Be a Word Cheerleader

When introducing sound blending, ask students to be football or basketball cheerleaders. Ask a student to come forward, holding a pom-pom (perhaps your school colors). Using magnetic letters, the teacher puts one letter on the board.

For example, “Give me a C!” Children state letter name and then say the letter sound /c/. “Give me an A!” Children state letter name, then say letter sound /a/. “Give me a T!” Children state letter name, then say letter sound. Teacher says, “What’s that word?” Children blend the word together slowly to say c-a-t and the cheerleader says, “cat.”

It would be fun for all students to have their own pom-poms. This method works well for spelling as well.


By Deb Mortenson, Storm Lake Kindergarten Teacher, Quint County Reading Council
Iowa Reading Association Newsletter, March/April 2003