Teaching Phonics: LL Words

Teaching Phonics: LL Words 

Hey, y'all! Teaching phonics to young readers can be intimidating, especially as a new teacher. One thing I've learned over the years is that the more practice students get with a new skill, they better they can apply that skill later. And repetition through games increases a student's ability to apply that skill a bazillion times faster than just using rote memorization or rereading passages. So...my students and I use these phonics games to help solidify their new phonics skills quickly and in an engaging way. 

I love these games because they target each specific skill as they learn it. In our phonics curriculum, we learn one new spelling pattern a week. The kids could go through the motions of following along with our curriculum, but they weren't nearly as engaged as when we started using these phonics games. 

Each week, as we learn a new skill, we add these games to our class reading rotations. Depending on the reading group, I may teach and play the games with them explicitly as we learn each skill. Or, I may show them what to do and let them have at it. It depends on what reading skills that reading group already has. 

So our first grade reading rotations look like this: 

Station 1: read to self

Station 2: teacher table (play this week's game or review skills from previous weeks, plus reading)

Station 3: district reading computer program

Station 4: phonics games (independent and partner practice, current week's skill or review skills)

Students rotate through stations Monday to Thursday visiting two stations per day for about 15-20 minutes. (Our Friday schedule is weird.) If students still need practice with that skill, I'll leave the stations out longer. If they're good, I'll set those stations aside or use them for free choice stations the following week. 

To check out the full unit of LL words (-all, -oll, -ull words), head over to my TPT store here. While you're there, be sure to follow me. I'm always adding new resources and there are a TON of new phonics games coming in the next few weeks. 

This unit is also part of a growing bundle, so be sure to check it out, too. It'll save you some serious $$. 

I hope you found some new ideas for your classroom. Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful week. I'll talk to you soon. 

Stay cozy,