Unlocking CVCs: A Writing Adventure

Teaching reading is a challenge! If you have ever taught reading, you know it is not as easy as it looks. When I first changed grade levels and went from 4th to Transitional Kindergarten, I needed a refresher on teaching reading. I found the Science of Reading, which is a long name for a body of research done by cognitive scientists on how to teach reading.

After researching, I found the importance of consistent practice of specific skills: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. If you are looking for a good resource for teaching reading, Wiley Blevins Phonics From A-Z is a great resource. There many activities and ideas that he presents that the children enjoy. The key is consistent practice with any learning. This is how the brain learns new information. The more information has to be recalled, the more the neurological pathways are strengthened, solidifying the learning over time.

All the research set me on a path to create resources to help my students practice letter-sound correspondence in a fun and engaging way. The main focus of my resources is using their letter-sound correspondence to write words and a sentence using high-frequency words. One of the favorite activities that uses their understanding of sounds to create words is the CVC Writing Journal.

If you are looking for a way to get your students to write using sight words and CVC words? Then, the CVC Writing Journal is the right tool for you. This writing journal supports students just beginning to learn the word families. Using this writing journal will help your student isolate the CVC word family with the support of pictures, providing the necessary scaffolds they need as they begin to learn CVC word families. Your students will practice recalling previously learned information, meaning the letter sounds to a writing situation. For your students who may need a little more support, there are pictures with the words to aid them. For your more advanced students, there are the same journal pages without the words given. The students need to fill in the CVC words and then write a sentence. This is a more advanced skill for students to complete than when they are given the words as well. By having your students practice reading and writing the CVC words in this journal, they strengthen the neuron synapse associated with this new learning. The more students practice with repetition, the more quickly they learn and remember this new information. With this writing journal, your students will practice phonics and writing skills.

I hope this helps, and Happy Teaching!