One of the sticking points with beginning and struggling readers is how to decode unfamiliar words by blending sounds together. I kinda obsess about helping all students gain strong blending skills in their reading because this ability unlocks the code for them.
I've even written the Ultimate Guide to Blending Problems to help solve every common challenge I've encountered with many a struggling reader. We coach students to learn the Blend As You Read blending strategy, which is a continuous blending approach (rather than a segmented technique).
Since developing strong blending/decoding skills is pivotal to word learning success, I'm delighted to share a blending game that master Reading Simplified teacher Jennifer Glueck developed for her ELL kindergarten class. She calls it the Mystery Word Envelope!
Tune in below to discover:
- how Reading Simplified has transformed Jennifer's teaching,
- what recent research indicates about blending strategies, and
- how to implement the fun, engaging Mystery Word Envelope blending game to improve decoding skills.
A Blending Game--Mystery Word Envelope Activity
[02:00] – How Jennifer became a teacher and discovered Reading Simplified
[11:31] – How Jennifer has adjusted how she teaches kindergarten students to read in light of Covid-19
[13:32] – How to use Read It to help teach kids to blend letter-sounds
[15:42] – How the Mystery Word Envelope Game works
[24:15] – A video demonstration of Jennifer using the Mystery Word Envelope Game in the classroom
[31:05] – More close-up examples of kids playing the Mystery Word Envelope Game
[36:38] – How to play the Mystery Word Envelope Game with a small group
During the whole group review of using Mystery Word Envelope Game, I think it would be great to ask students to tell you what they THINK the word COULD be before revealing the last letter. You could write these words on the dry erase board and then reveal the mystery word and compare it to the guessed words. This would challenge those students that are ready for one and you would be providing a short compare and contrast activity as well.
A clever addition Angela!
This is a great idea! Definitely makes them think and do some switch it in their heads!! 🙂
Thank you Julie!
An idea to the end of the Mystery Word envelope after the students have decoded and checked the word. After sliding the word back into the envelope, could they slide the card out the opposite side of the envelope. Then they could push the card back into the envelope one sound at a time (from the start) just like if they were erasing the sounds in Read IT!
Perfect…adding in all the steps of the Read It process, right? Thanks for sharing your idea Dawn. Teachers bring so much creativity.
I enjoyed watching this. I will definitely try it out in my clsss.
I hope it serves your readers well! 🙂
Thanks for sharing this idea with me. I have 2 struggling students in grade one who find reading difficult. I will have to try this. This looks like fun and it gives me ideas of how I can engage other students in the mystery envelope.
I hope your readers have fun with this one and see some progress!
Wow. I just discovered Reading Simplified today and I love the activities and importance you give to those CRUCIAL sound blending skills. You gave me specific ways to work with my 3 year old grandson as well as a 4th grader I tutor. In 4th grade you can write and we can do the activities virtually. Colin knows all the letter sounds through “The Secret Stories” and is pointing to words now and asking what they say. We’ll use magnetic letters and your methods. Bless you!!
So glad it is serving your readers well! 🙂
My students beg for mystery words! If I forget or do not reserve time for at least one word, they are disappointed! Great reward to look forward to at the end of a lesson. I have made over 200 mystery words.
I am going to try this with my K class. I have a couple that still struggle blending the sounds so hopefully this will help. Thank you for sharing this great activity!
Our pleasure! It can be fun. And I’m confident it will help with the blending challenges. Choose words that begin with continuant consonants to get started (i.e., /sssss/, /mmmmm/, /llll/).