Digraphs are two characters that form the same sound, such as the letters th, sh, ch, wh, ph, and ck. You might wish to devote about 2-3 weeks in Kindergarten to digraphs, studying the structures and sounds for each, reading words using digraphs, and even constructing simple words with digraphs. So you’ll just be adding additional words for your children to understand and read!

This post will show you some of the interesting digraph exercises for Kindergarten kids. These digraph activities can be used in a whole group class, as a center activity, or as independent practice!

How do you explain a digraph to a kindergartner in an easy and engaging way?

There are plenty of ways using which you can kick start this journey in a fun and engaging way with your kids, including online and offline games. 

1. Circle them!

A teacher can orally utter the word “Ship” and then ask the children which digraph they heard- “sh.” Once answered correctly, ask them to find the words starting with the digraph “sh” in their book and circle them using a pencil or a crayon. Encourage them to find as many as they can and share it with their friends too.

This activity is simple, fun, and engaging if done in a group format. Kids can practice spelling and enhance their observational skills. This helps children identify the digraph sounds, which will assist them later when they start reading sentences with bigger words in it.

2. Words Time Me Out

This is another digraph indulgence that will make kids better at reading and spotting words. Keeping it very simple and basic, teachers need to hand out a print of paragraphs or maybe 10 different sentences filled with digraphs. Once distributed, students need to read the printout (in their own mind) and circle the digraphs spotted per sentence.

However, this task comes with a twist of a timer! Teachers need to provide say 60 seconds for this task to be performed in time. At the end of it, teachers can reveal the answers per sentence. The ones with the most correct digraphs confirm their hold at it. 

However, if in case there are digraphs left that students weren’t able to mark, then as an educator, the teacher must narrate its essentiality and conform how it works. Through this fun and engaging way of reading, concepts of consonant-centric digraphs will become easy to learn, given that vowel-centric digraphs are rather commonly used.

3. Dot Painting

Dot Painting is a classic way to help kids learn digraphs better. It is so versatile and easy that young learners absolutely love it. To perform this play, kids must have dot markers, stickers, stamps, Wikki Stix, or even crayons with them to make their share of pictures. Teachers, or if done at home, parents can start by reading out elements that have a digraph in them. For example, “fish”, chick” and so on. Kids need to spot them one-by-one per narration and circle them elements using their markers, stickers, stamps, or crayons. And there you are! Finishing and acing it like a pro.

This activity will help kids learn how to spell words that contain digraphs by sounding out the word and then placing a sticker or dot on each letter sound they hear. Funneling the “listen, command, and perform” skill better, is a colorful way to make them understand digraphs easily.

4. Dictation Stamps

Once kids are acquainted with the concept of digraphs, they can indulge in this suggested form of learning by following mere dictation practices with a twist. Teachers can start by asking simple riddles to the children. For example, “I live underwater and I can swim. I can breathe air like you and I am thin. I have feathers and they call them fins, guess my name dear friend, who I am?” The answer is Fish. 

Once kids have determined the answer, teachers can ask them to draw a fish on their notebook and spell it out too. This is a fun dictation way of practicing digraphs that will challenge the kids to use their sensory and logical skills to solve the riddles and then have fun drawing, coloring, and spelling the element at ease. This humble way of learning involves- art, craft, writing, reading, listening, and aptitude side-by-side. 

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Vowel digraph list for kindergarten 

1. ow – as in know or snow
2. ui – as in fruit or bruise
3. oe – as in toe or goes
4. oa – as in boat or road
5. ea – as in thread or lead
6. ee – as in feet or sheet
7. ie – as in pie or lie
8. ue – as in glue or fuel
9. ai – as in gain or main
10. oo – as in wood or flood
11. au – as in fault or pause
12. oi – as in soil or coin
13. ay – as in play or stay
14. ou – as in soup or sour
15. aw – as in straw or crawl
16. ey – as in they or prey
17. oy – as in boy or toy
18. ei – as in vein or ceiling
19. ir – as in girl or bird
20. ew – as in few or new

Consonant digraphs

1. CH – as in Chin and Switch
2. SH – as in Shut and Bash
3. TH – as in Thin and Bath
4. GH – as in Ghats and rough
5. PH – as in Phone and Graph
6. NG – as in Sing and Ring
7. KN – as in Know and Knife
8. FA – as in Fact and Alfa
9. ME– as in Meal and Frame
10. WH- as in Whale and What
11. CK – as in Back or Duck
12. FF – as in Cliff or Off
13. SS – as in Dress or Class
14. QU – as in Quack or Quiz
15. WR – as in Wrist or Wrong
16. DG – as in Judge or Fridge
17. LL – as in Well or Doll
18. MN – as in Hymn or Autumn
19. GN – as in Design or Sign
20. RH – as in Rhyme or Rhino

How to use this list?

Children are usually taught digraphs once they have mastered the individual sounds of consonants and short vowels. During first and second grade, digraphs are reviewed. The teachers can hand over these lists to the students without the bold. The kids can then underline the consonants or vowels using colored pencils. 

They can first start with consonant worksheets and then move on to vowel worksheets. Gradually, after enough practice, the teachers can also test the children by giving them a vowel, and they can write the words which come to their mind. Again, it’s crucial to note that practice and enough practice can help them become fluent in this. 

Summing up,

Digraphs is a very interesting concept to start teaching your kids. It’s important that we have the right start so that they don’t lose interest throughout. Teachers may often point out different digraphs to students while they read books. 

They might be handed word cards to sort into groups based on their digraphs. They will also be provided phonic activities to assist them in creating words that contain specific digraphs. It is critical that kids get the chance to practice writing words so as to learn proper spelling.

Shradha Kalyani Kabra

Armed with a degree in Psychotherapy, CBT and Happiness coaching I have been a counselor for troubled children and their parents for over 4 years. Having a dyslexic child at home made the journey more personal. I have worked at Manovikas kendra for a year as a part time volunteer. In the process I have helped many children overcome learning disabilities and other psychological constraints to lead a fulfilling life! My most tangible victory is my dyslexic child has completed her plus two with over 80% marks and now has trained as a chef from the best college in Asia.

The post Printable Digraphs List For Kindergarten [PDF Included] appeared first on Number Dyslexia.

Here, Digraph activities are an ideal way to inculcate the habit of reading amongst students. Moreover, they enhance one’s vocabulary by clearing out the spelling system of some sounds. Such activities create an engaging learning experience for students. 

Below are the unique creative activities that teachers can use as a challenging test or while practicing this crucial concept.

Challenges kids with learning difficulties face with Digraphs

A digraph is two letters that make one sound, such as “sh” or “th”. While teaching spellings to the students, we usually ask them to relate the sound of the letter to learn the correct spellings of the word. As digraph is made of two letters, it makes it more difficult for them to understand and recall when a particular digraph sound is made. 

Many children with learning difficulties find it difficult to learn how letters and sounds correspond to each other which makes it difficult for them to recall the right letters to be able to spell the sounds in words.

To address this, below are a few things that can help dyslexic students with digraphs thoroughly.

1. Teach them how a particular sound is made by asking them to observe lip movement
2. Associate different sounds with real objects around so that they are able to relate it.
3. Provide opportunities for them to practice using the correct sound in words.
4. Give them feedback on their progress.

Engaging digraph activities for little learners

As various teaching methodologies work differently for each concept, certain digraph activities are here to create an engaging learning environment for students. Teachers can also get to build their unique activities and develop ideas from the below-mentioned activities. 

1. What are the rules?

This fun activity works based on concept attainment which is used while teaching digraphs. It promotes phonemic awareness and visual retention skills.

• In this activity, the teacher shows students examples of the words that they are trying to teach them.
• For example, the teacher may talk about a Beach or a Tooth and ask students to find similar words or identify the digraph.
• Here, students need to find a list of words with the same digraph ch or th.
• Teachers can use a timer and give 1 minute to the class to note the maximum possible words around them.

This is a great way to get students thinking outside the box and coming up with their ideas about a topic before you dive in. You’ll also get to see what prior knowledge they have before diving into something new. 

2. Draw and Match

This activity can be primarily used in identifying consonant digraphs. It is a creative activity that involves colorful drawings or pictorial representations of various digraphs. 

• In this activity, teachers need to print or draw different pictures that indicate a digraph. These pictures can be either shown to students via presentation or printed cards. 
• Teachers now have to write different digraphs and ask students to match them with the correct digraph.
• For example, if the teacher writes th and there is one picture that depicts the earth, students have pointed to the picture of the earth to get one point.
• These prints will enable the students to match the accurate consonant digraph with its best pictorial representation. 
• It can be made even more interesting and fun in classrooms when students draw the digraphs (chair, beach, tooth) and paste them on the walls.

This not only promotes creativity but also a fun and enriching learning experience. 

3. Un-Jumble the words

Unjumbling words are one of the popular ways of teaching digraphs. It promotes the opportunity of becoming familiar with new words and their meanings. 

• In this activity, teachers have to write the different digraph combinations that can be made while unjumbling the words.
• For example, teachers can write (u h c p n) and students should write the correct answer – (Punch)
• Moreover, familiarity with certain words would keep their spelling errors in check.
• The phonics rules can also be taught efficiently while practicing unjumble words. 

Thus, this activity promotes preparation, dynamic vocabulary, tips, and strategies to solve complex unjumble words quickly and accurately. 

4. Anchor Charts 

The anchor charts make the understanding of consonant and vowel digraphs easier to grasp. These charts can be pasted or printed on one sheet. This would enable students to get a clear understanding of different digraphs and their connotations and meanings. 

• Teachers can arrange the digraphs in such a way that students can write the word under the picture. 
• Each student will get a turn to recognize the object and write its right spelling.
• If they are unable to answer it, the chance will move on to the next student. 

Moreover, there are a plethora of options that can be used while teaching through this activity such as real-life objects and picture cards.

5. Word Hunt

This activity enables quick digraph learning through searching for the right words. Teachers can either create a word search on paper or draw it on the whiteboard. It helps students to learn and understand new words.

• Teachers should include different pictures alongside the word search table to help them find the correct words that depict digraphs.
• In this activity, the pictures help students get a vivid understanding of different words.
• The students have to identify maximum digraphs from the search. 
• The timer will create a challenge among students. 

This activity increases concentration and makes it a fun learning experience. Furthermore, searching for words will allow the enhancement of single sound recognition and word constructions skills of the students. 

6. Picture Triangles

The picture triangles are an effective way to increase fluency and give a brief overview of different digraphs. While learning new words and their meanings, it’s important to understand the word usage and their formation. 

• The teacher will be drawing triangles on the board.
• In each triangle, there will be a picture to indicate a digraph used in it.
• The answer to the picture will have to be written inside the triangles.
• For example, the teacher can draw a wheel inside the triangle and students have to identify the correct digraph for it.
• Here, there would be 3 options outside the triangles – ch, wh, sh
• Out of the three options present inside the triangle, students will have to choose one option which fits well with the picture.

They can be easily customized and designed per the varying needs and retain the students’ speed. The benefits of this activity are to maintain the focus on the keyword, understand its accurate definition, and get a clear pictorial representation of the word.

7. Investigate and Write

This activity enhances the student’s ability to choose the correct word which is most suitable to the overall context of the statement. It also promotes the fluency and use of logic while dealing with comprehension and complex sentences. Moreover, the use of logic is more implied in this activity rather than vocabulary. 

• Teachers will be dictating different sentences to the students.
• They will have to listen to the words containing digraphs and make a note of them.
• For example, if the teacher reads, “I went to the beach with a broken tooth,” the students have to identify the digraph and form as many possible words related to the digraph.
• In this, students can write words from ch and th and complete the game in the minimum possible time
• This game can be played in teams with 3 members per team.

Sentence Investigation is more about figuring out the number of words in a single sentence that have conjoined sounds. Several strategies and tricks can also be taught to students to help them complete the sentence faster and accurately.

8. Speed Drill

This activity is quite helpful in practicing grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation of words. This involves repetition of certain words in the queue to the teacher’s pronunciation of them. 

• In this reading exercise, students will have to read some passages from normal texts such as newspapers or books.
• Within a given time, they have to find out as many digraphs as possible.
• These digraphs are to be noted down on paper.
• The student who has discovered the maximum number of digraphs wins. 

Speed drill focuses on accuracy and building up the fluency of words along with the quick response time. This will help them to decode digraphs and other hard words with ease and better understanding.

Summing up,

Using different mediums of teaching such as flashcards, picture digraphs, and repetition is helpful in teaching the right sound, spelling, and word formation of digraphs. Lastly, when teachers are modeling the sounds of the words, they should make sure that the students observe their lip movements. The reason is that when teachers make an unvoiced sound, the students are not able to grasp it as quickly. Thus, watching and practicing is the effective and easiest way of teaching digraphs and an effective classroom management technique.

Manpreet Singh

An engineer, Maths expert, Online Tutor and animal rights activist. In more than 5+ years of my online teaching experience, I closely worked with many students struggling with dyscalculia and dyslexia. With the years passing, I learned that not much effort being put into the awareness of this learning disorder. Students with dyscalculia often misunderstood for having  just a simple math fear. This is still an underresearched and understudied subject. I am also the founder of Smartynote -‘The notepad app for dyslexia’, 

The post 8 Classroom Activities For Learning About Digraphs appeared first on Number Dyslexia.

Consonant digraphs are made up of two letters that, when combined, sound like a consonant. (Some vocal tract closure causes a consonant sound to be made.) Vowel digraphs are two letters put together to make a vowel sound. When producing a vowel sound, there is little to no restriction on the airflow from the lungs. Consonant digraphs are generally referred to as digraphs in some countries. 

So, to practice such unique sounds, these digraph online games assist children with their learning experience and enhance their knowledge. Since they are equipped with high-end graphics, children are more likely to enjoy the learning process. We have sorted some of the fun yet intriguing games to teach digraphs to children.

Digraphs..What are those?

Because hundreds of frequently occurring words in written English contain one or more digraphs, teaching digraphs and trigraphs is crucial. Kids who can’t recognize digraphs have a considerably tougher time reading and spelling these words.

Many kids may struggle to recognize digraphs without some explicit teaching instructions since many digraphs indicate distinct sounds from the individual letters that make them up. 

• Without understanding that a digraph is made up of two letters that all sound the same, children can find it difficult to read new words.
• Exposure to digraphs enables children to recognize unfamiliar words during reading sessions.
• Through digraphs, children can improve their reading skills and also pronounce each word with the correct sound.
• It also helps them build new words just by listening to them. For example, when the word shark is read out, they can quickly recognize the sound of sh together instead of s and h differently.

Engaging online digraph games for kids

Here is a list of the best online digraph games that you can enjoy with the kids. Online digraph games can be used by teachers, parents, or adults to explain the concept to little ones. These games are interactive and easily accessible on the web. 

1. Demolition digraphs

This goofy game requires players to demolish some digraphs by picking out the appropriate letter sounds! Students may practice hearing digraphs by smashing through the bricks.

• The users need to simply log in through their email id or add details to begin to the game.
• In this game, various bricks are placed together that have different sounds for digraphs.
• The machine breaks the selected word brick and destroys the building. 
• Students have to burst the bricks with similar sounds and that’s how they win the game.

This game offers good sound quality and amazing graphics for the kids to enjoy playing. It is an easy game that helps the kids to listen and then react, creating eye-hand coordination. 

2 Sounding Letters

As digraphs consist of different sounds, this game is ideal to learn and understand which sound fits the best to complete the word.

• In this game, players are shown different images with incomplete words for it.
• Here, players have to understand the image and click on the digraph that fits it.
• For example, if the picture is of a fish, the player should select the sound “sh” to complete the word fish.

While it is an interesting way to connect objects and pictures with digraphs, it also enables children to understand and differentiate sounds. 

3. Digraphs Photoshoot

The ice cream officer is investigating! With this enjoyable game, children are challenged to look for words with specific beginning sounds.

• The players can enjoy photoshoots of the digraphs by clicking them through the camera.
• Once clicked, they can keep them in the treasure box. 

It makes them work on their motor skills along with boosting their confidence that they are well versed with the concept. 

4. Consonant Digraph 

This is a basic game where children can learn the consonant digraph thoroughly. It is equipped with a great sound feature which also enables players to listen to the words clearly.

• In this game, players are shown pictures of objects or animals for which the digraphs have to be used.
• However, the game also pronounces the sound of the picture along with options at the side.
• For example, if a shark is shown, it will also be spelled by the game.
• After this, the players will have to select the ideal digraph that best fits the word.

This is an interesting game for beginners as they get exposure to sound and pictures, simultaneously. It also enhances their vocabulary.

5. Balloon Match Game

This is another online digraph game that offers children to enjoy placing the right digraph in the correct section. The game is extremely easy and does not require additional assistance. 

• In the game, there are different columns with multiple digraphs below.
• In the above section, various words are written in different colored blocks.
• The player has to drag and drop the correct word in the correct section of the digraph.
• For example, Whack will go in the column where the WH digraph section is placed.

This game helps the kids understand the sounds of the digraphs and also keeps them connected with the concept. The game can also be used to memorize the spelling of the digraph for further clarity. 

6. Digraph Memory Game

Another fun-filled game to make children enjoy their time understanding the concept of digraphs. The game focuses on sharpening memory skills and keeps them engaged for a long time. 

• The game starts with a number of tiles that are placed upside down. 
• The player has to click on each one of them to find the pair. 
• For example, a player can click on a tile that has a picture of a fish and then clicks on the next one that has a fish written on it. 
• This makes a pair, and the kid gets the correct pair.
• The aim is to memorize which tile has which picture and finish the game at the earliest. 

With this game, children can boost their concentration skills and be involved in a competitive environment.

7. The Digraph Game

In this game, children get the opportunity to understand the sound and select the right digraph that matches it.

• In this game, the player is given a pictorial representation of the sound.
• There are 4 options for the player to select the right sound and get cheerful feedback in the gameplay.
• For example, if an image of a whale is displayed, the player has to select the digraph wh to get the correct answer.

In this way, children are exposed to pictures and other graphics to understand digraphs better. They also build their listening skills through attentive listening in the game.

Summing up,

When teaching kids the right concepts, it is good to be vigilant and well aware of creative methods. Online games are considered to be the best way to keep children connected and interested in their studies. Online games also create familiarity with graphic, the sound of digraphs, and their proper application in sentence formation. 

Along with teachers, parents can also use these games to engage children in playful learning experiences. These games can also be presented as tests or challenges followed by sweet rewards on completion. The best thing about these games is that they are free and can be played easily.

Manpreet Singh

An engineer, Maths expert, Online Tutor and animal rights activist. In more than 5+ years of my online teaching experience, I closely worked with many students struggling with dyscalculia and dyslexia. With the years passing, I learned that not much effort being put into the awareness of this learning disorder. Students with dyscalculia often misunderstood for having  just a simple math fear. This is still an underresearched and understudied subject. I am also the founder of Smartynote -‘The notepad app for dyslexia’, 

The post 7 Fun Digraphs Games To Play Online appeared first on Number Dyslexia.