Once a child knows the sounds each letter of the alphabet can make, they can then begin to put those sounds together to blend and read words.  In this once-a-week, ongoing class, students will take the next step in learning how to sound out words.  We will look at different word families, sounding out each letter that makes up the word and learn how to blend then together.  Some classes will focus on CVC words with short vowels, some will focus on those crazy r-controlled vowels, which change the vowel sound (car, fur), and some classes will focus on what happens to the vowel sound when we add the bossy e (car – care).  Each of these focusses are essential for learning how to sound out words. 

As learning happens best when having fun, this class will use visual aids and props, games, and activities to help students learn and practice.  Some days we may even become Word Ninja’s, Word Pirates or Word Chef's, as we “chop” our word into individual letter sounds and then blend them all together to make our word.   Other days we may be Word Detectives as we solve the missing letters.

A student can join this course at any time as each class can stand alone, working on the specific word families or other elements for that particular class. 

Once we have covered all of the material, we will start the cycle over.  This ensures that no matter when your learner joins, if they continue on, they will eventually go through each lesson. 

A tentative schedule is as follows: 

Week of Jul. 1:  Short a word family ag
Week of Jul. 8:  Short a word family am
Week of Jul. 15:  Short a word family an
Week of Jul. 22:  Short a word family ap
Week of Jul. 29:  Short a word family at  
Week of Aug. 5:  Bossy e with a

Please note there will be no classes the weeks of Aug. 12th or Aug. 19th as I will be on my summer break.  Classes will resume Aug. 26th.

Week of Aug. 26:  Short e word families ed, eg
Week of Sept. 2:  Short e word families en, et (first half)
Week of Sept. 9:  Short e word family et
Week of Sept. 16:  Short i word families ib, id
Week of Sept. 23:  Short i word families ig, in
Week of Sept. 30:  Short i word family ip
Week of Oct. 7:  Short i word family it
Week of Oct. 14:  Bossy E words with i
Week of Oct. 21:  Short o word families: ob, od
Week of Oct. 28:  Short o word families: og, op
Week of Nov. 4:  Short o word families: ot 
Week of Nov. 11:  Bossy E words with o
Week of Nov. 18:  Short u word families: ub, ud
Week of Nov. 25:  Short u word families: ug, um
Week of Dec. 2:  Short u word families: un, ut 
Week of Dec. 9:  Bossy E words with u
Week of Dec. 16:  R-controlled vowels: that say “er”: er, ir, ur  
R-controlled vowels: ar, or 

Please note there will be no classes the Week of Dec. 23rd as I will be taking a Christmas break with my family.

Schedule subject to change at the teacher's discretion.
Dates for January 2025 and on will be added closer to that time.