Mastering Digraphs Together

---

Overview

This 35-minute lesson focuses explicitly on teaching digraphs to 5th-grade students, with special emphasis on supporting low to average ESL learners in Nunavut. The content aligns with the Ontario Curriculum for Language (The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8: Language, 2006, Revised 2023), targeting phonological awareness, word recognition, and language comprehension skills.

---

Curriculum Connections

Ontario Language Curriculum Expectations – Grade 5

• Reading: 1.4 Use knowledge of letter-sound relationships and meaning to decode unfamiliar words.
• Oral Communication: 1.4 Use appropriate strategies to communicate in a variety of contexts, including ESL contexts.
• Writing: 1.2 Spell familiar words correctly and use a variety of strategies (phonics, word families, morphology).

These align with the fundamental goal of developing phonological and orthographic skills among learners, especially supporting ESL students with foundational English sounds.

---

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Identify and pronounce common English digraphs (e.g., sh, ch, th, wh, ph).
• Decode and spell words containing digraphs accurately.
• Apply digraph knowledge in reading and writing contexts.

I Can Statements

• I can recognise and say digraph sounds in words.
• I can read aloud words with digraphs fluently.
• I can use digraphs correctly when spelling and writing sentences.

---

Success Criteria

• Students accurately identify the digraph sounds in spoken and written words (at least 80% accuracy).
• Students decode and read aloud at least 10 digraph-words with correct pronunciation.
• Students spell at least 5 words containing digraphs correctly in a short writing activity.

---

Materials

• Flashcards with digraphs and corresponding pictures (sh, ch, th, wh, ph)
• Word lists containing digraphs (colour-coded for ESL support)
• Recording device or tablet for oral practice (audio playback)
• Whiteboard & markers
• Worksheets for matching, word-building, and sentence writing

---

Lesson Outline

1. Introduction & Motivation (5 mins)

• Begin with a short story or sound game that features digraph sounds (e.g., "She sells shells by the seashore" emphasising /sh/).
• Elicit prior knowledge by asking: “What sounds do you hear in the word ‘ship’?”
• Introduce the term ‘digraph’ as two letters that make one sound.

Differentiation: Use visuals and gestures for ESL students; pair stronger and weaker students for peer support.

---

2. Direct Teaching: Digraph Focus (8 mins)

• Display flashcards for each common digraph: sh, ch, th, wh, ph.
• Pronounce each and have students repeat chorally and individually. Use mouth modelling to show articulation.
• Show pictures/words corresponding to each digraph (e.g., ship, chip, thumb, whale, phone).

I Can: “I can say the sound when I see two letters together.”

Differentiation: For ESL students, include oral repetition drills with slower pacing, and provide written cues colour-coded by sound.

---

3. Interactive Group Activity - Digraph Word Building (10 mins)

• In groups of 4, students use letter tiles or cards to build words from the word list centred on digraphs.
• Each student takes turns saying the word aloud.
• Groups write 2 or 3 digraph words on mini whiteboards.

Teacher Role: Monitor pronunciation, give immediate feedback, scaffold where needed. Use formative assessment by noting student pronunciation difficulties.

Differentiation: Provide sentence starters or word banks for ESL students; challenge advanced students to use the words in sentences orally.

---

4. Applied Practice: Reading and Writing (8 mins)

• Hand out a worksheet with short sentences containing digraph words.
• Students read the sentences aloud individually or in pairs, focusing on fluency and correct sounds.
• Then, students choose at least 3 digraph words from the sentences to write their own simple sentences.

I Can: “I can read sentences with digraph words and write my own sentences.”

Differentiation: Allow ESL learners to write with word banks or draw a picture illustrating their sentence to support comprehension.

---

5. Wrap-Up and Reflect (4 mins)

• Recap: Ask students to share one digraph word they learned today.
• Review success criteria and ask students to self-assess: “Did I say the digraph sounds correctly? Could I read and write digraph words?”
• Give positive feedback and set a simple homework challenge: Find 3 digraph words at home or in books and practise saying them.

---

Assessment Strategies

• Formative: Monitor oral reading and group activities, recording errors or improvements.
• Checklist: Observe use and recognition of digraphs during activities.
• Self-Assessment: Students reflect on “I Can” statements with thumbs up/down or coloured cards.

---

Differentiation Summary

Learner Type	Strategy
Low ESL learners	Visual supports, slower repetition, gestures, peer buddy system, oral over written focus
Average ESL learners	Word banks, sentence scaffolds, paired reading, explicit phonics instruction
Advanced readers	Extension: Create complex sentences or small word puzzles including digraphs
Diverse abilities	Multi-sensory approach (oral, visual, kinesthetic), flexible grouping

---

Teacher Reflection Prompts

• Were all learners able to identify and pronounce digraphs confidently?
• How effective were the differentiation strategies, particularly for ESL learners?
• What worked well to maintain engagement during the interactive activities?
• How could I integrate Indigenous languages or cultural elements relevant to Nunavut in future lessons?

---

This lesson plan encourages active engagement, contextualised learning, and provides scaffolding to build phonological awareness firmly aligned with Ontario's language curriculum standards while fostering inclusiveness for Nunavut’s ESL students.