Working with Letters and Sounds (Phonics)
Why This is Important
Phonics is working with letters, patterns of letters, and sounds. This is the foundation for accurately being able to read words. In third grade, there is an emphasis on advanced phonics, which focuses on word parts and syllables (units of sound containing a vowel: a, e, i, o, u).
Goals for Strong Readers
- Sound out new words based on familiar and learned letter patterns
- Know and use the six syllable types to read unfamiliar words
Quick Activity
Have your child hunt for words with a specific vowel teams, which are called digraphs (oa, ea, oo, ee, ai, ol, ay, ou, oi, oy, au, aw, oe, ew, ow) in newspapers, magazines, or books. Have your child read the words and keep a list of all the words they collected for each digraph. Example: Look! I found boil and join, they both have the oi vowel team.
More Activities and Games
Write the most common English syllables listed below on notecards or paper. Hold the cards or paper up one at a time. Ask your child to practice reading the syllables.
Most Common English Syllables: ing, er, ter, al, ed, es, tion, re, oth, ry, ex, en, di, bout, com, ple, con, per, un, der, ty, num, peo, ble, af, ers, mer, wa, ment mem, pro, ri, sen, ture, few, dif, pa, tions, ther, fore, est, ei, si, ent, ven, ev, ac, ca, fol, ful, na, col, par, dis, ern, ny, cit, po, cal, mu, moth, coun, mon, pe, lar, por, fi, bers, sec, ap, stud, gan, bod, tence, ward, nit, nev, ure, mem, ters, cov, de, ver, tle, ber, ar, ma, fa, la, tain, ning, pic, im, ad, tween, ger, hap, e, i, y, o
Write some of the most common English syllables listed below on different sticky notes. Have your child put sticky notes together to create words (real or nonsense). Ask your child to read the words they make.
Most Common English Syllables: ing, er, ter, al, ed, es, tion, re, oth, ry, ex, en, di, bout, com, ple, con, per, un, der, ty, num, peo, ble, af, ers, mer, wa, ment mem, pro, ri, sen, ture, few, dif, pa, tions, ther, fore, est, ei, si, ent, ven, ev, ac, ca, fol, ful, na, col, par, dis, ern, ny, cit, po, cal, mu, moth, coun, mon, pe, lar, por, fi, bers, sec, ap, stud, gan, bod, tence, ward, nit, nev, ure, mem, ters, cov, de, ver, tle, ber, ar, ma, fa, la, tain, ning, pic, im, ad, tween, ger, hap, e, i, y, o
Label six small bowls or a muffin tin with each of the six syllable types described in the chart below. Write the example words on small pieces of paper. Ask your child to sort the words into the correct bowls or section of the muffin tin.
| Types of Syllables | Description or Definition | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Closed syllable | a vowel followed by one or more consonants; vowel sound is short; vowel is closed in by a consonant | pat, crunch, top, chick |
| Consonant L–e | a consonant followed by an “l—e”; must connect to another syllable | table, giggle, people, muffle, circle |
| Open syllable | ends in a single vowel; vowel makes long sound; there is no consonant to close it in | hi, baby, even, me, fever, open |
| Vowel team | a group of vowels working together to make a single sound | wood, steam, boat, toy, hay, tail |
| Magic E | vowel—consonant—e pattern; vowel sound is long, e is silent | wake, stove, kite, mute, dime |
| R – controlled | r follows a vowel and changes the sound | party, cork, churn, shirt, herd |
