Word reading - Focused teaching Prep to year 2 (ages 5-8)

This sequence of activities assists students to develop phonological, semantic and phonemic knowledge. The activities are presented in the following developmental order:

Linking new letter clusters with known letter clusters

This activity can be repeated to allow students to practise linking new letter clusters with known letter clusters.

1. Introduce the student to a new letter cluster using a letter cluster they already know. For example, if the student has already learnt to read words with the ‘−ack’ rime, show the student how these words can be modified to generate a new letter cluster, such as ‘−ark’.
   
2. Assemble the words on letter or word cards where the student can see the ‘c’ replaced by ‘r’ as shown below.
   

 

3. Ask the student to read the words out loud and tell you what is different about the new words. Discuss the differences with the student and ask them to read the new words again.
   

Learning and automatising the relevant phonological knowledge

These activities can be repeated to allow students to practise learning and automatising the relevant phonological knowledge for the words being learnt.

1. The student says accurately each of the words they will read.
   • Read the target words to the student and ask them to repeat the words. Note that the student accurately says the onsets and vowels for the words.
2. The student distinguishes between words that do and don’t have the target sound.
   • Create a spoken text for the student that contains the target words such as mark, park and bark and other similar sounding words such as pack, back and shack.
   • Ask the student to clap when they hear the words with the ‘−ark’ rime.
3. The student suggests other words that rhyme with the target rime.
   • Ask the student to listen to the target words with the ‘−ark’ rime and suggest other words that rhyme with these.
   • Depending on the target rime being used, the words the student suggests may not need to have the same spelling pattern.
4. The student discusses the shared sound pattern.
   • Read the target words to the student and ask them to repeat the words.
   • Discuss with the student the shared sound pattern that these words have in common. For example: All these words end in ‘−ark’.
5. The student segments the words into onset and rime.
   • Read the target words to the student, emphasising the onset and rime. For example: ‘m-ark’, ‘p-ark’ and ‘d-ark’.
   • Ask the student to repeat the words emphasising the onset and rime. If the student initially says ‘mar-ark’ or ‘spar-ark’, they will need assistance and practise to learn to segment the word correctly.

Comprehending word meanings

This activity can be repeated to allow students to practise comprehending word meanings.

1. Ask the student to describe the meaning of each word and discuss some of the visual images it suggests for them. Where appropriate, ask the student to suggest synonyms for the words.
2. Ask the student to use each word in a sentence that illustrates its meaning.
3. Ask the student to invent a story, news item, song, poem or other text that contains the target words.
4. Ask the student to link the letter cluster in the target words with other words they already know.
   

Manipulating individual sounds in words

These activities can be repeated to allow students to practise manipulating individual sounds in words.

1. Read the target words to the student and ask them to segment each word into individual sounds, for example, ‘mark’ into ‘m-ar-k’. Ask the student to count the number of sounds in each word and clap or tap when they hear each sound.
2. Using the target words, present the student with a string of sounds such as 's-p-ar-k'. Ask the student to blend the sounds and say the word.
3. Ask the student to listen to two or more of the target words and identify the shared vowels and consonantal sounds. For example, ‘ar’ and ‘k’ in the words ‘spark’, ‘mark’ and ‘park’.
4. Ask the student to delete sounds from the target words. For example, the student hears the word ‘shark’, deletes the ‘k’ and says the remaining sound pattern.
5. Ask the student to substitute consonants or vowels in the target words. For example, the student substitutes the ‘p’ for an ‘m’ in the word ‘park’ and says the new word.

This developmental sequence of activities assists students to read and spell new letter cluster patterns. The activities are presented in the following order:

Learning to read words

This activity can be repeated to allow students to practise learning to read words.

1. Read the target words containing the ‘−ark’ rime to the student. Ask the student to repeat each word two or three times.
   
2. Give the student repeated opportunities to practise saying the onset and rime of each word separately, either using a text or flashcards. For example, for ‘dark’ say ‘d’ and ‘ark’. Ask the student to point to the onset and rime as they say it.
3. Ask the student to blend the onset and rime as they read each target word. For example, ‘p-ark’ makes ‘park’ and ‘m-ark’ makes ‘mark’.
   

Identifying how words are similar

This activity can be repeated to allow students to practise identifying how words are similar.

1. Using flashcards read the target words containing the ‘−ark’ rime to the student. Ask the student to repeat each word.
2. Ask the student to identify how the words are similar. That is, the words share a common letter cluster and sound pattern. For example, the student may respond by saying: 'All the words say "−ark" and they all have the letters "a", "r" and "k".’

Visualising and writing words

This activity can be repeated to allow students to practise visualising and writing words.

1. Using flashcards with the target words, ask the student to focus on two or three words with the ‘−ark’ rime unit. Ask the student to close their eyes, ‘see’ the words and imagine writing them down. Discuss how the words are similar.
2. Ask the student to read the same two or three words again. As the student reads each word, ask them to make a picture of the word in their mind and then write the word.
3. Read a sentence to the student and ask them to write the target word used within the sentence. For example: The boy was playing in the ‘park’.
   
4. Repeat this process using other target words with the ‘−ark’ rime unit.
   

Spelling words by linking onset and rime

This activity can be repeated to allow students to practise spelling words by linking onset and rime.

1. Write one of the target words such as ‘mark’ on the board. Ask the student to say the word and then match each sound with its onset and rime by pointing to the relevant part of the word. For example, ‘m-ark’.
2. Ask the student to suggest other words they can spell using the same rime unit and identify the letters they would use.
3. Read one of the target words such as ‘park’ to the student. Ask the student to write the word using the spelling from a model word on the board.
4. Remove the word on the board from view and ask the student to spell the other target words. Once the student has spelt each word, ask them to read the words they have spelt.
5. Mix the words to be spelt with similar sounding words the student has already learnt. Ask the student to read each word they have spelt.
6. Dictate sentences to the student including words with the ‘−ark’ rime unit and other words that the student already knows. Ask the student to read back the sentences they have written.

When correcting the student’s spelling attempts, show that letters are in the correct sequence by ticking them. Encourage the student to say the word they intended to spell and the word they have written (if they are different). Where appropriate, ask the student to suggest how they could modify their attempts at spelling the words.

Transferring letter-sound rime units to other words

This activity can be repeated to allow students to practise transferring letter-sound units to other words.

1. Select unknown words that share the ‘−ark’ rime unit such as ‘hark’ and ‘lark’. Nonsense words can also be used, such as ‘tark’ and ‘zark’.
   
2. Record the words on flashcards and ask the student to read or spell the words as quickly as they can.
   

Distinguishing rime units

This activity can be repeated to allow students to practise distinguishing rime units.

1. Create a chart that contains target words with the ‘−ark’ rime unit and other words with similar rime units the student has previously learnt.
2. Ask the student to read the words on the chart as quickly as possible.
   

 

3. Modify this activity using flashcards. Ask the student to practise reading each word.
   
4. Mix the target words with the ‘−ark’ rime unit with other words with similar rime units the student has previously learnt. Read the words to the student and ask them to spell each word.
   

Reading target words in text

This activity can be repeated to allow students to practise reading target words in text.

1. Ask the student to read sentences and texts that include target words with the rime unit (‘−ark’).
   
2. Ask the student to scan texts they are reading and list each target word they find in the text.
   

Reading two- and three-syllable words

This activity can be repeated to allow students to practise reading two- and three-syllable words.

1. Ask the student to suggest two- and three-syllable words that contain the target words.
2. Record the words and ask the student to read them. Some examples are provided below.

 

3. Ask the student to describe how they read each word.
   

Learning meta-phonemic knowledge

This activity can be repeated to allow students to practise learning meta-phonemic knowledge.

1. Ask the student to discuss what they know about the target letter cluster pattern, for example, the ‘–ark’ rime unit. Prompt the student with questions such as:
   • What do you know about the letter cluster pattern?
   • How can you use what you know about some words to read other words?
   • How can you make bigger words from smaller words?
   • How do you segment words?
   • Why is it useful to segment words into two or three parts?
   • How do you recognise familiar letter cluster patterns in unfamiliar words?
   • How can you be a ‘self teacher’ of new letter cluster patterns?
     
2. Ask the student to say how they would write down the ‘–ark’ rime unit if they heard it in a word.
   

Monitoring word reading and spelling progress

This activity can be repeated to allow students to practise monitoring their word reading and spelling progress.

1. The student can use a chart like the one below to monitor their word reading and spelling progress and see the word families they need to practise at any given time.

 

2. This chart can assist the student in understanding that it is acceptable to not be sure of a particular reading or spelling pattern and that over time they will learn more about it.

Using regularities and patterns in rime letter clusters to learn more abstract patterns

This activity can be repeated to allow students to practise using regularities and patterns in rime letter clusters to learn more abstract patterns.

1. Ask the student to investigate the digraph, for example, the ‘–ar–’ letter cluster, in other rimes such as ‘–arm’ or ‘–art’. Use the regularities and patterns in the rime letter clusters to learn more abstract patterns and use them to predict words.
   

 

2. Ask the student to tell you what they know about the digraph ‘–ar–’ and how they could use it to read and spell words in the future.

Organising changing knowledge in a systematic way

This activity can be repeated to allow students to practise organising changing knowledge in a systematic way.

1. As the student learns new digraphs, ask them to add the digraphs to a chart that shows each digraph in a typical rime unit. This can help the student to remember how to read and spell the rime unit.

 

This sequence of activities assists students to consolidate and automatise knowledge of letter patterns. The activities are presented in the following developmental order: 

This activity can be repeated to allow students to practise categorising, sorting and matching words.  

1. With the student, use the letter cluster pattern in games involving categorising, sorting and matching. For example, use flashcards with words that have the same rime unit to play games such as Snap, Memory or Bingo.

Reading unfamiliar words by analogy

This activity can be repeated to allow students to practise reading unfamiliar words by analogy.  

1. Using the rime unit ‘−ark’, ask the student to use the letter cluster pattern to read unfamiliar words by analogy. Practise segmenting or chunking words that have the same pattern.

Memorising words

This activity can be repeated to allow students to practise memorising words.  

1. Ask the student to say what they remember about the letter cluster pattern. For example:
   • If I see ‘−ark’ in a word, I will try saying …
   • If I hear ‘−ark’ in a word that I am spelling, I will write …
2. Discuss how the new ideas are similar to and different from what the student already knows. Ask the student how they might use the letter cluster in the future.

Developing awareness of word structures

This activity can be repeated to allow students to develop awareness of word structures.  

1. Use the target letter cluster pattern in problem solving activities with the student. For example, ask the student to predict the likely letters that might be used prior to a particular letter cluster in a word. Say to the student: 'What letters could be under the tiles?'