Teaching AW and AU Words with Phonics Centers

Teaching AW and AU Words with Phonics Centers

Hey, y'all! We've been using our phonics games and interventions during small group and center time this school year and the growth I've seen in my students is nothing short of amazing! This week, we're working on words with the /aw/ sound, with the "aw" and "au" spelling pattern, and these phonics centers are making my job so much easier! 

Each week, we learn a new phonics skill in our classroom. I love our phonics program from the district, but it was lacking some targeted skills practice after the phonics lesson. I didn't like teaching the skill for 15-20 minutes a day then hoping the kids would come across the spelling pattern in their own reading. So, I started creating phonics centers that matched the skill we're working on as a whole group. And it's been a game changer! 

After we do our whole class lesson, the kids break into groups to practice the skills. One of their rotations is phonics centers. I put the new skill set out on Monday and leave the previous few weeks' centers out for additional practice. 

When teaching the /aw/ sound, students learn that the "aw" spelling pattern usually comes at the end of the word or syllable like in "law" and "draw." The "au" spelling pattern is usually found in the middle of a word like in "pause" and "haul." Using the matching cards to sort and analyze spelling patterns is a great way to introduce /aw/ words to the class. 

This set of phonics centers includes trail games, hidden word games, ABC order puzzles, roll and read games, Bump and Scoot games, matching/memory cards, and read and write cards. I don't put all the things out for the kids at once. That would be overwhelming. But I do put out most things and save the roll and read games or matching cards for small groups and the Scoot games for an end of the week assessment. There's so much to choose from, it makes it easy to differentiate for your low, medium, and high kids. 

You can find these phonics centers in my TPT store here. They're also part of a larger growing bundle designed to last you the entire school year. You can find the full bundle here. While you're there, be sure to follow me on TPT. I'm always adding new things and making updates and I know you won't want to miss them! 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you found some new ways to make your literacy centers more engaging and efficient. Have a wonderful week and I'll talk to you soon. 

Stay cozy,