This week's Friday Freebie is all about word chains. In this free resource you will receive a downloadable pdf list of word chains for CVC short vowel closed syllables.
What are word chains?
The instructional purpose of a word chain is to help students manipulate and match phoneme grapheme representations for reading and spelling. Words used in a
word chain activity are preplanned words that will assist students with a given phonics skill. When planning a word chain only one sound or grapheme can be changed at a time. This allows students to learn that some words only differ by one sound, and why phoneme grapheme mapping is an important skill. Word chains can be created for onset and rime, or at the phoneme level: beginning, middle, and/or ending sounds.
Why use word chains?
Word Chains are a great way to help strengthen students phoneme grapheme relationships. The science behind reading shows that human brains are not hard wired to read. For this reason, students need to be explicitly taught the phonemes or sounds and grapheme or letter patterns that spell those sounds. One quick and easy instructional strategy to support this relationship is Word Chains.
How to use word chains in the classroom?
Word Chains consist of eight words that all have the same explicitly taught skill. When creating a word chain it's important to note that only one phoneme or grapheme can be changed at a time.
For example,
rag --> rat --> ram
Notice in this example how only one phoneme changed at a time. Nonsense words can be utilized as needed to move from one word to the next. When using nonsense words, explain to students the next word is a nonsense or silly word.
Word Chains in Action -- Watch the video on this instructional strategy.
I hope you found this Friday Freebie post on word chains beneficial and a tool you will add to your small group teaching toolbox. Be sure to read more about word chains, and if you would like to learn about more ways to help teach children to read click on my post about Teaching the 7 Syllables Types.
Click on the picture to download this Word Chain Freebie. (pdf)