Blending Sounds and Teaching Reading With WAVES

In the beginning stages of reading it is always a struggle blending the sounds together.   When I am teaching my early reader I use the Amazing Action Alphabet Mini Reader.  I teach the new words from a story and have a child blend the sounds, and practice reading the words.  Here is an additional way to make blending the sounds together more enjoyable. 

USE THE BLENDING WAVE

Here I have two different templates.  One template is for separating the sounds with three short waves, or three sounds.  The second template is one continuous long wave, or one continuous sound.  In my pictures the blue papers are my templates.

I also have a laminated white paper that I use for writing the words and sounds we are focused on.  I use a dry erase marker and magic eraser for easy transitions to new words.  

First practice the sounds separately using the three wave template.  j--a--m!

Next we change templates and use the one wave template saying the word in one continuous sound. jam!

Often I will say something like, "Say it the fast way," or "Now squeeze the sounds together and say it smoothly."

Blending sounds can be a struggle, but with creative ways you can help a child read words fluently AND have fun!