Did you know that our brains have to be taught to connect sounds and the letters that spell those sounds? These sound to symbol pathways are how we become automatic when reading and spelling words. When these sound to symbol pathways are not explicitly taught, a large number of children do not learn to read or spell. Research or the science of reading shows that human brains are not wired to read. Most children need to be explicitly taught sound to symbol corresponds. Learning sound to letter corresponds creates pathways within the brain between the phonological processor and the orthographic processor which will strengthen reading and spelling skills. Today we are going to focus on an instructional strategy that can be explicitly taught to help promote and develop sound to symbol correspondences.
Sound to Symbol Correspondences with Word Chains
Word Chains help promote the connections within the brain between the phonological and the orthographic processors. When this happens pathways within the brain are created to connect the phonemes/speech sounds to the graphemes/letter(s).
In the example below students are given the opportunity to practice sound to symbol relationships, and promote their overall reading and spelling skill set. Let's take a closer look at some ways to use word chains.
Scaffold Instruction: Sound Chains --> Word Chains
Word Chain Activity #1: Sound Chains ---> Word Chains
Sound Chains promote phonological awareness within the brain. Before students can read and spell, the brain needs to be able to hear and recognize the given sounds.
Sound Chains:
The teacher says a word. “cub” Teachers may use pictures, or this activity could be completely oral.
The student repeats the word. “cub”
Using small manipulatives (small chips, small felt squares, small erasers) the student will stretch out the sounds in the word. “/c/ /u/ /b/ “ Then the student will move one manipulatives for each phoneme into a sound box.
Word Chains
Once students are able to hear and manipulate the phonemes in a sound chain you can scaffold your instruction by introducing word chains.
Word Chains:
The teacher says a word. “cub” Teachers may use pictures, or this activity could be completely oral.
The student repeats the word. “cub”
Using small manipulatives (small chips, small felt squares, small erasers) the student will stretch out the sounds in the word. “/c/ /u/ /b/ “ Then the student will move one manipulatives for each phoneme into a sound box.
Students will write the letter that spells each phoneme in a sound box. Then write the complete word.
Word Chain Activity #2
With this word chain activity students are practicing at the phoneme beginning, middle, or ending sounds level. Students use the same steps as discussed in the above activity to apply their knowledge of sound to symbol correspondence to correctly make changes to the words.
Word Chain Activity 2:
The teacher says a word. “pig”
The student repeats the word. “pig” The student stretches out the sounds and writes the letters that spells each sound on a wipe off board.
The teacher will use question cues to signal for the student to change one letter or sound at a time and read the new word. Example: Change p to b -- big (decoding or reading skills), change /i/ to /u/ bug (encoding or spelling skills)...
To see this instructional strategy in action watch the Word Chains part 2 reel on my Instagram page.
Word Chain Examples
Click on the picture to watch my Instagram Reels about word chains.
Word Chains Part 1 - Teacher Notes
Word Chains Reel Part 2 -- Here’s an example of the instructional strategy in action.
I hope you found this Teacher Tip Tuesday post on word chains beneficial and a tool you will add to your small group teaching toolbox. Be sure to check back for this week's Friday Freebie on 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.