3.2 Explicitly Teach Blends

Now it's time to teach!

Here is a research-based approach that we recommend, with examples of language you could use if this is new to you. This section focuses on how to introduce beginning blends. See the full lesson plan for teaching beginning blends, as well as plans for teaching ending blends, in our lesson plans section.

Step-by-Step Lesson for Introducing Beginning Blends

You can start by teaching any combination of beginning blends, but we recommend teaching 'dr' and 'tr' separately after introducing other beginning blends. 

To begin the lesson on beginning blends, explain that a blend is when two or three consonants stand together in a word or syllable, but each consonant makes its own sound. You can tell students that a beginning blend is found before the vowel in the syllable or word.

Teacher Tip

When sounding out a word with a blend, each consonant gets its own "tap."

1. Write the word 'stop' on the board

Say,

Look at this word. Do you see how the consonants 's' and 't' are standing next to each other? When we read this word we say, /s/, /t/, /o/, /p/. The 's' and 't each make their own sound and get their own tap. In this word, 's' and 't' are called a blend. A blend is when consonants stand together and each letter makes its own sound!

Have students repeat the definition of a blend. 

Write the word last on the board.

Say,

In this word, we see the consonants 's' and 't' stand together at the end of the word. We would read this /l/, /a/, /s/, /t/, last. This is called an ending blend since it is at the end of a word. We will talk more about ending blends another day. Today we will focus on beginning blends.

2. Write the word 'plug' on the board

Say,

Look at this word. Remember, we said that consonants that stand together are called blends. Does anyone see a blend in this word? [Students should say 'p' and 'l'.] Yes! 'P' and 'l' are a blend in this word. Each consonant makes its own sound. Let's tap the sounds in this word together and read the word: /p/, /l/, /u/, /g/, plug.

3. You'll do an activity called word chaining with words that have beginning blends. 

Grab your letter flash cards without pictures (opens in new window).

Teacher Tip

Pairing this activity with Elkonin sound boxes (opens in new window) will help students hear the individual sounds in the words.

First, put down the four flash cards to make the word clap ('c', 'l', 'a', 'p'). Together with your students, tap /c/, /l/, /a/, /p/, and then blend to say clap.

Then, place the 'f' card on top of the 'c'. 

Together with your students, tap the sounds /f/, /l/, /a/, /p/, and blend to read flap.

Continue placing letters down to build the real and nonsense words below:

• flap
• flip
• flop
• plop
• slop
• stop
• step
• stem

4. You'll do dictation.

Say a word and have students segment it (if needed) and then write the word on dictation paper (opens in new window). Use the Beginning Blends: List of Words, Phrases, and Sentences for Lesson Planning (opens in new window) to help you plan this portion of the lesson.

5. Now it's time for students to practice reading with fluency!

Start with the Beginning Blends Student Read Sheet (opens in new window). For this activity, students will practice reading words, phrases, and sentences with beginning blends. Students will decode words, build accuracy and fluency, and strengthen their vocabulary.