Level 0
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Do make absolutely sure, before you begin these lessons, that your child can quickly give the initial sound for any letter of the alphabet, or find you the letter when you give the sound AND can identify the initial sound of a word such. Please see Initial Sounds if you are unsure.
Here, we offer a more structured method of teaching CVC words.
For some children, learning to blend CVC words can take a LONG time.
This section of the programme has been written for these children.
It introduces only a few sounds at a time, along with the words that can be made with those sounds.
There are two reasons for this:
1) We will ensure that we do not run out of words to use too quickly
2) We will limit the chance of a child memorising the words having seen them so often, which will happen and which will be detrimental if the child has not yet learnt to sound them out first.
The more structured CVC programme is suitable for:
How to progress through the steps.
Be guided by your pupil's progress as to when to introduce the next group of sounds.
Look for:
Here, we offer a more structured method of teaching CVC words.
For some children, learning to blend CVC words can take a LONG time.
This section of the programme has been written for these children.
It introduces only a few sounds at a time, along with the words that can be made with those sounds.
There are two reasons for this:
1) We will ensure that we do not run out of words to use too quickly
2) We will limit the chance of a child memorising the words having seen them so often, which will happen and which will be detrimental if the child has not yet learnt to sound them out first.
The more structured CVC programme is suitable for:
- Children with a special need, including:
- Those with sound recall difficulty. (These children must know the initial sounds but may have trouble recalling them quickly enough to blend the sounds, e.g. children with Cerebral Palsy.)
- Those with processing difficulties - maybe these children cannot order sounds in words easily. The structure here will give much more practice at the stage and you will not be left trying to think up which words to use for your lessons.
- Any child that does not seem to be making progress on the MAIN CVC LESSON programme.
- Not every child WILL need it. Some may very quickly understand what is needed and will just need much practice, playing games and doing carefully chosen worksheets, or even our workbooks. However, for some children this stage is sometimes the hardest and it can take a long time. If this is the case, you might appreciate a scaffold on which to plan the words you work with.
We suggest the following steps, which come from our experience of working with many children.
How to progress through the steps.
Be guided by your pupil's progress as to when to introduce the next group of sounds.
Look for:
- the child being able to recall the sounds fast enough to be able to sound out the words that can be made in each group (for those with recall difficulties).
- The child being able to put the sounds in the correct order (those with processing difficulties) for both reading and spelling (though may still need help if a child is trying to start sounding out at the end of a word.)
- The child becoming more confident at sounding out words to read and spell for him/herself
- Start with just two words: a cat; a dog; a man.
- Build up to more words: a man in a van.
- Then make longer sentences and little stories using words your child can recognise easily.
- Do not set a time scale, but teach diligently and be patient. Your child will reach this point, but may need A LOT of practice.
Start every lesson with the warm up
Once you add in the odd words, practice these daily in the warm up as well.
Then teach the main lesson as for the MAIN CVC LESSONS, but using this structure of introducing words.
- Say the Alphabet rhyme a to z.
- Practice the vowels saying their sounds only
- Do some oral blending of the words you will be using in the lesson/other words from previous steps.
Once you add in the odd words, practice these daily in the warm up as well.
Then teach the main lesson as for the MAIN CVC LESSONS, but using this structure of introducing words.
Teaching tips for all steps:
- Model constantly how to say the sounds to stretch the word: e.g. mmm-aaaa-t. Then have the child copy you. Model, model, model.
- Say: 'I do', then model, now 'You do' and help the child to copy you.
- Practice both sounding the words out and spelling them.
- Always hold onto the vowel sound and teach your child to do the same.
- Give small opportunities for the child to try to read and spell independently, to assess ability, but always be ready to help if s/he gets stuck.
- You do not need to use all of the words in each step, but do not miss out the two letter words as they are common words needed for reading fluency.
- Always explain the meaning of any words for which your child does not know the meaning.
- Words in read may be less suitable for a young child, but use with older children/adults.
- Take the words in order left to right for the first two sets, as they start with sounds we can hold on to.
Step 1
Practice the sounds: s, t, p, m and a until the pupil knows them very well.
When the child can recall these sounds quickly, use them - either magnetic letters or cards and a word strip - to make these words.
When the child can recall these sounds quickly, use them - either magnetic letters or cards and a word strip - to make these words.
at |
map |
am |
mat |
tap |
Sam |
sat |
nap |
Pam |
pat/Pat |
----- |
----- |
Step 2
Add in the sounds n, d, new vowel o and c
You can do this one sound at a time, or as a group of sounds. Be guided by what you have learned about your child so far.
Now you can make more words:
Add in the sounds n, d, new vowel o and c
You can do this one sound at a time, or as a group of sounds. Be guided by what you have learned about your child so far.
Now you can make more words:
n |
d |
o |
c |
man |
dad |
on |
cat |
pan |
sad |
top |
cot |
tan |
mad |
mop |
can |
nap |
pad |
pop |
----- |
----- |
dam (explain meaning) |
not |
----- |
----- |
----- |
nod |
----- |
----- |
----- |
pod |
----- |
----- |
----- |
Tom |
----- |
----- |
----- |
dot |
----- |
Step 3
Add in the sounds new vowel i, g, h, r.
Add in the sounds new vowel i, g, h, r.
i |
g |
h |
r |
in |
dog |
ham |
ran |
tin |
got |
hot |
rat |
pin |
dig |
hop |
rot |
sin |
pig |
hit |
rig |
God |
hat |
----- |
|
----- |
tag |
had |
----- |
Step 4
Add in the sounds new vowel u, f, b,
Add in the sounds new vowel u, f, b,
u |
f |
b |
sun |
if |
bat |
run |
fan |
but |
bun |
fin |
bag |
hut |
fun |
bog |
nut |
fat |
big |
cut |
----- |
bug |
mug |
----- |
bus |
Step 5
Add in the sounds new vowel e, v, j, x and l.
We leave 'l' until nearly to the end as many with speech difficulties find 'l' hard to say and there are not many words that we can make with it at this stage.
Now you can make these words.
Add in the sounds new vowel e, v, j, x and l.
We leave 'l' until nearly to the end as many with speech difficulties find 'l' hard to say and there are not many words that we can make with it at this stage.
Now you can make these words.
e |
----- |
v |
j |
x |
l |
met |
pen |
van |
jam |
fox |
lid |
net |
men |
vet |
jet |
box |
lip |
set |
den |
----- |
jog |
fix |
lad |
pet |
hen |
----- |
jug |
six |
lap |
get |
Ben |
----- |
----- |
----- |
leg |
bet |
bed |
----- |
----- |
----- |
let |
beg |
Ted |
----- |
----- |
----- |
----- |
peg |
red |
----- |
----- |
----- |
----- |
Step 6
Add in the sounds w, y and z.
Now you can make these words.
Add in the sounds w, y and z.
Now you can make these words.
w |
y |
z |
win |
yes |
zip |
wet |
yet |
----- |
wig |
----- |
----- |
Step 7
This is the same as for the MAIN CVC LESSONS.
Study words that end with a double consonant (no need to use this word when teaching your child).
Say: When we see two letters that are the same, we only say them once.
Obviously, this only applies to consonant letters, not vowels, but generally young children do not need this qualification. They see the double letters and understand to only say the sound once.
By the time we reach 'ee', it is a new lesson and children usually learn it without likening it to this lesson.
This is the same as for the MAIN CVC LESSONS.
Study words that end with a double consonant (no need to use this word when teaching your child).
Say: When we see two letters that are the same, we only say them once.
Obviously, this only applies to consonant letters, not vowels, but generally young children do not need this qualification. They see the double letters and understand to only say the sound once.
By the time we reach 'ee', it is a new lesson and children usually learn it without likening it to this lesson.
will |
bill/Bill |
fill |
hill |
Jill |
kill |
mill |
pill |
dull |
gull |
tell |
sell |
bell |
dell |
hell |
well |
off |
huff |
puff |
cuff |
buzz |
fuzz |
fizz |
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CVC Words Short Vowel (3 Letters) (Approx. 20 - 30 lessons) |
Introduction Read this first |