Teaching Digraphs with Phonics Games

Teaching Digraphs with Phonics Games

Hey, y'all! Our literacy centers this year are next level! The last few years, the kids did great with their phonics lessons and all, but they needed something more. They needed explicit, targeted practice in the skills we are working on. So...we started using these digraph phonics reading centers in small groups and during reading rotations and the kids are growing like crazy!

When my students came into first grade, they had been introduced to the digraphs sh, ch, th, and wh, but they weren't expected to know them solidly yet. As first graders, we review and relearn them not long after we learn to put together CVC words. 

When teaching digraphs, we start by naming the pictures we're using as reference. This builds vocabulary and helps students with identifying the digraph in the word. Then, we practice stretching the sounds we hear in the word and locating where the digraph is, beginning or end of the word. 

Once students can stretch the word, we write the sounds we hear on our read and write cards. I'll cover the word up and students try writing it on their own first. Then, we'll check our work and make any changes we need to make. This helps students identify sounds, map them, and build confidence in taking risks. 

We go over how to play each of the games in small groups. Then, during reading rotations, the kids can play them independently to continue practicing the skills. If a group of students are having a hard time with this skill, I'll keep some of the games at the horseshoe table to use with them during small reading groups. 

Games like the roll and read and great for practicing reading the words without picture cues. There are a ton of words that follow the spelling pattern we're working on but don't have obvious visual pictures to go with them. With the roll and read games, I can quickly determine if students can apply to the new skills to any word they read or if they are still needing the pictures for supports. It a great data to make a plan of action for our next reading group time. 

At the end of the week, or when I feel my students are ready to be assessed on their skills, we do a Scoot game to see how they're doing. We play these games a couple of ways: 

• We do a traditional Scoot game and the kids have a set amount of time to write the word in front of them before we all switch to the next one. 
• We put the cards up around the room and the kids go to whatever card they want to to write the word. 
• We play Quiz-Quiz-Trade and the kids quiz each other on how to spell the words. Then, they trade cards and find another partner to test. It's kind of like musical chairs with an academic twist.

This game has two choices for recording sheets. You can either have students write the whole word or simply bubble in which digraph they hear in the word. Whatever your students need. 

This digraph unit includes:

• read and write cards
• matching or memory cards
• Read and cover games
• Roll and read games
• Bump games
• Pyramid sentences
• Scoot game
• Spin and write sentences
• sound sorts

You can find the entire digraphs phonics games unit in my TPT store here. While you're there, be sure to follow me so you don't miss anything new--and there's a LOT of new happening, like a full bundle of these phonics skills games!

I hope you found some ideas for your classroom to help your little readers grow. Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful week! I'll talk to you soon. 

Stay cozy,