Blending Strategy

First sound out each letter separately. Next blend the first two letters smoothly together, then add the third sound. Finally blend all three sounds together to make a meaningful word. It is this stretching and blending process that your child needs to learn to do well, and this is where you can give regular help. Model for them how to place the sounds on their own arm, and run their hand down it to match what they hear themselves saying. First they put the three separate sounds on their arm, at shoulder, elbow and wrist, as they slowly say each sound. Second they go slowly down to the elbow as they blend the first two sounds before going on down to the wrist for the third sound. Finally they whiz down their whole arm as they speak out the whole (blended) word.