Sound Games: Blending

Blending sounds together to form words is the inverse of segmenting and prepares children for decoding—reading by sounding out words.

• Framework: Montessori
• Unit: Language
• Learning area: Phonemic Awareness
• Level: Ages 3-5

Objectives

• Blend individual sounds into words
• Prepare for decoding (reading)
• Develop phonemic synthesis
• Build reading readiness

Materials

• Small objects with CVC names
• Blindfold (optional)

Instructions

1. Say: 'I'm going to say sounds. Tell me the word.' 2. '/d/ - /o/ - /g/' 'What word?' (dog) 3. Child identifies object or says word. 4. Progress to longer words. 5. Eventually, child gives sound sequences for others to blend.

Educator tip

Say sounds with only slight pauses between. Avoid adding 'uh' to consonants (/b/ not 'buh').

Assessment

Child correctly blends spoken sounds into recognizable words.

More from Language

• Sandpaper Letters
• Metal Insets
• Sand Tray: Letter Formation
• Moveable Alphabet: Encoding Words
• Beginning Handwriting
• Object Box: Reading CVC Words
• Phonetic Reading: Short Vowel Books
• Sight Words (Puzzle Words)