Phonics is an important part of teaching students how to read. When we teach phonics to students, we can’t just teach them the sounds each letter makes. It’s also important to teach consonant blends in elementary. This can be easily done by using these six strategies. What Consonant Blends? A consonant blend is when there are 2 consonants together. This blend comes before or after the main vowel in the word. For example in the word “stand,” the /st/ blend comes before the vowel and the /nd/ comes after. In the word last, the /st/ blend comes after the vowel. So how do you teach consonant blen ..read more

Phonemic awareness is a huge part of learning how to read. When students understand phonics, they are able to sound out words which increases the number of words they know. In addition, it makes teaching digraphs in elementary easier! Why Teach Phonics in Elementary Teaching phonics might seem like quite a task. However, it can help students become stronger readers! Phonics is an important aspect of the Science of Reading and can be implemented easily into your daily activities! I have several phonics resources available at Savvy Teaching Tips on TpT including resources on: Long Vowel Sounds ..read more

Teaching students how to sound out words is no easy task! While using phonics and the Science of Reading can help, it can still take time! I have found using a simple system to teach CVC words in elementary that is consistent helps students learn to read CVC words faster.  When to Teach CVC Words Just like everything, you need to make sure you are following a step by step process. Before you teach CVC words, you want your students to be relatively proficient in consonant sounds and short vowel sounds. It’s vital your students know their letter sounds well so they can read fast enough to ..read more