Sounding out words: CVC blending for EFL classes
For classes learning English as a foreign language, reading starts with sounds. Children learn to blend three-sound words, then read short sentences made only of words they can sound out, with a few common words taught by sight.
At a glance
- From
- Level 1, Next Steps English: Week 7, Body and feelings
- Grammar
- I have / I feel
- Key language
- hot, wet, sad, red, big, hat, bag, mud, sun, pup, nap / I am hot. / Sam has a red hat. / the, is, has, a, I, and (words to know by sight)
- Children make
- Reading a nine-sentence story aloud and answering with the reading questions and the worksheet.
- Class size
- Works with 10 to 50 children; pair and group steps say how to scale.
Objective
By the end of the lesson children can blend three-sound words from letters they know, read short decodable sentences and show understanding by answering true or false questions.
Success criteria for children
- I can sound out a word: h-o-t, hot.
- I can read a sentence.
- I can answer questions about what I read.
Timing: 60 minutes
| Minutes | Stage | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 6 | Warm-up: sound review | Show letter cards; children say the sound and an action. |
| 6 to 14 | Oral blending | Say the sounds of a word one by one; children blend them into the word. |
| 14 to 24 | Read the words | Show printed words; children put a sound button under each letter and blend. |
| 24 to 30 | Words to know by sight | Teach the, is, has, a, I, and as words we say without sounding out. |
| 30 to 40 | Read the sentences | Read the nine-sentence story together, then in pairs. |
| 40 to 55 | Worksheet: read and show | Match words to clues, decide true or false and write about how you feel. |
| 55 to 60 | Exit ticket | Each child reads one word card aloud. |
Materials
- Letter cards for: s a t p i n m d g o c k e u r h b f l w
- Picture cards: hat, bag, sun, pup, mud, bed
- A pocket chart, magnetic letters or paper for sound boxes
- One worksheet per child, a pencil
- Human body (free, linked from Week 7)
- Feelings (free, linked from Week 7)
- Health (free, linked from Week 7)
Before the lesson: Check which letter sounds your class already knows (see the Level 0 phonics weeks 13 to 23) and use only those. Say each sound purely and briefly: /s/ not "suh". Write the story sentences on the board before class.
Step by step, with teacher talk
0 to 6 minWarm-up: sound review
- Hold up each letter card quickly. Children say the sound, not the letter name. Repeat the cards they find hard.
- Say "Show me /h/" and children say the sound while miming a hot face.
"What's the sound? /s/. Good. Hear the sound at the start of sun."
6 to 14 minOral blending
- Say "h... o... t". Children say "hot". Do the same for wet, sad, red, big, hat and bag.
- Use sound boxes: put three counters in a row and push one up for each sound as you say it. Then sweep across and say the whole word.
- How many sounds are in "hat"? (Three.) What is the first sound? (/h/.)
14 to 24 minRead the words
- Write "hat" on the board. Put a dot under each letter: "h... a... t... hat." Children do the same on mini whiteboards or in the air.
- Do hot, wet, sad, red, big, bag, mud, sun, pup, nap. Mix words quickly so children cannot guess from the first letter.
- Show the picture cards and let children match each word to its picture.
"Look at the first letter. What's the sound? Now the middle. Now the last. Blend it: hot."
24 to 30 minWords to know by sight
- Show each word and say it. Explain "Some words are tricky. We learn these by heart." Children say each word three times.
- Play "Flash": show a word card for two seconds and children say it.
30 to 40 minRead the sentences
- Point to each word as you read the first sentence. Children echo. Then children read the next sentences while you point.
- In pairs, one child reads a sentence and the partner points. Swap each sentence.
- Ask the questions and let children find the answer on the page.
- Is Sam hot or cold? (Hot.) Where does Sam sit? (In the mud.)
40 to 55 minWorksheet: read and show
- Do the first match together. Children complete tasks 2 and 3 alone. Walk round and listen to children read their sentences aloud.
- Mark who needs more sound practice for the next lesson.
55 to 60 minExit ticket
- See the exit ticket. Take a quick one-to-one reading check.
Differentiation
Support
- Use only the words hot, hat, big, bag, sun, sad and the sentence "Sam is hot."
- Keep sound buttons drawn under the words on the board.
- Read each sentence first yourself with sound buttons, then ask the child to read it back.
Stretch
- Add words with the same pattern: cat, dog, pig, leg, cup.
- Ask children to write a sentence of their own using two words from the lesson.
- Add the question "Why is Sam wet?" and discuss in simple words.
Reading passage
Every word can be sounded out except the, is, has, a, I and and, which children know by sight.
Sam is hot. The sun is hot.
Sam has a red hat. Sam has a big bag.
Sam sits in the mud. Sam is wet.
The pup is wet. The pup is sad.
Sam and the pup nap.
Questions
- Is Sam hot?
- What has Sam got?
- Where does Sam sit?
- Who else is wet?
- Is the pup sad?
Printable worksheet
Prints on its own A4 page. Use Print the worksheet above, or print the whole plan and the worksheet starts on a new page. One copy per child, or one per pair to save paper.
Read and show
1. Read the word. Match it to a clue.
| 1. hat | ● | ● | a. a baby dog |
| 2. mud | ● | ● | b. hot and in the sky |
| 3. sun | ● | ● | c. you wear it on your head |
| 4. pup | ● | ● | d. you put books in it |
| 5. bag | ● | ● | e. wet and brown |
2. Read and tick true or false.
| True | False | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Sam is hot. | ||
| 2. The sun is wet. | ||
| 3. Sam has a red hat. | ||
| 4. Sam has a big hat. |
3. How do you feel? Write one word.
- I am .
Answer key
Reading passage questions
- Yes, he is hot.
- A red hat and a big bag.
- In the mud.
- The pup.
- Yes.
Worksheet
- 1: hat-c, mud-e, sun-b, pup-a, bag-d.
- 2: True, False, True, False (the text says a red hat and a big bag).
- 3: answers will vary: hot, sad or wet. The drawing should match the word.
Exit ticket
Show each child a word card (hot, wet, sad, red or big) and ask them to sound it out and say the word. Tick: blended alone, blended with help, needs more practice.
Homework
Read the Sam story to someone at home and point to each word. Draw Sam in the mud and write "Sam is wet."
Teaching this to a whole class?
Litlings lets you plan lessons like this one, set photo and voice homework, and see who needs help. Free for up to 40 pupils.
Start free with LitlingsMore lesson plans
- Level 1, Week 7: Body and feelings (the curriculum week this plan comes from)
- Letters and Sounds: principles and practice of high quality phonics (Department for Education)
- All reading texts, dialogues, scripts, worksheets and answer keys on this page are original to Litlings and free to copy for classroom use.