Sounds and Blending

Overview

Today children practise segmenting spoken words into sounds and blending sounds to read and say simple words. This builds the Reception foundation that leads into choosing graphemes for the sounds they hear.

Learning intentions

• WALT segment short spoken words into sounds (phonemes).
• WALT blend sounds to make a whole spoken word.
• WALT recognise and use a small set of taught sounds in simple CVC words (consonant–vowel–consonant).
• WALT read and say simple “sound-alike” words with support.

Success criteria

• I can tap out the sounds in a word as I say it.
• I can blend the sounds to say the word.
• I can match the sounds I hear to the word I am reading.
• I can read and say at least 3 of the focus words correctly.

Curriculum links

• Spelling – work for year 1: revision of reception work (segmenting spoken words into sounds before choosing graphemes).
• Spelling – work for year 1: consonant digraphs which have been taught and the sounds they represent (focus on sounds taught, including digraphs if your class has them).
• Spelling – work for year 1: vowel digraphs which have been taught and the sounds they represent (use only taught vowel sounds/digraphs).

Lesson structure (20 minutes)

1. 0–3 min · Warm-up rhyme recap. Teacher leads a quick call-and-response chant using one or two taught sounds (e.g., /s/, /m/, /a/, /t/) and a simple action for each. Children join in and repeat carefully, using the actions to keep their attention on individual sounds.

2. 3–8 min · Model segmenting and blending. Teacher shows a picture card (e.g., a cat) or says the spoken word “cat”, then demonstrates: tap sounds (/c/ /a/ /t/) and point as the sounds are blended back into “cat”. Children “tap and say” together, first slowly, then faster, to hear the word emerge.

3. 8–13 min · Guided practice: Sound boxes (quick whole-class). Teacher uses 3 sound boxes on the board (left to right). Say a CVC word from your focus set (e.g., “mat”, “sat”, “tap”, “man”, “hat” using only sounds your class knows) and asks: “What sound first? Next? Last?” Children answer by holding up fingers (1 per sound) and then blending the three sounds to say the whole word.

4. 13–17 min · Partner activity: Read the word, then show the sounds. Teacher gives pairs a small set of word cards (3–5 words) with the same vowel pattern. One child reads by sounding out; the partner checks by segmenting: “I hear /…/ /…/ /…/.” Children take turns; each correct blend earns a sticker or token.

5. 17–20 min · Quick assessment: Individual mini-check (rapid). Teacher calls 5–6 children at a time to read and say 2 focus words (teacher-led prompts only if needed). For each word, teacher asks: “What sounds do you hear?” and then “Blend them.” Children attempt independently; teacher notes whether they can segment and blend (or need extra support).

Resources

• Picture cards for the focus words (or one large set of simple CVC images)
• Sound boxes (3 boxes) displayed on board or mini-cards for children
• Small sets of word cards (3–5 CVC words in the same sound-family)
• Focus sound flashcards (only sounds/digraphs/double sounds already taught)
• Pair activity tokens/stickers
• Teacher clipboard or simple tally sheet for the quick assessment
• Optional: counters (1 per phoneme) or “tap markers” for sound tapping

Assessment

• During guided practice: observe whether children can identify first/next/last sounds when prompted.
• During partner activity: listen for correct blending (sounds joined into a word) and correct segmentation.
• Exit check (mini-individual): for 2 words, record whether the child can (1) segment into sounds and (2) blend to say the word.

Differentiation

• Support: provide sentence starters and prompts such as “First I hear… Next… Last…” and allow counters to represent each sound.
• Support: for children needing more scaffolding, give the first sound and ask them to blend the remaining sounds.
• Extension: offer one extra word with the same vowel/consonant pattern so they can apply the strategy (e.g., swap the first consonant only).
• EAL/SEN consideration: keep to a small, consistent word set; use actions and pictures; allow extra processing time before blending.