Sound sorts: Since a phoneme is the basic unit of phonology, being able to hear phonemes accurately and in order is a necessary foundation for phonological development. Students can use their arm to segment the phonemes and sort pictures based on their initial, medium, or final sound. Students will recognize the variations in spelling that create similar sounds, for example: /i/ sky -- /i/ bike-- /i/ light (Cunningham, 2025).

This activity can be differentiated by the complexity of words used such as single-syllable or multisyllabic words. Students in need of more support can also focus on and sort sounds without incorporating visual letters or words. This will strengthen their ability to hear sounds before connecting the sounds to a letter name/visual (Cunningham, 2025).

Rhyme Time! Students will be asked to match words that rhyme. Differentiation for ELLs would include visual aids such as pictures. Once mastered, enrichment activities for ELLs may be introduced. Students can match words that rhyme but do not follow the same spelling functions. (example: one--sun) This not only supports phonological development, but also provides an easily accessible explanation onset and rhyme.

Sound BINGO Create bingo cards with target phonemes (may include individual sounds or sound-based words). Call out sounds or words, and students cover the correct ones.

This activity encourages discrimination of specific sounds in a fun, low-pressure way (Cunningham, 2025).

Scaffolding for ELLs may include pictures and proper practice of pronunciation for newcomers. More advanced differentiation may include common sound spelling patterns or tricky vowel combinations.

Tongue Twisters and Poetry: Students will repeat, practice, and recite short tongue twisters or simple poems in pairs or groups. This activity reinforces pronunciation, rhythm, and stresses patterns. ELLs at the beginning level can recite short and slow repetitive chants or rhymes that include visuals or motions. ELLs can practice with English speaking pairs and mimic tone and rhythm. English Language Learners can also be supported with technology in which they can record themselves and play it back to themselves in order to hear variations in their speech.

Word Trains-Lego Language! Students can use different color legos to represent the base, the prefix, and the suffix. This helps students connect meaning from the root word to the morphed word (Reynolds, 2023). This activity reinforces morpheme recognition and word formation. ELLs can access this activity with visual pictures to exemplify the word. Language Learners can also be paired with an English speaking peer for support. ELLs can be supported further by completing this activity in a small group with a teacher or translator.

"Morphing Blooms" Students will have the opportunity to create their own new-word garden of flowers (Reynolds, 2023). This encourages creativity and deeper understanding of how word parts carry meaning. Students will be given a list of prefixes, suffixes, and roots. They will be challenged to create new words by combining the parts of the flower (Reynolds, 2023). This activity can be differentiated by complexity level. ELLs may work in pairs or small groups and provided with a limited list of prefixes or suffixes. Once mastered, educators can scaffold by requiring ELLs to use the word in a written or oral sentence.

WORD HOSPITAL! Be the doctor! Students can "dissect" words by cutting them apart and categorizing the different parts. ELLs can receive additional support by providing them with color-coded words to help visualize the suffixes and prefixes.

Morphology Sort: Students will sort and discuss the change in meaning and/or tense of words with variations in suffixes (i.e. walks, walking, walked). Students should also take notice to the various pronunciations of such suffixes such as -ed and -s, as in talked (/t/), wondered (/d/) and bugs (/z/), tips (/s/). ELLs can receive differentiated support by sorting words with the suffix -s and -ed simply by reading and/or listening to hear differences in the final sound. This activity helps learners distinguish between grammatical endings and meaning-changing morphemes.

Draw the Idiom! Students pick an Idiom and illustrate the literal image. They present their drawing with a true explanation behind the meaning. ELL students must be provided with "front-loading" lessons in idioms, prior to whole group learning (Linguistics for Teachers of ELLs, n.d.-e). ELLs must receive explanation for unknown idioms. ELLs may work with a partner or small group during the first round. An extension and enrichment activity may include students acting out the idiom in a charades-like fashion. Whoever accurately guesses must also provide the meaning behind the phrase.

Semantic Mapping: Students create a visual “web” that connects a central word (i.e. weather) to related words and concepts (Linguistics for Teachers of ELLs, n.d.-e). This activity can be differentiated for various levels of ELLs. Beginning ELLs may be provided with a map with images or clues. Developing and more advanced ELLs may add short phrases and related terms to describe connections.

Context Clues Challenge! Students use context clues and make inferences to form meaning. Teacher may support ELLs with funny and familiar texts such as Amelia Bedelia as a way to scaffold the activity. English Language learners can also be partnered with more advanced ELLs or English speaking classmates. Using highlighters and pictures will help narrow the focus when solving the context clues.

Synonym or Antonym Memory! (Linguistics for Teachers of ELLs, n.d.-e). Students will be given words that have synonyms and antonyms that are clearly understandable (i.e. mad=angry [same] mad=happy [opposite]). Students must "battle" to collect as many "pairs" as possible depending on their assigned role: antonym or synonym. ELLs can play the same game but with pictures. Intermediate ELLs may use a picture-word combination, and advanced ELLs may use only words.

Sentence Scramble: Provide students with scrambled words from a sentence and have them rearrange the words to form a grammatically correct sentence. This activity can be easily differentiated by the complexity of the sentences. ELLs can start with simple subject-verb-object sentences and grow into more complex sentences.

Sentence Frames and Starters: Provide students with sentence frames (e.g., “I like to ___ because ___.”) to practice producing complete and structured sentences. You can use a word bank to help support ELLs. Complexity will increase as the length and detail in the sentences increase.

A my name is ___ and I like ____.-game: Students will go through the alphabet stating a correlating name with letter and a silly or realistic noun that also matched the letter. Although the answers may be silly, they will support syntax development and speaking in complete sentences. English Language Learners may be given a list or picture to choose from when completing their turn. If a student is a newcomer or needs more intense support the teacher may model the sentence and allow the ELL to repeat it.

Silly Syntax: Be the teacher. Students will be given words and phrases that have a few errors. They will have 10 seconds to restate the sentence correctly to their partner. ELLs can be supported in this activity by utilizing ESOL teachers and translators to demonstrate proper spoken order in English while calling to attention the syntax used in other languages especially students' home languages.