What the Teacher Needs to Know about Feature B: Initial Consonant Blends and Digraphs

(Description – pp. 118-120, Word Lists – pp. 204, 201-203)

Blend two or three consonant sequences that are blended together, each of the sounds of the letters are pronounced (bl, tr, sh)

Digraph two letters that represent one sound (th, sh, ch) Whichever way words are studied (digraphs or blends first), it is a good idea to contrast the blend or digraph with its initial consonant counterpart. But, it is not always needed to break every blend or digraph for comparison. Use your students’ progression as a guide. S-blends are often a good starting point for blends, as their sounds are easier to isolate and stretch. Some other hints for blends: ♦ use words that remain words when the blend letter is dropped (Examples: snap/nap,

scat/cat, spit/pit, spin/pin, spot/pot, stop/top, stub/tub, brag/rag, clip/lip) ♦ a visual that can help is to sketch a picture of a slide and write letters going down to

show how to blend the onset and rime. s n a p

Hints for digraphs: ♦ when working with digraphs, save wh for last – it’s difficult to hear a difference in

sound between w and wh

Feature B Sort 1a

sing hand ship

soft shop held

song sunk help

shut

sing hand ship soft shop held song sunk help shut

Feature B Sort 1a

s h sh sing hand ship soft held shop song help shut sunk Transfer Words: sang, sink, hunt, hint, shed, shot

Feature B Sort 2a

camp hunt chat

cost cast honk

chin hang chop

chest

camp hunt chat cost cast honk chin hang chop chest

Feature B Sort 2a

c h ch camp hunt chat cost honk chin cast hang chop chest Transfer Words: camp, cub, honk, hump, chap, chum

Feature B Sort 3a

tent held than

tank hush that

test tusk them

hop

tent held than tank hush that test tusk them hop

Feature B Sort 3a

t h th tent held than tank hush that test hop them tusk Transfer Words: ton, tin, help, hunt, this, then

Feature B Sort 4a

shut chimp thank

thin chunk shelf

shaft think shift

chant

shut chimp thank thin chunk shelf shaft think shift chant

Feature B Sort 4a

sh ch th shut chimp thank shelf chunk thin chant shaft think shift Transfer Words: shop, shed, chomp, chum, thing, thud

Feature B Sort 5a

went hut wham

when hand whip

wink hint wish

which

went hut wham when hand whip wink hint wish which

Feature B Sort 5a

w h wh went hut wham wink hand when wish hint whip which Transfer Words: wing, wind, hot, help, what

Feature B Sort 6a

silk tank stem

step tin stop

sing sunk stub

test

silk tank stem step tin stop sing sunk stub test

Feature B Sort 6a

s t st silk tank stem sing tin step sunk test stop stub Transfer Words: song, sift, tent, tusk, stand, stunt

Feature B Sort 7a

sand pant sped

spin past sang

spit pest spot

sink

sand pant sped spin past sang spit pest spot sink

Feature B Sort 7a

s p sp sand pant sped sang past spin sink pest spit spot Transfer Words: sunk, such, pink, pond, spun, spend

Feature B Sort 8a

stink spank skid

snag stump snug

sting skit spend

spun

stink spank skid snag stump snug sting skit spend spun

Feature B Sort 8a

st sp sk sn stink spank skid snag stump spend skit snug sting spun Transfer Words: stand, spent, skin, snip

Feature B Sort 9a

scab smog slam

swam swim scan

smug scalp slap

sling

scab smog slam swam swim scan smug scalp slap sling

Feature B Sort 9a

sc sm sl sw scab smog slam swam scan smug slap swim scalp sling Transfer Words: scat, smash, slip, swift

Feature B Sort 10a

slump flag plan

plod flat flesh

slept plot slit

plug

slump flag plan plod flat flesh slept plot slit plug

Feature B Sort 10a

sl fl pl slump flag plan slept flat plod slit flesh plot plug Transfer Words: slim, sled, flip, fling, plum, plus

Feature B Sort 11a

blob clam flap

glad clip glum

blank flash blend

cling

blob clam flap glad clip glum blank flash blend cling

Feature B Sort 11a

bl cl fl gl blob clam flap glad blank clip flash glum blend cling Transfer Words: blast, clash, flint, gland

Feature B Sort 12a

club flesh frog

crab crib flop

from clog crop

front

club flesh frog crab crib flop from clog crop front

Feature B Sort 12a

cl fl fr cr club flesh frog crab clog flop from crib front crop Transfer Words: clamp, flap, frost, crash

Feature B Sort 13a

craft brag grab

prod grid brat

cramp brim prom

print

craft brag grab prod grid brat cramp brim prom print

Feature B Sort 13a

cr br gr pr craft brag grab prod cramp brat grid prom brim print Transfer Words: crust, brush, grip, prop

Feature B Sort 14a

dust ring drug

drum rest drip

desk rung deck

drank

dust ring drug drum rest drip desk rung deck drank

Feature B Sort 14a

d r dr dust ring drug desk rest drum deck rung drip drank Transfer Words: dunk, dock, rent, ramp, drop, drift

Feature B Sort 15a

tank rang trust

romp trunk tent

trash rust tax

trot

tank rang trust romp trunk tent trash rust tax trot

Feature B Sort 15a

t r tr tank rang trust tent romp trunk tax rust trash trot Transfer Words: test, tub, risk, ring, trim, trend

Feature B Sort 16a

drank tramp bring

grand draft brand

drift grant trash

trust

drank tramp bring grand draft brand drift grant trash trust

Feature B Sort 16a

dr tr br gr drank tramp bring grand draft trash brand grant drift trust Transfer Words: drunk, trend, brush, grunt