Reading for Kids

STEP 4: Remember this is not a sight word approach to reading; we are teaching children to decode unknown words. I have been doing this for 40 + years. Trust the process. Do not add new sounds unless previous ones are learned.

Now add letters m and g. G should make the sound as in goat. Again ask your child to say the sounds with you several times, trace it, write it. Add g and m to the other letters.

Lay out all the sound cards. You say a sound; your child points to the correct sound. Be creative. They can hit it with a flyswatter or toss a bean bag on the card and say the sound.

Make 2 copies on index cards of all the sounds so far to play memory: a,s,t,c,p,n,d,m,g.

As in the previous step, write these words (one at a time) on cards, paper or dry erase board. Do not give them a list - it will be overwhelm most children.
sag, tag, nag, gag, Sam, Pam, mat, map, gap, lap.

It typically will still be a struggle at this point of sounding out the words. You will still have to help some. They need to sound the word out a couple of times to be able to blend the sounds together into the word. If they are unable to blend it, help them. Point to each letter saying the sounds with them. Tell them to push the sounds together.

Play a game with the words. typically any board game is good to use: CandyLand, Sorry, etc. Every time they take a turn, ask them to sound out a word. Keep it short. There is no need to finish the game. You are trying to give them practice blending words in a fun way.

If they are beginning to be able to blend words, you can write short sentences using their name. Write only one sentence on blank piece of paper.
Example:
Adam can pat.
Adam can tag.
Adam can nap.
Adam can tap.
Adam can nag.
Adam can gag.
Now you have a short book. Ask them to illustrate it.