Skill: Explicit Phonics Reading and Writing CVCe Words Overview of Activity In a CVCe pattern word, a single vowel is followed by a consonant, which, in turn, is followed by a final e. In approximately two-thirds of one syllable CVCe words, the initial vowel stands for its long sound. In the other onethird, the initial vowel sometimes stands for its short sound, as in give, or for a sound that is neither short nor long, as in done (carnine et al. 2006). This sample lesson model targets reading and writing CVCe words spelled a_e. The same model can be adapted to introduce other CVCe spelling patterns and to enhance phonics instruction in any commercial reading program. Material: Picture cards: cake, cap, cape, cat, gate, map, pan, van, wave Introduce the CVCe Pattern Print the word tap on the board and have students blend it. Point to the a in tap and ask students to say the sound of the letter. (/a/) Next, add an e to the end of tap to make tape. Point to the letter a in tape and say: The name of this letter is a and the sound for this letter is /āāā/. The e at the end of tape tells us that the sound of the vowel is the same as the vowel s name, /ā/. Point to the letter a again and ask: How can we identify the sound of this vowel? (The e at the end of the word tells us that the sound is the same as its name.)
Teach/Model Print the word tape on the board. Say: Today I am going to show how to sound out words that end with the letter e. Watch me blend the sounds in the first word. Point just to the left of tape and say: This word ends with the letter e. The letter e at the end of this word tells me that the sound of the vowel is the same as the vowel s name. Point to the letter a and say: The vowel s name is a. Its sound is /ā/. Now watch as I blend the word. 1. Point to the letter t and say: /t/. 2. With two fingers, point to the letters a and e and say: /āāā/. 3. Point to the letter p and say: /p/. 4. Point just to the left of tape and say: Now watch as I read the whole word. Then quickly sweep your finger under the whole word and say tape. Say: Tape is a sticky piece of plastic. I use tape to wrap a present. Tape. Repeat the same routing with the word cane.
Teach/Lead Print the word rake on the board. Say: Now I am going to lead you in sounding out words. You re going to sound out some words along with me. Remember, the letter e at the end of this word tells us that the sound of the vowel is the same as the vowel s name. Point just to the left of rake and ask: Is there an e at the end of this word? (yes) Ask: What does the tell us? (The sound of the vowel is the same as the vowel s name.) Point to the letter a and ask: What sound does the vowel a stand for? (/ā/) 1. Point to the letter r and have students respond along with you: /rrr/. 2. With two fingers, point to the letters a and e and have students respond along with you /āāā/. 3. Point to the letter k and have tudents respond along with you: /k/. 4. Point just to the left of rake and say: Let s read this word. Quickly sweep under the word as you lead students in saying the whole word: rake. Repeat the same routing with the words tame and made. When you are finished, develop students vocabulary by going back and clarifying the meaning of any unfamiliar words.
Teach/Check Print the word game on the board. Say: Now it s your turn to sound out words. Remember, an e at the end of a word tells us that the sound of the vowel is the same as the vowel s name. When I point to a letter, I want you to say its sound. When I sweep my finger under a word, say the whole word. 1. Point to the letter s. Ask: Sounds? (/s/) 2. With two fingers, point to the letters a and e. Ask: Sound? (/ā/) 3. Point to the letter m. Ask: Sound? (/m/) 4. Point just to the left of same. Ask: What s the word? Quickly sweep your finger under the word to signal students to respond by saying the whole word. (same) Repeat the same routine with the words take and rate. When you are finished, develop students vocabulary by going back and clarifying the meaning of any unfamiliar words. CORRECTIVE FEEDBACK If a student or students respond incorrectly, stop immediately and model the correct response for the entire group and then ask the group to respond. A common error is saying a CVC word instead of a CVCe word; for example, saying sam for same.
Word Reading Practice for Automaticity Print the following words on the board: lake, tap, van, fade, cake, fake, lane, fad, cave, tap. Say: Now it s your turn to sound out words. When I point to a word, sound it out to yourselves. When I sweep my finger under the word, read the whole word aloud. Point just to the left of lake. Pause three seconds for students to sound out the work to themselves. Then say: What s the word? Quickly sweep your finger under the word. Follow the same routing with the rest of the words. When all the words have been read correctly, ask students to read them again in a different order with two-second pause. Word Work: Word Building Say: We are going to build some words. Print the word cane on the board. Ask: What s this word? (cane) Say: Watch as I change one letter in cane to make a new word. Erase the n and replace it with m. Say: I changed the n to m. Ask: What s the new word? (came) Erase the c and replace it with s. Say: I changed the c to s. Ask: What s the new word? (same) Give each student a small dry-erase board and dry-erase marker. Say: Now it s your turn to build words. I ll tell you what letters to print on your board. The first letter is g. The next letter is a. The next letter is t. The last letter is e. Ask: What s the word? (gate) Say: Change the g to l. Ask: What s the new word? (late) Continue by having students build more words for example: Say: Change the l to m. Ask: What s the new word? (mate) Say: Change the t to k. Ask: What s the new word? (make) Say: Change the k to l. Ask: What s the new word? (male) Say: Change the m to s. Ask: What s the new word? (sale) When word-building sequence is complete, ask a volunteer to read all the words aloud.