To practice blending sounds, Marna at Crayon Bits, sings the Hokey Pokey with her students. She shares an example of the words she substitutes into the song, helping her students practice blending the letters:
You put a (s- say letter name) in, you put a (m – say letter name) in,
you put a (s m – say both letter names) in and you stir them all around –
/sm/ /sm/(say blend sound) smile, /sm/ /sm/ (say blend sound) smell –
that’s what it’s all about –
dump them out!
Singing the sounds and “stirring the letters” will give your students a new understanding of blending sounds. It’s a skill they’ll be happy to practice again and again!