Phonics blending or consonant blending can be used to improve the overall speed at which students learn to read. This is a proven strategy that can be used for all ages of learners.
Next, we will show you how this can improve overall reading speed and be used as a method to help students learn to read quicker.
What Is Phonics Blending?
Phonics blending is when two consonants that are next to each other in a word have distinct sounds when you say the word. A good example is the word blend, which has the “b” and the “l” next to each other, but their individual sounds can be distinguished.
In this instance, you will say the “bl” sound, meaning you are blending them together to help form the word “blend“. This is also the case for the last two letters in the word – the “n” and the “d” blend together to help form the word.
The “bl” and “nd” are both consonant blends that help form the complete word.
How To Teach This Method
When the teacher wants to use this method to teach children consonant blending, they can do the following:
- Write the example word on the board, such as “and“.
- Now, the students can see the word, which is helpful.
- Then, say every letter separately by pointing at them individually and sounding them out – “a“, “n“, “d.”
- After this, blend the sounds together while pointing at each sound and slowly saying the word.
- The next step is to point your finger at the word and say it out loud.
- Finally, you can let the students repeat what you did both in a group and individually to see if they understand the method.
You can also use flashcards by writing the word on them and letting the students identify each letter sound. This method can be easily used with remote learning, and you can also record the lesson for future reference and reminders.
Why Phonics Blending Works
Through research, it has been found that this method provides the student with an excellent strategy to approach new words that they will encounter in the future. It is also found that students using this strategy are more prone to read words correctly when they first encounter them.
This consonant blending method will be a good motivational method for students who are struggling to read.
Concluding Thoughts
As you can see, phonics blending is a proven strategy that will help students avoid common reading errors, and it will improve their reading. The great thing about this method is that it is adaptable and can be used for online learning and the classroom.
