Blending and Word Formation with Sixth Sound Group y, x, ch, sh, th for Pre-School Level 3

Class: Pre-School Level 3
Term: Second Term
Week: 3
Age: 4 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Literacy
Curriculum Theme: Language Domain
Previous Lesson: Recognition and blending of previous sound groups (e.g., s, a, t, i, p, n, c, k, e, h, r, m, d, g, o, u, l, f, b, ai, j, oa, ie, ee, or, z, w, ng, v, oo, oo)
Topic: SIXTH SOUND GROUP Y, X, CH, SH, TH: BLENDING AND WORD FORMATION
Subject Matter: INTRODUCE THE SIXTH GROUP OF SOUNDS y, x, ch, sh, th – Blending sounds – Word formation. Weekly focus: Sixth Sound Group y, x, ch, sh, th: Blending and Word Formation.

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

Cognitive Domain

• Identify and say the sounds /y/, /x/, /ch/, /sh/, /th/.
• Blend the sounds /y/, /x/, /ch/, /sh/, /th/ with other known sounds to form simple words.
• Recognise simple words formed with the sixth sound group.

Affective Domain

• Participate actively in sound blending and word formation activities.
• Show interest in learning new sounds and words.

Psychomotor Domain

• Match pictures to words containing the target sounds.
• Colour pictures related to the target sounds.

Social Domain

• Listen attentively to the teacher and peers during activities.
• Take turns when participating in group activities.

Reference Materials

• NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 3
• Early Childhood Care and Education resources
• Jolly phonics handbook and C/D

Instructional Materials

• Flashcards with letters: y, x, ch, sh, th
• Picture cards of words containing these sounds (e.g., yam, box, chair, ship, thin, fish, much)
• Pronunciation charts
• Whiteboard/chalkboard and markers/chalk
• Sound recorder (optional, for pupil feedback)
• Worksheets with blending activities and pictures to colour
• Crayons

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is crucial for 4-year-olds as it builds on their foundational phonics knowledge by introducing new letter sounds and digraphs. Learning to blend these sounds helps pupils develop essential phonemic awareness, a key skill for early reading and writing. It enhances their ability to decode words and strengthens their vocabulary, preparing them for more complex literacy tasks.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils are familiar with identifying and saying individual letter sounds from previous groups. They have also practised blending simple C-V and V-C words with known sounds.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

SIXTH SOUND GROUP Y, X, CH, SH, TH: BLENDING AND WORD FORMATION

The sixth sound group helps us make new words!

The Sounds and Examples:

• y says /y/ as in yam, yellow
• x says /ks/ as in box, fox, six
• ch says /ch/ as in chair, chop, much
• sh says /sh/ as in ship, shop, fish
• th says /th/ as in thin, thick, bath

What is Blending?

Blending is putting sounds together to make a word.

Example: /f/ + /i/ + /sh/ = fish

Word Formation Examples:

• C-V words: ya-m (y-a-m)
• V-C words: ax (a-x)
• C-V-C words: box (b-o-x), chop (ch-o-p), ship (sh-i-p), thin (th-i-n)
• V-C-V words: exit (e-x-i-t)

Sound Blending Rhyme

Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”

Y, X, CH, SH, TH, so clear,
Listen closely, sound them here.
Put the sounds together, quick,
Make a word, a clever trick!
Y, X, CH, SH, TH, we say,
Learning words every day!

Actions: Point to each letter/digraph as it’s said. Clap hands together for “put the sounds together.” Pretend to write in the air for “make a word.”

Watch and Practise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjIu003oF_Q

Key Words

• Sound – A noise we make with our mouth.
• Blend – To put sounds together to make a word.
• Word – A sound or group of sounds that has meaning.
• Digraph – Two letters that make one sound (e.g., ch, sh, th).

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

• Play-based Learning
• Demonstration
• Guided Practice
• Songs and Rhymes
• Picture Talk
• Question and Answer
• Repetition
• Manipulation of Objects (flashcards)

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engagement/Recap

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and leads a short warm-up song about sounds. The teacher then quickly reviews a few sounds from previous groups (e.g., /s/, /a/, /t/) by showing flashcards and asking pupils to say the sounds.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings, sing the warm-up song, and say the sounds of the reviewed letters.

Learning Point: Pupils are engaged and recall prior knowledge of sounds.

Step 2: Introduction of New Sounds (y, x, ch, sh, th)

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Direct Instruction/Pronunciation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the new sounds one by one using flashcards (y, x, ch, sh, th). For each sound, the teacher says the sound clearly, demonstrates the mouth position, and provides a simple example word with a picture (e.g., “y” for yam, “x” for box, “ch” for chair, “sh” for ship, “th” for thin). Pupils repeat each sound and word.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils look at the flashcards, listen to the teacher, repeat the sounds and example words, and try to mimic the mouth positions.

Learning Point: Pupils recognise and pronounce the new sounds /y/, /x/, /ch/, /sh/, /th/.

Step 3: Sound Blending Demonstration

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Modelling

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains blending as “putting sounds together to make a word.” The teacher demonstrates blending simple C-V-C words using the new sounds on the board. For example, writes ‘b-o-x’, says /b/, then /o/, then /ks/, then blends them quickly to say “box.” Repeats with ‘sh-i-p’ and ‘ch-o-p’.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch and listen attentively as the teacher demonstrates blending sounds to form words.

Learning Point: Pupils understand the concept of blending sounds to form words.

Step 4: Guided Blending Practice

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Repetition

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads pupils in guided blending practice. The teacher writes simple words (e.g., ‘yam’, ‘six’, ‘much’, ‘fish’, ‘bath’) on the board, pointing to each sound and then sweeping under the word. Pupils repeat after the teacher, blending the sounds. The teacher then leads the class in singing the “Sound Blending Rhyme.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils practise blending sounds to form words with the teacher’s guidance. They sing the “Sound Blending Rhyme” with actions.

Learning Point: Pupils gain confidence in orally blending the new sounds.

Step 5: Word Formation Activity (Video Integration)

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Visual Learning/Application

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the video as a fun way to see and hear the sounds and words. The teacher plays the video “Jolly Phonics Group 6 Sounds | y, x, ch, sh, th” and encourages pupils to watch and repeat the sounds and words. After the video, the teacher asks pupils to recall some words they heard.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the video, repeat the sounds and words, and try to recall words demonstrated in the video.

Learning Point: Pupils reinforce their understanding of the sounds and words through visual and auditory input.

Step 6: Picture-Word Matching and Colouring

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Practical Application/Fine Motor

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher distributes worksheets with simple pictures (e.g., a yam, a box, a chair, a ship, a thin line) and corresponding words. The teacher instructs pupils to match the words to the correct pictures and then colour the pictures.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils match words to pictures and colour the pictures on their worksheets.

Learning Point: Pupils apply their knowledge of sounds and words by matching and colouring.

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 4–5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher checks pupils’ understanding through short questions and practical tasks.

1. “What sound does ‘y’ make?” (Shows ‘y’ flashcard)
2. “Can you say a word with the ‘sh’ sound?” (Shows ‘sh’ flashcard)
3. “Blend these sounds for me: /f/ – /i/ – /sh/.”
4. “Point to the picture of the ‘box’ on your worksheet.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond orally and demonstrate the required skill where appropriate.

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 1 minute

Teaching Skill: Summary/Encouragement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their participation and effort in learning the new sounds and blending words. The teacher reminds them to keep practising their sounds.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the teacher and respond to praise.

Learning Point: Pupils feel encouraged and motivated to continue learning.

Lesson Keywords

• Y – The letter ‘y’ that makes the /y/ sound.
• X – The letter ‘x’ that makes the /ks/ sound.
• CH – Two letters ‘c’ and ‘h’ that make one /ch/ sound.
• SH – Two letters ‘s’ and ‘h’ that make one /sh/ sound.
• TH – Two letters ‘t’ and ‘h’ that make one /th/ sound.
• Blend – To put individual sounds together to say a whole word.
• Word – A sound or group of sounds that has meaning.

Differentiation

• Support: For pupils struggling with blending, provide more one-on-one repetition, use larger flashcards, and focus on only one or two sounds at a time. Use hand-over-hand guidance to help them sweep their finger under the sounds as they blend.
• Extension: For pupils who quickly grasp the concept, challenge them to identify other familiar words that contain the ‘y’, ‘x’, ‘ch’, ‘sh’, or ‘th’ sounds (e.g., “church,” “wash,” “thumb”). They can also try to write the words after blending.