Segmenting for Spelling

Segmenting is a skill used in spelling. In order to spell the word it is necessary to segment the word into its constituent sounds e.g. ran is r-a-n. Start by having your child listen for the first sound in a word (games like i-spy are ideal). Next try listening for the end sounds and then the middle sounds (middle sounds are hardest to hear).

Begin with simple three letters words (e.g. tap or hot) and build it up. Initially tell children how many sounds are in the word given and when they are more confident get them to tell you. We ’say the word’, ’stretch the word’ and then ’count the word’.

In school we use 'sound buttons' to show the number of sounds in each word. Additionally we use phoneme frames, with a white board phoneme frame being part of your child's Phonic and Reading Pack.  

Rhyming games and poems also help tune the ears to the sounds in words.

Useful Websites

 www.phonicsplay.co.uk

 www.oxfordowl.co.uk

 www.ictgames.co.uk

 www.letters-and-sounds.com