Beginning Blends: Simple Structured Literacy Practice

Beginning blends are words that start in two different consonants AND each letter will say its individual sound. 

S N A P 🫰

After reading words with three sounds, like cat / dog, beginning blends are the next step in learning to read new words. This step in reading can be explicitly taught or reviewed - and with practice will help improve fluency, decoding, and spelling.

This might start with focusing on a set of blends 

• S blends: skip - spin - stop - swim

• L blends: glad - clip - flop - plug

• then R blends: frog - grab - crab - trip

or a mix of these blends depending on the need of a quick review of this skill or starting for the first time.

One way to practice and support students with beginning blends

For example, before working with Val on beginning blends, we often review an important goal: hearing all four sounds in a word. I model this during practice, showing her how to listen for and say both beginning consonant sounds. With practice, Val starts to do this on her own.

This review helps her decode new words in sentences that include blends.

If she stumbles on a word like spin, I might offer a simple hint:

“Listen to the beginning—can you hear two sounds? Try saying /s/ /p/ together first.”

Or another clue to check:

“Can you find the vowel? Are there two consonants in front of it? That means it starts with a blend!”

These prompts remind Val to break the word into parts—either by sound or by sight—and help her become more independent when reading words with beginning blends. This strategy helps her tackle unfamiliar words in books and stories.

Why Beginning Blends Matter

Recognizing blends is more than just a phonics skill—it’s a building block for reading longer and more complex words. By learning to hear each sound and blend them smoothly, your child becomes a more fluent and confident reader. 🧠🌸