Word families, sometimes called phonograms or chunks, can really help emergent readers begin to understand our complicated, and often inconsistent, language by providing some predictable patterns within words. When learning to read, patterns are important. Children recognize word patterns and this makes it easier when sounding out words.
For example, let us consider the "at" word family. First, show "at" to the child and have them repeat the sound. Then show the word "bat" and demonstrate how you can "read" the word by first making the "b" sound and then the "at". Repeat it slowly and then more quickly. Now continue with some other members of the "at" family such as cat, fat, hat, mat, sat, that, etc.
Can you see how much easier this method of using "chunks" of letters is compared to sounding out one letter at a time? We break words into chunks naturally as skilled readers and teaching children this skill can help them learn to read.
What is even better is that once children learn the 37 most common word families in English they will be able to decode 500 words. That puts emergent readers well on their way to mastering the entire decoding process. The most common word families include: ack, ain, ake, ale, all, ame, an, ank, ap, ash, at, ate, aw ay, eat, ell, est, ice, ick, ide, ight, ill, in, ine, ing, ink, ip, it, ock, oke, op, ore, ot, uck ,ug, ump, unk.
Word families are indeed an efficient way to get children reading. Once children learn these one-syllable phonograms then they will more easily be able to decode longer words, too.
Exposing your child to word families, teaching the use of these language patterns, and reinforcing the knowledge with rhyming games and activities will help your child learn to read.
Ways to Practice Word Families
For example, let us consider the "at" word family. First, show "at" to the child and have them repeat the sound. Then show the word "bat" and demonstrate how you can "read" the word by first making the "b" sound and then the "at". Repeat it slowly and then more quickly. Now continue with some other members of the "at" family such as cat, fat, hat, mat, sat, that, etc.
Can you see how much easier this method of using "chunks" of letters is compared to sounding out one letter at a time? We break words into chunks naturally as skilled readers and teaching children this skill can help them learn to read.
What is even better is that once children learn the 37 most common word families in English they will be able to decode 500 words. That puts emergent readers well on their way to mastering the entire decoding process. The most common word families include: ack, ain, ake, ale, all, ame, an, ank, ap, ash, at, ate, aw ay, eat, ell, est, ice, ick, ide, ight, ill, in, ine, ing, ink, ip, it, ock, oke, op, ore, ot, uck ,ug, ump, unk.
Word families are indeed an efficient way to get children reading. Once children learn these one-syllable phonograms then they will more easily be able to decode longer words, too.
Exposing your child to word families, teaching the use of these language patterns, and reinforcing the knowledge with rhyming games and activities will help your child learn to read.
Ways to Practice Word Families
- Using a chalkboard, whiteboard, magnets or even paper and pencil have your child sound out a word family such as at and print it down. Then have your child say the word cat. Ask them to identify the first sound they hear and have them place it down. Now have them say the word bat. Again ask them to identify the first sound that they hear, have them print it down. Continue until you have completed all of the at family words. * Note some students as they create word families may erase each word and print it new; some may just erase the first letter and keep the at word family; some may list all the at words together.
- Kids Zone - Free printable word family activities
- Apples 4 the Teachers - Free printable flashcards and manipulatives