Learn how to effectively use the ExploraLearn Phonics Program.
Phonics Sound Identification
Vowel-Consonant Blends and CVC Words
Consonant Blends
Digraphs
Long Vowel Sounds
Diphthongs
Phonics Stories
Welcome to the ExploraLearn Phonics Program. The program utilizes two learning methodologies for effective learning:
In this approach, your child will look at words and recognize the whole word by sight. For example, they see the image of a cat and say "cat."
This method teaches reading and writing by linking sounds to their written representations. For instance, children learn that the letter "B" makes the /b/ sound as in "bat," and combining it with the sound /at/ forms the word "bat." This approach helps them to read and spell new words by breaking them down into simpler sounds.
The kit is divided into 7 units, and it is advised to use the activities in the order given:
In the program, we have provided Letter Tokens, VC (Vowel-Consonant) Tokens, Consonant Blend Tokens, Twin Blend Tokens, Digraph Tokens, and Diphthong Tokens. As you cover the units, encourage your child to create words using these tokens; this will greatly improve their vocabulary.
Once your child completes Unit 1, we recommend introducing them to sight words (high-frequency words) using tokens provided. Start with a few sight words every day using the look-and-say method. Begin with green-colored tokens, then, over time, introduce pink-colored tokens.
Introduce your child to reading Level 1 stories after completing Unit 2. Assist them in reading Level 2 stories after completing Unit 2 and mastering green-coded sight words. Then, they can progress to Level 3 and Level 4 stories after completing Units 4 and 5, respectively.
Unit 1 covers the Letter Sounds and Short vowel sounds.
Unit 1 contains the following activities:
Each letter has a name and a sound. First, teach your child the letter sounds.
Ask your child to look at the letters on the flashcard, then help them to say and learn the letter sound. Check the video to listen to the sound of each letter.
Help your child to practice and memorize the sounds every day so they learn it thoroughly. Do not rush into it.
Take all the Alphabet Tokens and the Sound Vowel Cards.
Shuffle the cards and place them on a table.
Now, pick any one Alphabet Token and show it to your child.
Your child will say the correct sound, find and pick up the corresponding card, and also say the names of the objects shown on the card.
These worksheets will help your child in practicing the short sound of vowels.
Ask your child to identify each object by looking and call out the name, emphasizing the short vowel beginning sound only.
Ask them to write the correct vowel sound in the space provided.
Also, ask them to circle the images that start with the correct short vowel sound.
Note: Focus on the short vowel beginning sound only, and not the sound of the whole word. For example, in the case of "alligator," your child will focus on only the beginning or first "a" sound only and not the remaining sound.
These worksheets are designed to help your child practice the sounds of consonants.
Ask your child to identify each object by looking at it and calling out its name, focusing only on the initial consonant sound.
Then, have them write the correct consonant sound in the space provided.
Also, instruct them to circle the images that start with the targeted consonant sound.
Note: Focus solely on the initial consonant sound, not the sound of the entire word. For example, in the case of "dinosaur," your child should concentrate only on the beginning "d" sound and not the rest of the sounds in the word.
Sight words are commonly used words that your child should memorize as a whole by sight, enabling them to automatically recognize these words upon seeing them without the need to decode them phonetically.
We use the Dolch sight words list and encourage you to present a few sight word tokens to your child every day until they can recognize them by sight.
Start with the sight words that are color-coded in green.
Unit 2 covers the VC blends and CVC Words.
Unit 2 contains the following activities:
Once your child becomes comfortable with short-vowel and consonant sounds, you will introduce them to VC blends, where we take one vowel and one consonant to make a sound. For example, a + b = ab, i + d = id.
There are 25 VC blend cards, where short vowel sounds of a, e, i, o, u blend with the most common consonants.
Show one card at a time, then ask them to read and call out the name of all 4 objects given in the card. Emphasize how the word is ending with a short vowel and consonant blend sound. Take help of video guidance.
Encourage and help your child to read the sentence given in each card. Take one card at a time, ensure they understand it thoroughly, and also do Activity 2 with your child given on the next page.
We have provided VC blend tokens and Alphabet tokens.
As you are teaching words in each card to your child, ask them to place the card on a table and then use the alphabet token and VC blend token to create the words themselves.
Encourage them to try and create new words, and ask them to say it loud and see if they say it correctly.
Now that your child is confident in all the VC cards, you can play this exciting game with them, whereby they will create different words using Alphabets and VC Blends.
You will require:
Follow the instructions given in the game sheet or watch the video to play the game with your child.
Encourage your child to create new words not given in VC cards.
As you must have noticed, we added a Consonant to a VC blend to create the complete word. This is called CVC (Consonant Vowel Consonant). For example, c + a + b = cab, d + a + m = dam.
Things Required:
Place 1 CVC Crossword sheet on a flat surface, ask your child to identify the image and accordingly place the alphabet token in the boxes to complete the crossword. Do not forget to ask them to say each word aloud.
Answers:
Page 1 - rat, red, tub, bin, nout.
Page 2 - man, nut, sit, sob, bed.
Page 3 - rod, wed, win, pan, cup.
Things Required:
Using scissors, cut out the different tokens from the CVC Word Builder sheet. Now ask your child to identify each object and then make that word using the tokens provided.
List of Words:
Page 1 - map, pan, bat, den, web, net, pig, wig, dig.
Page 2 - top, mop, dog, jug, bus, sun, hen, pen, six.
Page 3 - fan, ran, bun, pin, lip, cot, hot, tap, cap.
If your child is comfortable with Level 1 Sight words as explained in Unit 1, then you should introduce them to Level 2 Sight words.
The Level 2 Sight words are shown below, and tokens are provided for the same. Shuffle and make them learn a few sight words every day.
Your child must be fairly comfortable with CVC and VC blends, recognizing and saying short vowel sounds and many sight words.
This is the time to introduce simple stories provided in the storybook. The stories provided focus on different blends that are taught in this course, which will help your child build skills needed for successful reading.
Unit 1 Stories are based on VC blend words like ab, ad, ed, it, ut, etc.
Read a story with your child, using plenty of expression and paying attention to the short vowel sound words. Ask your child simple questions regarding each story.
There are 25 stories related to VC blends for your child to read.
Unit 3 covers Consonant Blends - Beginning and Ending both.
Unit 3 contains the following activities:
Once your child becomes comfortable with CVC words, you can now introduce them to Consonant blends.
A consonant blend is when two or more consonants are placed together in a word, and each consonant's sound can be heard. It's like putting two letters side by side and saying their sounds quickly, one after the other, without adding any extra vowel sounds between them.
For example, in the word "blend," the "bl" is a consonant blend because you can hear both the "b" and "l" sounds. Other examples include "gr" in "grass" and "st" in "stop."
Things Required: Blend Reference Chart
Focus only on the left side of the chart, where various consonant blends are listed. This includes the "r" series, "l" series, and "s" series of blends.
Read aloud some words from each series to your child, emphasizing the initial consonant blend. Teach them to notice how the sounds combine yet can still be heard distinctly.
Note: You need to focus only on the beginning blend sound. The child is not expected to read the complete word.
Things Required:
Using scissors, cut out the different tokens from the Blend Token sheet. Now, ask your child to identify each object and then select the correct starting blend token for it. Ensure that your child says the word aloud, emphasizing the starting blend sound.
Things Required:
Parents will shuffle all the Blend Tokens and keep them nearby. Then, hand over the bingo card and a marker pen to the child.
The parent will pick up one Blend Token and show it to the child. The child will say the name of the object and identify the beginning blend sound. Then, they will cross off that beginning Blend on their sheet once.
The parent will continue showing the cards, and the child will identify the blends and mark them on their card.
Once the child crosses off 4 blends in any sequence—whether it be right, left, down, or diagonal—the game is over. Check how many tokens it took for the child to complete the game.
Things Required:
Take a few Blend Token cards and the corresponding beginning blend tokens.
Now, shuffle the cards and place them face down at a distance. Give your child one blend token. The child will run to the area, pick up all the Blend Token cards that begin with that blend, and bring them back to you.
Check how many correct cards they have brought.
Things Required:
Now as your child is becoming more confident in beginning Consonant blends, it's time for them to do some worksheets.
Give 1 worksheet at a time and ask them to identify the image and fill in the correct starting blend.
You can encourage your child now to create some words using blend tokens.
Things Required: Blend Reference Chart
Ending blends are groups of consonants found at the end of words where each letter's sound can be heard. Unlike vowel blends, in consonant ending blends, no new sound is created; instead, the individual sounds of the letters are pronounced quickly together. Examples include "nd" in "hand," "st" in "last," and "nk" in "bank."
Focus only on the right side of the chart, where different ending blends are given. Say words aloud, and the child identifies whether the word contains an ending blend. This helps develop their auditory discrimination skills.
Double Consonants: Teach your child that sometimes two letters stand together to make one sound. These are special because they are the same letter twice, and they work together as a team to make a single sound.
Give examples like "bell" for "ll," "kiss" for "ss," showing how the twin blend comes at the end of the word and emphasizes the single sound it makes.
Patience, practice, and positive reinforcement are key to helping them master this skill.
Things Required:
Place one worksheet on a flat surface and ask your child to identify and call out the name of the image. Encourage them to emphasize the ending sound. Then, they should place the token representing the ending sound in the box provided to complete the word.
Things Required:
Improve your child’s pattern recognition and vocabulary with this exciting activity.
Ask your child to read the first word given at the bottom, emphasizing the ending sound. Then ask them to search the word in the grid and circle it or color it.
Do this for all the words.
Unit 4 covers Digraphs and tricky sounds.
Unit 4 contains the following activities:
Digraphs are two letters that together make a single sound different from the sounds of each letter on its own.
For example, the /sh/ sound in "ship" is a single sound, and similarly, the /th/ in "thumb" is a single sound. They are not making different sounds.
Note: The Digraphs can be at the beginning or at the ending of words.
Things Required:
Using scissors, cut out the different tokens from the Digraph Token sheet. Now, ask your child to identify each object and then identify where two letters combining together are making a single sound. Ensure that your child says the word aloud, emphasizing the single sound.
Practice all the words until your child becomes comfortable with them.
Card 1 - Voiced and Voiceless "th" Sound
There are two sounds that "th" can make, called voiced and voiceless "th."
Understanding Voiced and Voiceless Sounds:
Start with Feeling the Vibration:
Practice Making the Sounds: Make your child practice making both sounds, emphasizing feeling the vibration for the voiced "th" and the absence of it for the voiceless "th."
Now, read out the words given in the card, ask them to touch their throat, and categorize them based on whether they feel a vibration.
Learning the difference can be challenging, so patience and positive reinforcement are important.
Card 2 - 3 Sounds of "ch"
The "ch" digraph has three sounds as given in the flashcard.
Start with the Common Sound: Begin by introducing the most familiar "ch" sound, as in "chop," "cherry," or "chair." Explain that when we see "ch" together in most words, it makes this unique sound.
Introduce the "k" Sound: Explain that sometimes "ch" can sound like a "k," especially in words borrowed from other languages. Use examples like "chorus," "character," or "chemistry."
Introduce the "sh" Sound: Lastly, introduce the "sh" sound that "ch" can make in some words, often found in words from French origin, like "chef," "chalet," or "machine."
Show Worksheet No. 3 of Unit 4 and practice the words that make the different sounds.
List of Words:
Chocolate, Anchor, Chef, Ache
Mustache, School, Branch, Parachute
Child, Mechanic, Cherry, Chandelier
Card 3 - Hard c and Soft c
The letter "c" can make two different sounds depending on the letters that follow it.
A simple rule is that "c" sounds like a "k" (hard "c") before the letters "a," "o," "u," and consonants. For example, cat, cot, cut, cake, crayons, etc.
It sounds like an "s" (soft "c") before the letters "e," "i," and "y." For example, city, cite, cylinder.
Now, read the words given in the card and let your child identify whether they make a hard "c" (k) or soft "c" (s) sound.
Card 4 - Hard g and Soft g
Introduce the Concept:
Start by demonstrating the two sounds "g" can make. The hard "g" sounds like "go," and the soft "g" sounds like "giraffe."
Explain the Rule: Tell your child that "g" usually makes the hard sound before "a," "o," "u," and consonants (e.g., "gum," "gold," "grape"). It makes the soft sound before "e," "i," "y" (e.g., "gem," "giant," "gym").
Use the card given and say words aloud, and have the child repeat after you, emphasizing the hard or soft "g" sound. This helps with auditory discrimination and pronunciation.
Card 5 - c vs k
English spelling rules can sometimes be confusing. Here's a method to make this concept clearer for a child:
Introduce Simple Rules:
Things Required:
Now, as your child is becoming more confident in Digraphs, it's time for them to do some worksheets.
The Worksheets cover the following topics:
Unit 5 covers Long Vowel Sounds, R-Controlled Words (Bossy r), and Magic e.
Unit 5 consists of the following activities:
The first thing you need to help your child understand is that long vowels "say their name," meaning the vowel sounds like the letter name itself.
For example, the "a" in "cake" sounds like the letter "A."
Therefore, long vowels are vowels wherein the sound of the letters A, E, I, O, U are pronounced the same as their names.
Example: "a" as in "cake" (long vowel sound) vs. "a" as in "car" (short vowel sound). Notice the difference in pronunciation.
When you put an "e" at the end of a short vowel word, the "e" becomes silent (i.e., it is not pronounced), and the short vowel sound becomes a long vowel sound.
Example:
Notice in the above words, the "e" is silent, but the short vowel sound has become a long vowel sound.
With the help of the long vowel cards provided, practice this rule with your child.
Note: There will be exceptions like "come," "have," and "some," which do not follow this rule. These words can be ignored for now.
When two vowels are together, the first vowel usually has the long sound, and the second is silent. This is called a Vowel Team.
Example:
Notice in the above words, the first vowel sound changes from a short vowel to a long vowel, and the next vowel sound is silent (you cannot hear it).
With the help of the long vowel cards provided, practice this rule with your child.
Note: For every rule, there will be exceptions. The aim is to first focus on words that follow the rules and ignore the others. Your child will learn them with practice over time.
Things Required: r-controlled cards - ar, er, ir, or, ur
Explain to your child that when a vowel is followed by "r," it changes the sound of the vowel, which is not exactly like the vowel's short vowel sound or long vowel sound. This is why it is called Bossy r.
Examples:
Notice in each of these words, the vowel and consonant sounds are not making distinctive sounds, but a single sound like "ar," "er," "ur," or "or," and "r" is dominating the sound.
Things Required:
Cut the image tokens given in the Game sheet 1 and 2 along the dotted lines.
Shuffle the tokens and give them to your child.
Open the Puzzle Completion chart.
Ask your child to read the word given in the tokens and identify if it is a short vowel word or a long vowel word.
Ask them to place the token in the correct place in the Puzzle Completion chart (matching the number of the token to that of the chart).
Your child will do this until both puzzles are completed.
Things Required: Magic e Worksheet
In this worksheet, your child will add an "e" to a three-letter short vowel sound word, and it will change to a long vowel sound.
Read the word on the left, noticing how it makes a short vowel sound. Now add an "e" on the right side at the end.
Notice how the word changes, and the vowel sound has changed to a long vowel sound.
Read the words aloud and notice the difference in both vowel sounds.
Unit 6 covers Diphthongs.
Unit 6 consists of the following activities:
Diphthongs are special sounds made when two vowel sounds are put together, and you can hear both sounds.
Things Required: oi and oy Diphthong card
The letters "o" and "i" make a single sound "oi," like in boil, coil, foil, etc.
The letters "o" and "y" make a single sound "oy," like in toy, boy, joy, etc.
Ask your child to say the above words and notice they make the same sound.
Tell them that "oi" generally comes in the middle of the word, whereas "oy" generally comes at the end of the word.
Things Required: Diphthong oi and oy worksheet
Now that you have gone through the words in the card with your child, ask them to do the worksheet for "oi" and "oy."
Notice that in all the words, "oi" comes in the middle, except for "toys." Explain to them that "toys" is the plural of "toy," which in itself is a complete word, so "oy" is still being used.
Another exception is "oyster." This is to show that there are some exceptions to the above rules.
Things Required: ow and ou Diphthong card (1 and 2)
The letters "ow" and "ou" often make similar sounds.
There are 2 sounds of /ow/ and 4 sounds of /ou/. You need to first teach them the sounds of /ow/ and /ou/, which are similar.
The explanation and teaching method are given in the cards. Practice the words given in the card regularly until your child becomes comfortable with them.
These words do not always follow a set pattern, so you need to practice these words repeatedly with your child.
Things Required: Diphthong ow and ou worksheet
Now that you have gone through the words in the card with your child, ask them to do the worksheet for "ow" and "ou."
Things Required: au and aw Diphthong card
The letters "au" and "aw" make similar sounds.
The explanation and teaching method are given in the cards. Practice the words given in the card regularly until your child becomes comfortable with them.
These words do not follow a set pattern, so you need to practice these words repeatedly with your child.
Things Required: Diphthong au and aw worksheet
Now that you have gone through the words in the card with your child, ask them to do the worksheet for "au" and "aw."
Things Required: Diphthong oo card
The diphthong "oo" has many sound variants. Currently, you need to focus on 2 sounds:
Go through the long and short sound words given in the card with your child and ask them to notice the difference in sounds.
There is no set rule for "oo" words, so your child needs to learn them by sight. Go through these words repeatedly with them until they get comfortable.
These stories and passages have been developed based on the most recent research in effective reading teaching and learning methods.
Please note that the stories range from beginner to advanced levels. Your child should start with beginner stories after completing Level 1 and Level 2 activities in the phonics kit. As your child gains confidence and finishes the activities in the phonics kit, you can then move on to reading stories from Level 2 and beyond.
ab, ad, am, an, ap, at, ed, eg, en, et, id, ig, in, ip, it, od, og, op, ot, ox, ub, ug, um, un, ut
bl, fl, cl, gl, sl, pl, dr, fr, br, gr, pr, tr, sn, st, sm, sp, sk, sw
nd, nk, nt, ng, st, ft, ct, lt, lf, ld, lp, pt, ll, ss, ff, zz
th, sh, ch, wh, ph, ck
ow, ou, oi, oy, au, aw, ir, er, ur, or, oo, ee