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All letters that are not a vowel

consists of 21 graphemes

there are 24 consonant phonemes

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Helping my students better understand vowels and how to segment words as well as using the rules we know about words to further our understanding and knowledge of syllables.

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Learn our best tips and tricks for teaching the six syllable types. A huge variety of activities and free teaching tools are included inside this post.

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with the concept of vowels there are many things you need to know using the knowledge i have learned on vowels and how there are short and long vowels and vowel digraphs as well as many other combinations for vowels. I would use the vowel star activity that i found to help teach the basics of decoding and using vowels in words before moving on to more complex concepts.

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Your students know their letter sounds - but can they read 2-3 consonants together in a blend? Consonant blends can be difficult for students to master, and even more difficult for teachers to think of new ways to teach them.

In this post, I have a video (and transcript, if you prefer to read) about how to help students struggling with consonant blends. In the video, I explain what blends are, how they're different from digraphs, and model specific instructional activities you can use to teach or review blends!

Watch the video to learn about how to help students struggling with consonant blends!

Transcript if you prefer to read:
Hey, I'm Alison from Learning At The Primary Pond. I'm a literacy specialist. And in this video, I'm going to give you some tricks to help your students who may struggle with consonant blends. And honestly, these are helpful for any students, not just your kiddos who are struggling. I'll also clarify what a consonant blend is and how it's different from a digraph. If you haven't subscribed to my channel yet, make sure you hit subscribe. And then also hit the little bell so that you don't miss any of the literacy teaching videos that I post.
All right. So first of all, before we get into these little tips and strategies. What is a consonant blend? Well, sometimes they're also called consonant clusters. It can be two or three consonants that come before or after the vowel in a word. So like the word last, the ST is the ending consonant blend. Or if you think about the word spring, the SPR at the beginning of spring is a consonant blend. And the letters in a consonant blend retain their sounds. So, for example, in the word flag, you can still hear the F and L, right, in the word flag? It's not like a digraph. In a digraph like SH, sh, as in ship, you don't hear the individual sounds of the S and the H, they work together to make a new sound. That's different from blends. In blends you still hear the individual sounds. Okay. So that's what a consonant blend is.
Tip number one, and this will help all of your students. Teach blending, not individual blends. Your kids do not need to memorize like, ST says st, and FL says fl. There are a ton of consonant blends out there. And so what you want to do instead of just doing flashcards and having them memorize all of them - I mean, it's good to practice and increase their fluency - but what you want to do is you just want to teach them how to blend sounds. So if you have the word list, for example, you want them to be able to say l-i-s-t, list, and blend the S and the T together. So you want to give them lots of practice with words with consonant blends, but you don't need for them to memorize every single blend. They just need the skill of blending. So that will help all of your kiddos. Another thing that will help all of your kiddos, but will be especially important for your little ones who struggle with consonant blends, is that you want to start them with pictures and sounds before you actually introduce words for reading and writing. So what I will do typically, is if I know that we're going to be working on consonant blends soon, I will begin doing little oral exercises where the kids have to blend sounds. So, for example, if I say, I don't know what, like, l-a-s-t, the kids have to say last. Or maybe I will say flag and the kids have to say, f-l-a-g, flag. So we'll work with sounds for a couple of weeks. We're not reading any words. We're not writing any words with consonant blends. I'm just preparing them to be ready for it when we finally do. So once we're finally starting to work with blends and we're bringing in some letters, I like to do picture sorts. So this is very simple. It just has some L blends up here. We've got BL, CL, and FL, and then there are pictures that start with the different blends. So you're just training them to hear the blend at the beginning of the different words. You could also have them label the words, using their blend knowledge and invented spelling. But a very good beginning point is literally just getting them to sort them where they go and hear the different blends in the words. So that's basically where we start. This applies for all students, but it's especially important for kids who are struggling.
Okay. So next one is sound boxes. And this is what I think is the most helpful thing for those kids that are struggling and leaving out a sound. So when we are segmenting, which means we're just working with the sounds, we're not working with the letters. If your kids are missing a sound, what you can do is give them the word to segment, and either you have this up on the board, or they have their own little sound box strip. And every time they say a sound, they need to either push a counter or just literally touch each box. I feel like touching each box is what works best in this case. So let's say that you use the word stop. Well, sometimes what I've had kids do is they'll just say, s-o-p. But because you have four boxes, you are giving them a visual reminder that, hey, there's going to be four sounds. You're only giving words with four sounds right now. And so when they say, s-o-p, that'll give them pause and they will think, hmm, I must have missed a sound, and they'll go back and try it again. Now it doesn't mean that they'll be able to figure out the sound. They still might need your help, but it's just that reminder of "Hey, there's supposed to be four sounds in this word. We missed one." So I've had kids who I've had to do this with a ton as far as just practicing the sounds. But then also, when you're having the kids write words with blends, you can use the same style of box. You can give them paper. And actually my phonics program, From Sounds to Spelling, has paper for you that when you're dictating words for them to write, they use these sound boxes. And that's, again, a visual reminder if they missed a sound. So let's say, for example, they're supposed to write the word frog. And you have these sound boxes set up. There's exactly the number of boxes for the sounds. And instead of frog. They write this. Again, this is that visual reminder of "Hey, I'm missing one." And hopefully, they will be able to break the word apart. Sometimes I have to say that stretching the word can help. So if they say for frog, f-o-g, sometimes if they say it more slowly, f-r-o-g, that can actually help them hear the R sound that they were missing. So stretching. Segmenting is great, but stretching in this case, is also really helpful. So of course, eventually we want to remove these supports, and they're not going to need them. But some kids will need them for a while, especially if they're struggling. And that's okay. These sound boxes are a really simple way, again, to practice having them segment. No letters whatsoever. Last is being able to write the word. I say if your kiddos cannot segment a word, then if you dictate that word to them to write "frog," they're not going to be able to write it without more support. So that's why we always start with, as I said, the sounds, the pictures first, before we get into having them read and write words. Alrighty. So last but not least, the last little tip that we have here is to help them Another thing you could potentially have them do is, before they read, they could circle or highlight all the words with R blends. That's an option too, because that then is a reminder when they actually get to the word, hey, I need to pay attention and blend these sounds. So, application to decodables, super important because if kids don't have an opportunity to apply what they're learning about, reading words with blends, to actual reading, then what's the purpose of teaching them about words with blends, right? We always want to bring it back to actual reading and writing. All right. I hope this was helpful. I do have an in-depth one hour workshop with so many more tips to help you teach phonics in kindergarten, first grade, and second grade. That workshop, again, it's free, but it goes much more in depth. And there is a professional development certificate and a freebie that you get as well. So there should be a link with this video, look below it or to the side of it or wherever, so that you can get access to that exclusive webinar. If you have any questions, feel free to let me know. Hope this was helpful. apply their blends knowledge, or their knowledge of how to read words with blends, to decodable text. This is an example of a decodable text for our blends. Do you see how there's "frogs" and "drum?" This is from, From Sounds to Spelling, my phonics program. And so, the kids are going to read this little text. There's lots of words for them to practice consonant blends. And then afterward here, it says circle all the R blends in the story. So they're supposed to go back and then circle the words with R blends.
But now, let's talk about a really common issue that I've encountered when working with students who struggle with consonant blends. So you might say the word, let's just use that "list" example again, and they might say, the sounds are, l-i-s. Or they might say the sounds are, l-i-t, and they miss one of the sounds in the blend. Or you might have them write the word list and they miss the S or the T. They're not hearing all of the sounds. If you've ever worked with a student or student who has that issue, where they're missing at least one sound or one letter in the blend, in the chat right now, or in the comments, rather, I want you to type the word "yes." I want to know how many of you have had the same issue with kids who are missing a letter, at least one letter in a consonant blend, because that's a really common thing.
Conclusion

What first may seem like "Well, my students know the sounds, so they should be able to just blend the sounds together!" is far from reality sometimes! Consonant blends appear all over the place, and it's important to not only expose them to the blends, but also to teach them how to blend.

If you're interested in learning more about what the science says about teaching phonics, here's a free online workshop you can join!

And if you're looking for a resource specific to helping students who are struggling with consonant blends, look no further! My Consonant Blends & Glued Sounds Intervention Pack helps students get up-to-speed with reading and spelling words with beginning and ending consonant blends.

Happy teaching!

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How To Help Students Who Struggle with Consonant Blends - Learning at the Primary Pond

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Teaching consonant blends is not really about teaching the blends at all...! In this post, I'll break down some of the ways students struggle with blends and more importantly, how to help when this happens!

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Understanding the Causes of Dyslexia for Effective Intervention

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The perception and treatment of dyslexia is shifting from a symptom-based reaction to a neurological-based understanding of what is primarily an auditory disorder.

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By having a better understanding of phonics as a whole and using what I learned in the blevins readings, and just an overall view i will be able to better apply and make lessons based on the basics of consonants and there blends and digraphs.

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within my class room I would use these activities plus many more to ensure that my students are getting the fundamentals to reading and phonics to make sure they are proficient and understand.

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Copy of Phonological Awareness Activities

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What I know so far?

*knowledge of words and their pieces

What is Phonological awareness?

The overall awareness of the sounds in spoken language

Ability to recognize and think about larger chunks in words

Recognize and manipulate the spoken parts of words

Includes phonemic awareness

Early Phonological Awareness Skills

Counting words in sentences

Rhyming

Recognition (lace/race, best/nest, plan/bike)

Odd word out (cake, corn, shake)

Production (a word that rhymes with man)

Syllables

Counting (crick +et [2], e- ra- ser [3])

Blending (ta +ble = table)

Segmenting (football = foot + ball)

Adding (pill add /O/ = pillow)

Deletion (cupcake without cup = cake)

Alliteration

Words that begin with the same sound

Initial sounds

Isolating first sounds

Onset- rime

Onset: letter(s) before the vowel

Rime: the vowel and everything that follows

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* Phonemic awareness is the conscious ability to hear and manipulate individual phonemes within words.

*Having students be able to tell you not necessarily the words but the beginning, middle, or end sound of the word is the major need of this portion of there reading and language skills.

*the student needs to be fundamentally sound in this portion of there language learning to be able to fully elaborate and expand there knowledge later on.

I would practice these skills in my classroom by using the activities I have listed in this post in the document in small group form as well as during small group rotations I would have a check in with me where we did auditory manipulation of words so that I could see how well my students are doing with that process, if I have a student struggling I might have them come see me at my desk during a work time so that we could practice these skills a little more as well as keeping in contact with there parent or guardian to send home some practice materials with them.

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*The science of reading is the bases of what goes into reading and the spoken language.
* If is studies done on the pedagogy and what practices have been proven to effectively teach children to read.
*Decoding x Linguistic comprehension = Reading comprehension

Education

Pedagogy

Phonemic awareness

Phonics

Fluency

Psychology

Blocked practice

How we learn the best

Linguistics

Language study

Semantics

Syntax

Morphology

Phonology

Phonetics

Neuroscience- study of function of the brain

Structure

Function

Patterns of

What parts of the brain work for different parts of reading

How brains of those who struggle compare to those who excel

How the brain changes when interventions are being put into place.

*https://www.reallygreatreading.com/what-is-the-science-of-reading-and-phonics#:~:text=In%20short%2C%20the%20science%20of,to%20successfully%20decode%20unfamiliar%20words.

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What Is the Science of Reading?

The science of reading is a body of research that incorporates insights and research from disciplines that include developmental psychology, educational psychology, cognitive science, and cognitive neuroscience. The science of reading has been documented around the world, in all languages and cultures, in studies that cost hundreds of millions of dollars. In short, the science of reading has demonstrated the methods that best help children learn to read, from the earliest steps in spoken language to being able to successfully decode unfamiliar words.

What Does the Science of Reading Say About Phonics Instruction?

One of the key elements in successful reading instruction identified in reading research is the role that phonics instruction plays in learning to read. The scientific consensus is that teaching phonics systematically, explicitly, and cumulatively is key to successful reading instruction.

Missing the Cue

Some schools still use methods of reading instruction based on "cueing" instead of, or alongside, phonics instruction. Does that term seem unfamiliar?

" Teachers may not know the term "three cueing," but they're probably familiar with "MSV." M stands for using meaning to figure out what a word is, S for using sentence structure, and V for using visual information (i.e., the letters in the words). " (APM Reports, 2019)

However, as the science of reading has developed further, "three cueing," which also became known by the term "whole language," was superseded. What scientific research has shown is that skilled readers can read words without relying on context, or the visual cues that were the basis for the original hypothesis about cues.

"It turns out that the ability to read words in isolation quickly and accurately is the hallmark of being a skilled reader. This is now one of the most consistent and well-replicated findings in all of the reading research."(APM Reports, 2019)

Five Key Elements of Scientific Reading Instruction?

The National Reading Panel (NRP) report in 2000 identified these five elements that are key to reading success:

Let's take a look at both phonemic awareness and phonics in more depth.

Building Phonemic Awareness

Efficient foundational literacy skills begin with the building blocks of words - phonemes.
A key step in developing fluent reading skills is helping children with phonemic awareness - the idea that phonemes (sounds) correspond to graphemes (letter sequences that signify sounds).

The goal in Grades K-1 is to teach students phonemic awareness so they can independently start to decode unfamiliar words using the automatic skills they have developed through the application of direct phonics instruction.

By the end of 2nd grade, students will recall 1,000-7,500 words. It's not possible to have students memorize every word or every pattern of phonemes or graphemes. Teaching foundational literacy skills in a specific way gives students the skills they need to teach themselves. This is commonly called the "Self-Teaching" model.

Three Elements of Science-Based Phonics Instruction

Based on science, the three elements you need for effective phonics instruction are:

A hands-on approach

Moving from presentation to practice

Showing the direct application to reading and spelling

These three practices support effective decoding, and decoding is among the most fundamental skills for students to master when learning to read.

The key to decoding is to help students develop cognitive automaticity. This means that students know a word on sight without having to sound it out. This is commonly referred to when discussing "sight words."

Did you know? First graders are expected to have a sight word vocabulary of over 2000 words!

The sight word memory is called the orthographic lexicon. Students develop their orthographic lexicon by successfully decoding words. When they decode words leveraging phoneme-grapheme relationships, it's called orthographic mapping. Orthographic mapping is how individuals anchor words into their sight word memory (orthographic lexicon) and store them for accurate & effortless recognition. But, in a system that uses "whole language" or that uses cueing alongside phonics, students may not develop the automaticity needed to step beyond reading words to developing comprehension.

"They [students]sample from the letters because they're not good at sounding them out ... The three-cueing system is the way poor readers read." - David Kilpatrick, psychology professor at SUNY Cortland

The other two key components of comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency can be developed through reading aloud. Reading aloud is a way to build language comprehension skills as well as decoding skills at the same time. These two skills work together to produce reading comprehension.

As Emily Hanford noted at AMP Reports, "This comes straight from the scientific research, which shows that reading comprehension is the product of two things. First, a child needs to be able to sound out a word. Second, the child needs to know the meaning of the word she just sounded out. So, in a first-grade classroom that's following the research, you will see explicit phonics instruction and also lessons that build oral vocabulary and background knowledge. And you will see kids practicing what they've been taught."

Learning to Speak Is Natural, Reading Is Not

What does the science of reading tell us about the developmental order of skills needed to become a successful reader?

When we learn words, we learn spoken language first. We learn the sound structure of words. We can isolate phonemes, and in classroom instruction, isolating the beginning sound of words is a way we accomplish this. Often, using the first sound in students' names help this process. Focusing on sounds is step one of systematic, explicit instruction ... however, unlike "balanced literacy" or other methods derived from "cueing", sound isolation is just the first step toward having students decode ALL the sounds in a word, with no guesswork, as it builds their phonemic awareness.

Building the Orthographic Lexicon

Earlier, we learned that building cognitive automaticity is needed for children to master phonics. As students successfully decode words, they build this lexicon of known words that they automatically decode.
Stories and games are a way to introduce students to phonemes systematically. Reinforcement, repetition, and modeling build the cognitive automaticity needed for phonemic awareness. Phonemic awareness is a set of skills that can be explicitly taught, modeled, and practiced. Phoneme isolation is the very first step in the continuum of actions that end with complex blending activities.

Ready to dive into some classroom strategies for phoneme isolation? Attend a complimentary Science of Reading Virtual Workshop >>

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The science of reading is a body of research that incorporates insights and research from disciplines that include developmental psychology, educational psychology, cognitive science, and cognitive neuroscience. The science of reading has been documented around the world, in all languages and cultures, in studies that cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

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When relooking at what we learned about morphological awareness I feel that using these descriptions and resources would help me provide my students with a good background knowledge to help them succeed and even answer their questions more efficiently.

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For my students I would want to make sure that they knew that yes we have vowels and there are 5 vowels but that we all use the term consonants and explain that they are the other 21 letters within the alphabet. just making sure to use the terminology so that they can better understand the topic later in life.