English Language Development

Figure 3.34. Blending Sounds in Printed Words in Grade One

Prior learning

Screening and formative assessment are crucial to ensure children have the necessary skills and

knowledge for participating in the lesson.

• Children know the letter-sound correspondences for the letters in the target words.


• Children can blend spoken sounds into spoken words.


• Children know that some sounds can be elongated without distortion (that is, vowels and continuant
  consonants, such as /m/ and /f/) and that others must be pronounced more quickly to avoid
  distortion (such as /p/, /b/, and /g/, which if elongated become /puh/, /buh/, and /guh/).


• The words used are in the children’s oral vocabulary.


• Children have learned to blend two-and three-phoneme printed words, such as no and sun.

Considerations

Assessment provides information regarding important considerations.

• English learners should have been taught in advance any phonemes being used that are not in their
  primary language.


• Some grade one children do not need blending instruction. Instructional time should not be taken to
  address a skill they already possess (in English or in a different language). Assessment is crucial.


• Some children learn words by sight very quickly, yet they may not have the skills to decode previously
  unencountered words. Assessment is crucial.

*Model

Print the word slam on the board. Say: Today I am going to show you how to sound out words with four

letters. Watch me blend the sounds these letters represent. Point just to the left of slam and say: I will

blend this word. Formative in-the-moment assessment provides the teacher with information necessary to

determine whether to continue, scaffold, or alter the lesson.

1. Move your finger to the letter s, say: /sss/. I’m going to keep saying this sound until I point to the
   next letter.


2. Keep saying /sss/. Slide your finger from the letter s to the letter l. Pointing to the letter l, say: /lll/.


3. Keep saying /lll/. Slide your finger from the letter l to the letter a. Pointing to the letter a, say: /aaa/.


4. Keep saying /aaa/. Slide your finger to the letter m. Pointing to the letter m, say: /mmm/.


5. Lift your finger and point just to the left of the word slam and say: Now watch as I read the whole
   word. Then quickly sweep with your finger under the whole word and say slam. Say: To slam a door
   means “to shut it hard.” When you slam a door, it usually makes a loud noise. Slam!


6. Model additional examples, using words that begin continuant sounds, such as frog. Stop (that is,
   noncontinuant) sounds may be in the final position.

*Lead (Guided Practice)

Print the word flat on the board. Say: Now I am going to lead you in sounding out words. You’re going

to sound out some words along with me. Remember, we’ll keep saying a sound until I point to the next

letter. Point just to the left of flat and say: Let’s blend this word. Formative in-the-moment assessment

provides the teacher with information necessary to determine whether to continue, scaffold, or alter the

lesson.

1. Move your finger to the letter f for one or two seconds and have students respond along with you:
   /fff/.


2. Keep saying /fff/ with the students. Slide your finger from the letter f to the letter l. Point to the
   letter l for one or two seconds and have student respond along with you: /lll/.


3. Keep saying /lll/ with the students. Slide your finger from the letter l to the letter a. Point to the
   letter a for one or two seconds and have students respond along with you: /aaa/.

Grade 1 Chapter 3 | 253