WBES Literacy Letter
from the Reading Coach
Parent Read-At-Home Plan
February 2023
How do students figure out written words?
Children can use what they know about letter-sound matches to decode (figure out) written words. They can do this by saying the sounds of the letters and by smoothly putting the sounds together (blending) to make words. Being able to decode words helps children to read new words on their own. Good readers learn to decode so quickly and easily that they do not have to use pictures to help them figure out words and what they mean.
How can I help support my child in blending?
- Explain blending to your child in understandable terms. Using age appropriate terminology to explain ‘smooth blending’ of sounds. Blending can be explained as ‘keeping sounds hooked together’ or not ‘chopping up’ the sounds. For younger children who like trains, you can make an analogy to train cars coupled together. When the train cars come ‘unhooked’ the train falls apart. Words are the same way, when we ‘unhook’ the sounds the word ‘falls apart’. For older students, the straightforward explanation of ‘smooth blending’ is generally adequate.
- Have the child ‘take a breath’ before starting to sound out a word. This intentional inhaling before starting a word helps the child get through the word before they have to pause and take a breath. This conscious reminder and effort to ‘take a breath’ before starting to sound out a word is a temporary step to help the child develop blending. After they develop smooth blending skills, this deliberate breath is no longer necessary.
- Make sure the child pronounces the sounds correctly. When ‘slowing’ down and ‘stretching out’ the word when sounding out be sure the child does not distort any sounds. Some sounds can be stretched out (such as m, f, s, a, i, o, e, l, n, r, v). Other sounds can not be slowed down (the ‘fast’ sounds b, d, t, k, g, p, ch) and must be hooked quickly to the next sound. If you slow these sounds down you end up distorting the sound (for example /t/ as /tuh/ or /k/ as /kuh/. A few sounds are harder to say (h can be one of the trickiest) and need to be practiced.
Activities to try:
- As you and your children look at a new word, touch each letter and say the sound, moving from left to right through the word (for example, say the sounds /s/ /u/ /n/ and blend the sounds to make sun). Begin with short, easy words such as hop, mat, or cat.
- Play games: Write words on cards and place the cards upside down in a stack. Take turns choosing a card and blending the sounds to form the word seen on the card. Use the word in a sentence.
- Write words on pieces of paper and hide them throughout the house. Have your children go on a treasure hunt looking for the words. As they find the pieces of paper, have them blend the sounds of the words. Reward your children with a treat.
- Take packaged and canned goods from the kitchen and have your children sound out words on the labels, such as corn, bread, and beans.
- Have your children sound out words on your grocery list.
Most Importantly!!
Keep reading practice fun and stress free! Daily reading is the best way for your child to improve and gain blending skills!