Phase: | Before/Engage |
Activity: | 1. Remind students that sounds are put together to make words. Tell students sometimes multiple letters work together to make one sound. 2. Show students the learning tool Basic 4 box Elkonin Boxes and explain that you will use a counter to stand for each sound in the word. Use pennies, chips, or other small counters during the segmentation activity. 3. Place four counters just above the line on the page. Model by saying a word with a consonant digraph, such as chill. Push a counter into a box on the Basic 4 box Elkonin Boxes tool for each sound as you segment: /ch/, /i/, /l/. 4. Place your index finger on the dot under the boxes and slide your finger across the page in the direction of the arrow as you blend the word: chill. 5. Ask students how many sounds are in the word (3). Point out that you pushed up three counters, one for each sound in the word. There are three sounds in the word chill: /ch/, /i/, /l/. 6. Provide each student in the group with a copy of the Basic 4 box Elkonin Boxes tool. Then give each student four counters and have them place the counters just above the line on the page. 7. Provide students with guided practice as you segment and blend the following words: chick (3), hatch (3), this (3), bath (3), ship (3), ash (2), white (3), why (2). Follow the same model as outlined above, this time with the students producing the sounds, pushing the counters, and sliding their fingers to blend along with you. 8. To culminate, give students one of the following words and watch as they segment and blend the word independently: cheese (3), each (2), bush (3), share (3), what (3), both (3). Use additional words as necessary to continue the independent practice. |
Assessment Strategies: | Observe students' performance as they independently segment and blend phonemes. Mastery is achieved when students attain at least 80% accuracy. |
Advanced Preparation: | Print and laminate a teacher copy plus one copy for each student of the Basic 4 box Elkonin Boxes tool. Secure enough counters for each student to have four, plus four counters for teacher use. |
Variation Tips (optional): | After students have mastered segmenting phonemes using counters, the sound-spelling correspondence may be introduced. To do so, have students use letter tiles instead of counters for each sound, ensuring that the consonant digraphs are shown on a single tile to reinforce the concept of one sound for the two letters. |
Notes or Recommendations (optional): | This lesson is best suited for small-group instruction. An associated "during" activity for this lesson can be located here: Sorting Consonant Digraphs. |
Keywords and Search Tags: | consonant digraphs, digraphs, multisensory, phonemic awareness, phonological awarness, reading, small group |