A plastic egg or envelope can hold just enough material for a short phonics lesson. Open it, name the picture, and give children time to say the three sounds before they reach for letter tiles.
At a glance
Start with one short vowel and use a three-space mat to connect sounds with letters.
1. Name the picture
Ask what the picture shows and supply the target word if the child uses another reasonable name.
2. Say and tap three sounds
Model the sounds in a word such as cat. Tap one space per sound, keeping the middle vowel easy to hear.
3. Build with the tiles
Select a tile for each sound and move it into the matching space. Touch the middle letter and say its sound again.
4. Blend and read
Slide a finger under the finished word as you blend. Check it against the picture after reading.
5. Write a fresh word
Use another picture with the same vowel and let the student build or write the word with less support.
A classroom example
In a fictional group, Jem writes pet for pit. His teacher says both words slowly and has him tap the middle sound. Jem replaces the vowel tile and reads pit.
Companion printable
The 34-page A4 PDF contains 100 picture cards, matching tiles, recording and spelling sheets, teacher directions, and picture-name keys.
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