

Most words in the English language follow phonics rules. But any exceptions to these rules need to be taught and memorized for reading and spelling. These words are often found on lists of sight words or high-frequency words.

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15 Phonics Rules for Reading and Spelling

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Phonics instruction helps people connect how words sound to how those sounds are represented by letters. Here are 15 phonics rules for reading and spelling.

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Questions for Using the 3 Tensions in Book Selection (3).jpg

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Science of Reading: The Podcast, hosted by Susan Lambert, delivers the latest insights from researchers and practitioners in early reading. Listen today!

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Find our schedule here and the dates for reading each chapter.

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Meeting #3

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Participant Copy of Shifting The Balance_PL#3

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Lesson Resources

The UFLI Foundations Toolbox contains all the lesson resources to accompany the lesson plans provided in the UFLI Foundations manual. (Don't have a manual yet? Click here to order one) Every lesson has companion resources that will help you implement the lessons efficiently, effectively, and consistently.

Some of the companion lesson resources you will find below include:

Lesson slide decks (in PowerPoint and Google Slide formats)

Decodable passages

Homework sheets

Games and activities for additional practice

We have grouped the lessons into smaller units so you can access these resources more easily. Scroll down to use the buttons below to find the resources for each lesson or groups of lessons.

Please note that we are still building out these free resources, and we will be editing this page over the next few weeks. We wanted you to be able to access some materials as soon as possible, but be sure to come back later to see the rest!
New to UFLI Foundations? Learn about its development, check out a sample lesson plan, view the scope and sequence, and more.

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The UFLI Foundations Toolbox contains all the lesson resources to accompany the lesson plans provided in the UFLI Foundations manual. (Don't have a manual yet? Click here to order one) Every lesson has companion resources that will help you implement the lessons efficiently, effectively, and consistently.

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Alphabet Letters and Sounds with Hand Motions

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Meeting #2

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Participant's Copy of Shifting The Balance_PL#2

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Isn't comprehension the ultimate goal of teaching reading???!!!

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Isn't comprehension the ultimate goal of teaching reading???!!!

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Meeting #1

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The title of our book uses the word shift which represents change. How do you feel about change?

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I don't like disrupting the apple cart- change is hard

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Adapt is my middle name, but I like to take my time

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Head on, the possibilities are endless and I can't wait to experience them

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Link to Register to Listen to Mississippi Miracle Recording

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Link to Register to Listen to Mississippi Miracle Recording

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Register to watch the recording of our webinar series. This event took place Feb. 5-9, 2024.

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Set sail with us for our first-ever virtual Literacy Data Takeover Week, Feb. 5-9, 2024! It All Starts With Data: Charting Your Course With the Science of Reading will offer you five consecutive days of FREE one-hour webinars focused on the evidence-based stages of a Science of Reading implementation and the critical role data will play throughout your Science of Reading journey.

By joining our Literacy Data Takeover Week, you'll have the opportunity to earn up to six hours of FREE professional development focused on data, assessment, Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), and literacy change management.

These webinars will be recorded and will be available for on-demand access anytime. All attendees will receive a certificate of attendance.

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Literacy Data Takeover Week 2024 | Amplify webinars

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Register for Literacy Data Takeover Week 2024! Navigate to improved literacy through data-driven strategies with the Science of Reading.

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The Ensuing Accountable Talk Discussion of Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! (K-2)

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Lucy Calkins and Colleagues at the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project present The Ensuing Accountable Talk Discussion of Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! (K-2)

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All learners need time to process new ideas and information. They especially need time to verbally make sense of and articulate their learning with a community of learners who are also engaged in the same experience and journey.

In other words, kids need to talk!!

Problem is, sometimes it's hard to stay on subject without a little guidance. That's why structured discussions really work best with children, regardless of their maturity level.

These ten discussion techniques (and a little purposeful planning) go beyond the traditional turn and talk/think-pair-share to give students an opportunity to deepen their understanding while practicing their verbal skills.

1. Double Think-Pair-Share

This technique is great for collaborating and generating many ideas on a topic. Note: Make sure students have paper and pencil handy.

Arrange students into pairs (teacher or student choice).

Pose a question that has many possible answers. For example, what are some ways our school can become more "green"?

Pause for "think time."

Partners do traditional think-pair-share, brainstorming as many ideas as they can in a set amount of time and writing their answers down on a piece of paper.

After the allotted time, each pair then finds another pair to share answers with. As the first team reads their answers aloud, the second team adds new ideas to their list or puts a check mark next to items they also thought of. The second team then shares answers that were missing from first team's list.

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2. Mingle, Pair, Share

A great activity to get kids up and moving and encourage them to interact with all of their classmates.

3. Sticky-Note Storm

This activity is great for brainstorming, reviewing, and thinking outside the box. It's also a great way for students to teach and learn from one another. It works best when kids are seated in small table groups. Note: Have a supply of sticky notes available for each table.

The teacher poses a question, sets a time limit, and gives students a moment to think before writing. For example, "In two minutes, how many math problems can you write down that have the solution 23?" or "In 45 seconds, write down as many adjectives as you can."

Each student writes down as many answers as they can think of-one idea per sticky note-and sticks it to the center of the table.

The goal is to generate as many ideas as possible and cover the table with sticky notes! At the end of each round, students review one another's ideas.

4. Sage and Scribe

In this activity, one student plays the role of teacher, and the other plays the attentive student. Explaining concepts clearly is a difficult skill that requires a lot of practice, and recording information helps students build note-taking skills.

Students work in pairs. One student is the sage (speaker) and one is the scribe (silent writer).

Pose a question and allow a few moments for sages to think. For example: "Explain how the water cycle works."

When the teacher says "go," the sage explains the process clearly to the scribe.

The scribe records the sage's thinking on paper.

When time is up, the sage and scribe switch roles with a new question.

5. Inside-Outside Circle or Parallel Lines

Also called Tea Party, Face to Face, Serpentine, Ladder

6. Detective

This activity is great for reviewing learned material or trying new versions of familiar problems. It can be used for math concepts, science lab follow-up questions, grammar exercises, reading summaries, etc. It is also good as a team-building or getting-to-know-you activity. Students will need a worksheet, a pencil, and a clipboard (if you have them, students can also write on desk surfaces).

7. Quiz, Quiz, Trade

This activity is great for test review. It gets your students up and moving. They get to ask and answer not just one, but many questions. They may even come across the same one more than once, reinforcing the concept. Kids love it because unlike drill-and-kill review sessions, this feels more like a game.

Prepare review cards with questions and answers. (This sounds time consuming, but it can be as simple as cutting up one review sheet into individual cards or having students be involved in preparing the cards.)

Pass out one review card per student.

Students stand and circulate with one hand in the air, searching for a partner.

Once they pair up, partner 1 asks partner 2 the question on their card. Partner 2 answers. If they get the answer correct, partner 1 offers praise. If not, partner 1 coaches partner 2 until the correct answer is revealed.

Partners switch roles and repeat the question-answer process.

After both partners have asked and answered, they trade cards and set off to find a new partner. The process continues for whatever amount of time the teacher determines is appropriate.

Note: The last three activities work best if students are seated in table groups of four.
8. Flash

Another great review activity. Again, you (or you and your students) will need to prepare question and answer cards. Each student will also need a dry-erase board and a marker or scrap paper and a pencil. Explain the concept of "think time" to your students before you begin so that slower processors don't feel anxious. Assign one student in each desk group to be the captain.

9. Write Around

This is a fun activity for creative writing or story summarizing. Each student needs their own piece of paper and pencil.

Ask each student to copy the sentence starter and finish the sentence on their own piece of paper.

After they have written their answer, each student passes their paper to the team member on their right.

Next, the student reads the paper they have received from their neighbor and adds a new sentence to that page.

Again, they pass the paper to their right.

After a few go-rounds, four great stories or summaries emerge.

Give students time to read their final versions add a conclusion and/or edit their favorite one to share with the class.

10. Team Huddle

This a great whole-class activity for team building and relationship strengthening. Each member of the group must cooperate and participate for the team to be successful. This activity is best used with questions that have definite right answers, not opinions. Each team needs a whiteboard and marker.

Have students in each table group to number off in their teams from one to four.

Announce a question and a time limit. For example, "How do you spell the word conservation? You have twenty seconds." or "What are three properties of a rectangle? You have forty seconds."

Students at each table group put their heads together to come up with one answer. Tell the students to speak softly so that other groups won't overhear their answer.

One student will record the group's answer on the whiteboard.

When time is up, call a number (1-4) and ask the student from each team with that number to stand at their table group holding their group's answer sheet.

When you say "reveal," each designated student will turn over their answer sheet, and the students can look around and survey the groups' different answers.

Recognize correct responses and elaborate through rich discussion. If you want to make the activity a competition, you can keep track of team points for correct answers.

We'd love to hear your think-pair-share alternatives! Come and share in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook. Plus, creative ways to pick partners.

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10 Fun Alternatives to Think-Pair-Share - We Are Teachers

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Kids need to talk to learn. These structured discussion techniques are fun and mix things up from the usual think-pair-share tactic.