Ch- and Sh- sounds

 Adding new suffixes and beginning sounds of words are just another step toward being able to read well, and my Hooked on Phonics books are introducing those skills. The six-year-old is learning, for example, ch- and sh- words. She is learning the different sounds that these letter blends make. She is also learning how to spell grade-level words. We were playing the spelling beanbag toss game and one of the words was "much." I started with M and she said U, then I said C, and she had to think about it, since the word ended in the -ch sound. After thinking about it for a few seconds, she said H and threw the beanbag back to me. She did a great job, considering it was a new sound. Her mom was in the other room (the girl is homeschooled) and she said "Great job!" I think she was really impressed. The girl is learning fast. 

Now we're working on -ing and -er endings. I'm teaching her the sound that -ing always makes, and the sound -er makes. The book from Hooked on Phonics gives examples of words that have these word endings, and she is working out how to say them. Repetition is the key. I had to go back and review ch and sh sounds with her one week, after I had introduced -ing and -er, because she forgot what sounds the letter groupings made when I asked her. Now I think she has them memorized. 

Anyway, we are still at -ing and -er, and will go on from there! She really loves to read, so she is soaking up information!