Skill Practice 1: Beginning sounds /g/, /h/, /j/, /k/, and /l/

T:
top.

Open your notebook to the next clean page. Write todays date at the

T: Next, we are going to compare letter sounds. We are going to focus on

beginning sounds. I will say two words from the story. They will begin with the
same sound.
I want you to write the letter of the sound these two words begin with on the
top of your paper.
T:

The words are girl, Gabriel.

[S writes g at the top (left side) of his or her notebook page. If learner uses
upper case G, then ask the learner to write lower case g beside the G.]
If the learner does not write the correct letter then repeat the words.
Note: If the wrong letter is written or your learner is not able to articulate which
letter to write, then the learner has worked too fast through the skill book. The
learner needs to go back through the lessons one at a time and learn to spell
every word in each lesson before advancing to the next lesson. We have flash
cards, letter tiles, computers, and many other ways for the learner to practice
spelling to build hearing, feeling, and identifying these letter sounds until the
learner can distinguish between the letters sounds without hesitation.
T:

When you think of the letter g, what word do you think of?

T:

Write that word under the letter g.

Note: You are listening for a word that begins with /g/.
Note: This book uses girl as the key word. Your learner may use any appropriate
word. If your learner selects a word from the skill book as his or her key word
and struggles spelling this word, then direct him or her to the back of the skill
book to find the word in the word list and copy the word below the g. If the
learners word is not from the book, then write the learners selected word on
a paper so your learner can copy the word under the g.

/h/
T: I will say two more words from the story. They will also begin with the same
sound. Write the letter for the sound these two words begin with on your paper
to the right of the letter g. The two words are hand, Henry.
[S writes h to the right of g.]
T: When you think of the letter h, what word do you think about? (This book
uses hand as the key word.) Write that word under the letter h.

/j/
T: I will say two more words from the story. They will also begin with the same
sound. Write the letter for the sound these two words begin with on your paper
to the right of the letter h. The two words are jumping, Jim.
[S writes j to the right of h.]
T: When you think of the letter j, what word do you think about? (This book
uses jumping as the key word.) Write that word under the letter j.

/k/
T: I will say two more words from the story. They will also begin with the same
sound. Write the letter for the sound these two words begin with on your paper
to the right of the letter j. The two words are kicking, Kim.
[S writes k to the right of j.]
T: When you think of the letter k, what word do you think about? (This book
uses kicking as the key word.) Write that word under the letter k.

/l/
T: I will say two more words from the story. They will also begin with the same
sound. Write the letter for the sound these two words begin with on your paper
to the right of the letter k. The two words are leg, Logan.
[S writes l to the right of k.]
T: When you think of the letter l, what word do you think about? (This book
uses leg as the key word.) Write that word under the letter l.
T:

Lets review what you wrote. [T reviews the sounds and key words the
learner wrote down.]

The learner should now have five columns written on the paper. At the top of
each column is a letter. Underneath each letter is a key word selected by the
learner.

Now use these five letters and key words to practice beginning
sounds.
T: I will say a word. Listen to its beginning sound. This word will begin with one
of the sounds your paper.

T: The first word is going. Say going. Write going under another word that
has the same beginning sound. (Use the word in a simple sentence, if the
learner is having difficulty pronouncing or understanding the word.)
Note: Do not react to the learner if he or she appears unsure and is looking for
help. Encourage the learner to make a decision and then be silent until the
learner has something written. If the learner asks for help, your response is
What do you think? or Put your answer where you think it goes.
If the learner struggles with the spelling of going, guide the learner in putting
whatever letters make the most sense based on what the learner thinks, feels
in his or her mouth and throat, and any other strategies he or she has
available, such as visual memory. Guide the learner in making appropriate
spelling choices.
After the word is written, ask, Is it in the correct place? Whether it is right or
wrong, ask, Why? The point of this is to get the learner to think and to
articulate. Be patient. Guide the learner to the answer if you have to but dont
give the answer away. The point here is for the learner to create strategies for
building independence and confidence, not for you to show off your skills.
Using the guidelines for above, ask the learner to write these words under the
correct key word. Give the words in random order. (Feel free to substitute other
common one-syllable words.)
/g/- go, golf, god, goat, good
/h/- heart, her, have, house, hard
/j/-joy, jam, jar, job, juice
/k/- king, key, kids, knife, keep
/l/- life, love, log, late, like

Skill Practice 2: Ending Sounds /l/, /m/, /n/ and /z/

Use the same process (explained in Lesson 1: Skills Practice 1) for building the
Beginning Sounds chart with the letter sounds /g/, /h/, /j/, /k/, and /l/. (This chart
may be written on the same page as Skills Practice 1. Write todays date next
to this new chart.)
T: We are going to compare letter sounds. Our focus will be on ending sounds.
I will say two words. They will end with the same sound.
I want you to write the letter for the sound these two words end with on your
paper.
T:

The words are Cal, hill.

[S writes l on the notebook page. If learner uses the upper case L, then ask
the learner to write the lower case l besides the L.]
If the learner does not write the correct letter then repeat the words.
Note: If the wrong letter is written or your learner is not able to articulate which
letter to write, then the learner has worked too fast through the skill book. The
learner needs to go back through the lessons one at a time and learn to spell
every word in each lesson before advancing to the next lesson. We have flash
cards, letter tiles, computers, and many other ways for the learner to practice
spelling to build hearing, feeling, and identifying these letter sounds until the
learner can distinguish between the letters sounds without hesitation.
T:
T:

When you think of a word ending with /l/, what word you think of?
Write that word under the letter l.

Note: The book does not offer key words for ending sounds. Your learner may
use any appropriate word. If your learner selects a word from the skill book as
his or her key word and struggles with spelling this word, then direct him or her
to the back of the skill book to find the word in the list and copy the word below
the l. If the learners word is not from the book, then write the learners
selected word on paper so your learner can copy the word under the l.
Continue building the chart (for further directions- See Lesson 1: Skills Practice
1). Use these sets of words.
/m/- Kim and him
/n/- Dan and Glenn
/z/- Liz and buzz

Now use the four letters and key words to practice ending sounds.
T: I will say a word. Listen to its ending sound. This word will end with one of
the sounds on your paper.
T: The first word is run. Say run. Write run under another word that has
the same ending sound. (Use the word in a simple sentence, if the learner is
having diffivulty pronouncing or understanding the word.)
Note: Do not react to the learner if he or she appears unsure and is looking for
help. Encourage the learner to make a decision and then be silent until the
learner has something written. If the learner asks for help, your response is
What do you think? or Put your answer where you think it goes.
If the learner struggles with the spelling of run, guide the learner in putting
whatever letters make the most sense based on what the learner thinks, feels
in his or her mouth and throat, and any other strategies he or she has
available, such as visual memory. Guide the learner in making appropriate
spelling choices.
After the word is written, ask, Is it in the correct place? Whether it is right or
wrong, ask, Why? The point of this is to get the learner to think and to
articulate. Be patient. Guide the learner to the answer if you have to but dont
give the answer away. The point here is for the learner to create strategies for
building independence and confidence, not for you to show off your skills.
Using the guidelines for above, ask the learner to write these words under the
correct key word. Give the words in random order. (Feel free to substitute other
common one-syllable words.)
/l/- pal, pool, pearl, wool
/m/-mom, gum, bum, worm
/n/-nun, gun, man, pan
/z/-jazz, buzz, quiz, razz

Skills Practice 3: Vowel sounds /e/ and /i/

Build a chart for /e/ and /i/. Write todays date next to each new chart. (These
charts may be written on the same page as Skills Practice 1 and/ or Skills
Practice 2. This chart must be double spaced so the learner has room to write
x under the vowel in each word.)
T: We are going to work with two vowels. First, you will build a chart. Then, we
will decide when the vowel sounds are at the beginning of the words or in the
middle of the words.
T: Lets begin. I will say two words. They both have the same vowel sound.
What vowel sound do you hear? Here are the two words: Ed, red.
[S says /e/]
Note: If the learner does not say /e/, then work with the learner to say Ed.
Help the learner to hold the initial sound /e/ - feeling where the sound happens
in the mouth, throat, and teeth until the learner can produce the /e/ by itself.
Then ask for the letter name.
Note: If the learner says /Ed/, then immediately says a, acknowledge that the
learner has the correct letter name. Then, redirect the learners attention to
producing the /e/ sound (short a sound) associated with /Ed/.
T: Write the letter in your notebook.
[S writes e in the notebook.]
T: What word do you think when you hear /e/ (short sound)?
[S says a word. The word must have /e/ (the short vowel sound) as the first
letter of the word. If the word is appropriate, guide the learner in writing the
selected word under the e in his or her notebook. If the word is not
appropriate, then guide the learner in finding an appropriate word. Help the
learner spell or copy his or her word under the e.]
T: Where does the vowel sound come in your word? At the beginning of the
word or in the middle of the word?
[S says At the beginning.]
T: Write an x under the e. Write b to the left of your word. B means /e/
(short sound) is at the beginning of the word.
Note: If the learner does not say at the beginning, then work through the
sound of the word, identifying the order of the sounds in the word.
T:

Lets talk about the second vowel sound next.

T: I will say two words. They both have the same vowel sound. What vowel do
you hear? Here are the two words: in, Jill.
[S says /i/]

Note: If the learner does not say /i/, then work with the learner to say in. Help
the learner to hold the initial sound /i/ - feeling where the sound happens in the
mouth, throat, and teeth until the learner can produce the /i/ by itself. Then
ask for the letter name.
Note: If the learner says /in/, then immediately says i, acknowledge that the
learner has the correct letter name. Then, redirect the learners attention to
producing the /i/ sound (short a sound) associated with /in/.
T: Write the letter in your notebook.
[S writes i in the notebook.]
T: What word do you think about when you hear /i/ (short sound)?
[S says a word. The word must have /i/ (the short vowel sound) as the first
letter of the word. If the word is appropriate, guide the learner in writing the
selected word under the i in his or her notebook. If the word is not
appropriate, then guide the learner in finding an appropriate word. Help the
learner spell or copy his or her word under the i.]
T: Where does the vowel sound come in your word? At the beginning of the
word or in the middle of the word?
[S says At the beginning.]
T: Write an x under the i. Write b to the left of your word. B means /e/
(short sound) is at the beginning of the word.
Note: If the learner does not say at the beginning, then work through the
sound of the word, identifying the order of the sounds in the word.

Now practice distinguishing between /e/ and /i/ vowel sounds and their
placements (beginning or middle) in their words.
T: Listen to the word Ed. Write Ed under the correct short vowel.
[S writes Ed under /e/.]
Note: If the learner doesnt write Ed in the correct list, work through
identifying and feeling the production of the /e/ sound in Ed. Compare this
vowel sound to the vowel sounds in both of the learners key words.
Note: Do not react to the learner if he or she appears unsure and is looking for
help. Encourage the learner to make a decision and then be silent until the
learner has something written. If the learner asks for help, your response is
What do you think? or Put your answer where you think it goes.
If the learner struggles with the spelling of run, guide the learner in putting
whatever letters make the most sense based on what the learner thinks, feels
in his or her mouth and throat, and any other strategies he or she has

available, such as visual memory. Guide the learner in making appropriate

spelling choices.
After the word is written, ask, Is it in the correct place? Whether it is right or
wrong, ask, Why? The point of this is to get the learner to think and to
articulate. Be patient. Guide the learner to the answer if you have to but dont
give the answer away. The point here is for the learner to create strategies for
building independence and confidence, not for you to show off your skills.
T: Where is the vowel sound in the word Ed located? At the beginning of the
word or in the middle of the word?
[S says At the beginning.]
T: Write an x under the e. Write b to the left of your word. B means /e/
(short sound) is at the beginning of the word.
[S writes an x under e in the word Ed, then writes b to the left of Ed
under e]
T: Listen to the word red. Write red under the correct short vowel.
[S writes red under /e/.]
Note: If the learner doesnt write red in the correct list, work through
identifying and feeling the production of the /e/ sound in red. Compare this
vowel sound to the vowel sounds in both of the learners key words.
T: Where is the vowel sound in the word red located? At the beginning of the
word or in the middle of the word?
[S says In the middle.]
T: Write an x under the e in red. Write m to the left of your word. M
means the /e/ (short sound) is in the middle of the word.
[S writes an x under the e, and then writes m to the left of red.]
Using the guidelines for above, ask the learner to write these words under the
correct key word and then for the position of the vowel. Give the words in
random order. (Feel free to substitute other common one-syllable words.)
/e/-met, red, egg, leg, pet
/i/- life, ion, ring, fish, king

Skills Practice 4: Adding the Ending s to Nouns

T: Open your notebook in the next page.
T:

Write the word girl. Now write the word girls.

[S writes down girl, girls]

T:

These two words are similar. How do they differ?

[S: Girls has an s at the end]

T: When we add s to girl, we make it more than one. Listen to this sentence,
and tell weather you hear girl or girls.
T: The girls are playing.
[S writes girls]
T: The girl looks sad.
[S writes girl]
Note: Do not react to the learner if he or she appears unsure and is looking for
help. Encourage the learner to make a decision and then be silent until the
learner has something written. If the learner asks for help, repeat the sentence
and then ask What do you think?
Using the guidelines for above, repeat the same process with the next nouns:
-egg
-pan
-cup
-bird
-leg