Building Word Power

Overview

Today’s lesson uses explicit, scaffolded decoding and spelling routines to help a Year 12 student read and spell unfamiliar words without memorising whole forms. We will practise sounding out, blending, segmenting, and checking using a simple, repeatable system.

Learning intentions

• Students will be able to decode unfamiliar words by using letter–sound knowledge, syllables, and blending.
• Students will be able to spell dictated words using sound-by-sound strategies and segmenting.
• Students will be able to pronounce target words clearly by practising stress, syllables, and autocorrection.
• Students will be able to use a quick check to confirm spelling and reading accuracy.

Success criteria

• I can sound out a new word in chunks (sound-by-sound or syllable-by-syllable) and blend it to read it.
• I can spell a new word I hear using the sounds I identify, then reread what I wrote.
• I can pronounce target words by saying syllables, then the full word, and checking it sounds right.
• I can correct at least 1 mistake using my check (not by guessing from memory).

Curriculum links

• Reading and viewing: use phonics, grammar, and word knowledge to decode and read with fluency and accuracy.
• Writing: plan and produce texts using spelling conventions, including accurate spelling of high-frequency and unfamiliar words through strategies.
• Language: understand how spelling and pronunciation patterns work across common sound–spelling relationships.
• Speaking and listening: express pronunciation clearly and adjust based on feedback.

Lesson structure (4 minutes)

1. 00:00–00:45 Warm start (1-minute routine, teacher-led)

• Teacher shows 6 sound tiles (e.g., m/a/t, sh/i/p) and models: “I hear /m/… then /a/… then /t/… blend: mat.”
• Student repeats the routine for 2 simple words, focusing on clean pronunciation and blending.

2. 00:45–01:45 Decode with chunks (teacher modelling + student practice)

• Teacher writes 3 target words at a Year 5–appropriate decoding level (choose words with common patterns the student can handle).
• Teacher models one word: point to each grapheme, say the sound, then blend; then repeat full word with correct pace.
• Student reads the next two words using the same steps: (a) sound out, (b) blend, (c) read again smoothly.

3. 01:45–02:45 Dictated spelling (sound-to-print, with reread check)

• Teacher dictates 3 words (Year 3–appropriate spelling demands) clearly, once for listening and once for dictation.
• Student spells by segmenting sounds aloud (or tapping fingers per sound), writes the word, then rereads it to check it matches the sounds.
• Teacher provides immediate correction and the student makes a corrected copy of one word only (to avoid overload).

4. 02:45–03:45 Pronunciation and autocorrect

• Teacher revisits the same 3 words and models syllable-by-syllable pronunciation (e.g., “com-pu-ter” style, if relevant).
• Student practises saying syllables, then the full word; then student reads the word from their written version.
• Teacher asks: “Did your spelling match how it sounded? What will you change if it doesn’t?”

5. 03:45–04:00 Exit check (quick evidence of learning)

• Student reads 1 new word (not on the board) aloud using the decoding steps.
• Student spells 1 new word dictated once; teacher notes accuracy and next focus.

Resources

• Coloured sound tiles or printed letter–sound cards (vowels and common consonants)
• Whiteboard/slate or lined paper
• Marker/pencil with an eraser or correction tape
• A small list of target words (3 for decoding, 3 for spelling; matched to the student’s current sound patterns)
• Finger tapping guide (student taps per sound)
• Optional: a simple recording device to replay pronunciation for self-check
• Timer (to keep the routine short and consistent)

Assessment

• Teacher observation during decoding: Does the student blend sounds without skipping steps?
• Teacher review of spelling: Are phonemes represented in the written word (even if imperfect)? Can the student correct using the check?
• Exit check: Accuracy on the single new word read and spelled to confirm transfer beyond memorised forms.

Differentiation

• Support (for behind reading/spelling):
• Keep word sets very small (3 + 3) and use the same routine each time.
• Provide a “sound bank” of the graphemes already practised.
• Limit correction to one word per dictation cycle to reduce cognitive load.
• Extension (if the student finishes early):
• Add one extra word for decoding and ask the student to identify the pattern (e.g., “Which vowel sound do you hear?”).
• Ask the student to explain which sound chunk helped most.
• EAL/SEN considerations:
• Use short, clear teacher prompts and consistent sentence stems (“I hear… I blend… I reread…”).
• Pre-teach any unfamiliar vocabulary that appears in instructions (not in the target words).
• Provide extra time for articulation; accept approximate pronunciations initially, then refine with feedback.
• If the student struggles with sound isolation:
• Use thicker support: teacher does sound tapping first, then the student repeats tapping and only then writes.