Introduction Unit (Oct 19, 20, 21)
Unit Overview
-
By the end of this unit, students will
✓ Understand how to take care of and use the Magnetic Folders
✓ Understand the color-coding of the Magnetic Folder
✓ Learn the routine for segmenting (pinching sounds) and blending (one-breath blending)
✓ Learn the routine for Spelling Syllables
✓ Learn the routine for the spelling strategy: P.A.W.S.
-
Students know:
Consonant sounds
Short Vowel sounds
-
Key Idea: Our CRSL Folders help us to word builders. They cost a lot to replace, so we must be responsible in taking care of them.
-
Key Idea: When we listen to sounds, we pinch the sounds by touching a finger to the thumb for each sound.
-
Key Idea: We use one-breath blending. The vowel sound is the glue that holds our sounds together
-
Key Idea: When we spell a chain of syllables, we say the syllable, say the sounds, say the change, move, the tiles, and then check our spelling.
-
Key Idea: We become effective spellers, by pinching the sounds and then writing sounds, which means we say the sounds as we write them.
Magnetic Folders
-
Our CRSL Folders help us to word builders. They cost a lot to replace, so we must be responsible in taking care of them.
-
✓ Time spent teaching routines is an investment in instruction.
✓ We teach and practice how to use the materials first so students can use them purposefully throughout the program.
✓ Routines build students’ independence while also saving the teacher’s time.
✓ When you teach, model each procedure, let students practice, and give specific feedback—just as you would when teaching an academic skill.
-
What?
Students will fill ownership for the CRSL folders and learn how to care for them correctly.
How?
Students will practice distribution of the folders, how to care for them, how to care for the letters, and how to store them after the lesson.
Why?
The folders will be a primary instructional tool. Ultimately, they save time and money, but they must be cared for properly.
-
Student: Does not put letters back to the correct spot on the folder.
Teacher says: Give each letter a home.Student: Carelessly handles a folder.
Teacher says: Pretend you are a waiter in a restaurant, and the folder is your tray. Use both hands to carry it safely.
Blending and Segmenting
-
Key Idea for Blending: We use one-breath blending. The vowel sound is the glue that holds our sounds together.
Key Idea for Segmenting: When we listen to sounds, we pinch the sounds by touching a finger to the thumb for each sound.
-
✓ In a Science of Reading program, a key learning is developing phonemic awareness: hearing each sound in a word and then accurately blending those sounds to read a word.
✓ This requires teaching segmenting and blending explicitly, with methods that provide successful results.
-
What?
Students will learn how to attend to each sound in a word and how to blend the sounds with consecutive blending.
How?
Students will practice Pinching Sounds by touching a finger to the thumb for each sound. When they blend sounds, they learn One-Breath Blending, which keeps sounds connected.
Why?
Students will use Pinching Sounds and One-Breath Blending throughout the program.
-
Student: Student omits the middle vowel, drops a consonant, or reverses sounds.
Teacher Says: There are __ sounds in this word. Say the word and pinch each sound.Student: When saying sounds, student says “muh,” “tuh,” or “puh,” adding an extra vowel.
Teacher Says: Let’s clip those sounds. (Makes a scissors motion in front of mouth.)Student: Student says each sound correctly but pauses too long between sounds and loses the pronunciation of the word.
Teacher Says: Keep your voice box running. Blend with One-Breath Blending.
Spelling Syllables
-
Key Idea: When we spell a chain of syllables, we say the syllable, say the sounds, say the change, move, the tiles, and then check our spelling.
-
✓ When students say the sounds, make the change for a new word, and red the result, they connect what they hear, what they see, and what they do.
✓ This is the heart of the Folder Lesson. Students apply the new concept, while blending, segmenting, and manipulating sounds.
✓ The folder lesson has 8 syllables in a chain. It is important to follow the routine explicitly but also efficiently.
✓ Adding a rhythm/beat to the routine will keep the instruction lively.
-
What?
Students will build a chain of eight syllables. Usually, these syllables will not be real words, which helps the students process the syllable rather than relying on memory of a known word.
How?
Students pinch the sounds for the first syllable. For each next syllable, they will repeat the word (“Let’s go from ___ to (clap) ___.”), say the change (“Out with____, in with ___.”), move the tiels, and then check by blending.
Why?
Building these connections helps secure the sounds and syllable in memory for future reading and spelling.
-
Student begins work without hearing the new syllable.
Teacher says: “Say it with me: Let’s go from ___ to (clap) ___.”Student spells the syllable incorrectly.
Teacher says: “You have ____. I want __.” If student continues to have difficulty, teacher explicitly instructs.
Spelling with P.A.W.S
-
Key Idea: We become effective spellers, by pinching the sounds and then writing sounds, which means we say the sounds as we write them.
-
✓ Segmenting first helps students identify the sounds they need to spell.
✓ Saying each sound as they write helps them deliberately connect that sound to its letter or letters.
✓ Research has shown that segmentation instruction improves beginners’ ability to represent sounds in their spellings.
-
What?
Before students spell the word, they segment it, and then they monitor their spelling by saying each sound.
How?
The instructional purpose is to connect each spoken sound with its written representation. We call this P.A.W.S.: Pinch the sounds (segment), And Write Sounds (say each sound while writing).
Why?
This routine is consistent with orthographic mapping: forming connections between a word’s pronunciation and its spelling so the word can be remembered.
-
Student incorrectly segments the sounds.
Teacher says, “This syllable has __ sounds. Let’s pinch together.”Student incorrectly spells the word.
Teacher says, “You have ___ . I want ___. Cross out the word and spell it again.”Note: We encourage students not to erase an error, as it is important to see their work.
Final Prep
-
One per student with consonants, short vowels, consonant digraphs.
-
Make Copies (PDF coming soon)