In Kindergarten, students usually begin the year by learning letter names, letter sounds, and how to write the letters.

But what comes after that? Students may not instantly be reading, even after they've learned the alphabet.

An even better question to ask is, "What can we do while teaching students the alphabet that will prepare them for what comes after alphabet instruction?"

Some phonics programs have students learning the letters and then starting in on CVC words afterward.

However, research indicates that the more students are asked to apply phonics concepts, the more they retain these skills.

So while Kindergarten students are learning the alphabet, they should also be using the letter sounds to read (and write) words.

Once you've taught 3 letters (example: Mm, Tt, Aa), begin modeling how to use those letters to blend to read simple words. For example, with just these 3 letters, you can make:

• at
• am
• mat
• Tam

Show students how to say each sound and then the whole word. For example: /ă/ /t/, at.

After students listen to you blend, have them blend along with you. 

Ultimately, the goal is for students to be able to blend to read words on their own. But this takes time! The more you can model, the better.

This is another reason why we should begin teaching vowel-consonant (VC) and consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words while we're still teaching the alphabet - because it gives students a longer time period in which to grow their blending skills.

Teaching Phonics After the Alphabet

After you've covered the alphabet, then you can (continue) working on CVC words with students. Some students may already be blending to read them, and others may still need lots of support.

You can cover CVC words with one short vowel at a time. You might spend a week or two on CVC words with short a, then move onto short o, etc.

Digraphs are another skill that most students will be ready for. In the Kindergarten version of our phonics program, we teach the following digraphs in Kindergarten:

• sh
• ch
• th
• wh
• ck (full spelling mastery of ck words is not expected until later grades)

The rest of the school year is typically spent on digraphs and CVC words. You may also choose to work on consonant blends and long vowel sounds (usually with silent e) as students are ready. However, you'll want to make sure that students master CVC words before moving onto those more advanced skills.

From Sounds to Spelling will provide much more guidance in teaching phonics in Kindergarten. Teachers receive complete lesson plans, videos to help them implement the program, printable student materials, posters, games, and much more. 

Grab a free week of the program at this link.