Have students who know their letters and sounds… but freeze when it’s time to blend them into a word? This episode is for you. I’m walking you through exactly how I support early readers in small groups who need extra help with blending and decoding and it’s simpler than you think.

In this episode I share:

1. My go-to small group structure for decoding support
2. Why a quick sound review still matters
3. How nonsense words help build real skills
4. A simple trick using decodable books for more independence
5. Why Elkonin boxes are game changers
6. Easy, hands-on activities to make blending stick

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Related Episodes:

1. Kindergarten Small Groups for Teaching Letter Sounds ~ Ep. 106
2. Kindergarten Case Study: Supporting Kindergarteners With No Letter Knowledge ~ Ep. 105

Resources:

1. Decodable Readers - and general recommendations
2. CVC Words: Beginning, Middle, End Sounds Phonemic Awareness Games and Centers

Connect with Zeba:

1. Instagram - @kindergartencafe
2. Facebook - @kindergartencafe
3. Website - www.kindergartencafe.org
4. Tik Tok - @kindergartencafe

Mentioned in this episode:

Kindergarten Essentials

Grab the year-long, mega-bundle kindergarten activities here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Kindergarten-Teacher-Essentials-Year-Long-Mega-Bundle-Kindergarten-Activities-8356704