Instructional Activities
Decoding and Encoding
Once children learn some phoneme-grapheme correspondences, they can begin decoding (reading) and encoding (spelling) words. The activities included in this section are designed to help children apply their phoneme-grapheme knowledge to decoding and/or encoding.
In addition to these activities, we have word lists and virtual word cards you can use for practice. You can also use the Phinder tool to generate your own words for practice.
To find out more about how children learn to read words, click here.
Word Work
We use the term “word work” to represent activities that promote effective and efficient word reading, especially those that involve developing proficiency with blending letter sounds and the manipulation of sounds in words. For example, the blending drill provides children with a rapid succession of words (and sometimes non-words) to decode, by changing one sound at a time (e.g., changing him to hip, hip to tip, tip to top, and so on). All of the activities in this section are designed to provide students with practice that will make them stronger word readers. Strong word reading is necessary for strong comprehension.
To find words to use for word work check out the “Word Cards and Lists” toggle. To generate more words, click here to use the Phinder tool.
Blending Board
Virtual Blending Board Tutorial
Word Work Mat
Word Work Mat Activity (PowerPoint)
Word Work Mat Activity (Google Slides)
Word Work Mat – Beginner (app link)
Word Work Mat – Intermediate (app link)
Make your own Word Work Mat for face-to-faceinstruction! (updated August 2020)
Tutorial: Word Chains for Decoding and Encoding Practice
Blending Drill
Blending Drill (Google Slides)
Manipulative Letters
Manipulative Letters Guidelines
Manipulative Letters (PowerPoint)
Manipulative Letters (Google Slides)
Manipulative Letters Asynchronous Activity Sample Lesson Video
Regular Word Spelling
Template: Regular Word Spelling (PowerPoint)
Template: Regular Word Spelling (Google Slides)
Word Sort
Template: Word Sort With Word Cards (PowerPoint)
Template: Word Sort With Word Cards (Google Slides)
Tutorials and Sample Lessons
Word Work Mat – Student Controls
Big Words
As children progress through the grades, the text they read tends to become more challenging and complex, with more big words. To be effective at reading big words, it helps to understand word parts, including syllables and morphemes. Syllables are the units of sound we can use to divide words (e.g., com-pu-ter). Morphemes are the units of meaning we can use to divide words (e.g., inter-nation-al). These activities help students develop familiarity with syllables and morphemes.
Learn more about teaching big words here.
Syllables
Introduction to Syllable Types (PowerPoint)
Introduction to Syllable Types (Google Slides)
Open and Closed Syllables (PowerPoint)
Open and Closed Syllables (Google Slides)
Morphemes
Morpheme Trees (Google Slides)
Morphemes With Greek Roots (PowerPoint)
Morphemes With Greek Roots (Google Slides)
Morphemes With Latin Roots (PowerPoint)
Morphemes With Latin Roots (Google Slides)
Other Resources
Affixes.org is a dictionary of affix meanings.
Etymonline.com is an online index of word origins.
How Many Syllables? is an online resource that will show you how to divide specific words into syllables.
Word Cards and Lists
The word list collections are organized into categories based on the spellings of sounds. When you introduce a new way to spell a sound, it’s helpful to have multiple examples of words that use that spelling. The word lists are helpful to practice applying the new knowledge.
Word Cards
| A | (PowerPoint) | (Google Slides) |
| E | (PowerPoint) | (Google Slides) |
| I | (PowerPoint) | (Google Slides) |
| O | (PowerPoint) | (Google Slides) |
| U | (PowerPoint) | (Google Slides) |
| Short Vowel CVC | (PowerPoint) | (Google Slides) |
| Vowel Teams | (PowerPoint) | (Google Slides) |
| R-Controlled | (PowerPoint) | (Google Slides) |
| Double Letters and Trigraphs | (PowerPoint) | (Google Slides) |
| Long /ā/ Spellings | (PowerPoint) | (Google Slides) |
| Long /ī/ Spellings | (PowerPoint) | (Google Slides) |
| Consonant Blends with Short Vowels | (PowerPoint) | (Google Slides) |
| Consonant Digraphs, ck and qu with Short Vowels | (PowerPoint) | (Google Slides) |
Word Lists
| Short Vowel CVC | (PowerPoint) | (Google Slides) |
| Vowel Teams | (PowerPoint) | (Google Slides) |
| R-Controlled | (PowerPoint) | (Google Slides) |
| Double Letters and Trigraphs | (PowerPoint) | (Google Slides) |
| Long /ā/ Sound | (PowerPoint) | (Google Slides) |
| Long /ī/ Sound | (PowerPoint) | (Google Slides) |
| Consonant Blends with Short Vowels | (PowerPoint) | (Google Slides) |
| Consonant Digraphs, ck, and qu with Short Vowels | (PowerPoint) | (Google Slides) |
Games and Printables
Board Game Templates
Editable Board Game Template – PowerPoint
Roll and Read
| Vowel Teams | (PowerPoint) | (Google Slides) |
| Short Vowels | (PowerPoint) | (Google Slides) |
| R-Controlled Vowels | (PowerPoint) | (Google Slides) |
| CVCe | (PowerPoint) | (Google Slides) |
| Consonant Digraphs | (PowerPoint) | (Google Slides) |
| Consonant Blends | (PowerPoint) | (Google Slides) |
Grapheme Tiles and Mat
UFLI Printable Grapheme Tiles and Mat (Word)
UFLI Printable Grapheme Tiles and Mat (PDF)