What Comes After Beginning Blends? Teaching Ending Blends

Last week, we talked about teaching beginning blends and how they are a natural next step after students become comfortable reading CVC words. Once students can blend sounds together at the beginning of a word, we can begin helping them hear and blend multiple consonant sounds at the end of a word too.

For some children, this is an easy transition. For others, ending blends can be a little trickier.

Think about the word hand.

A student needs to hear and blend:

/h/ /a/ /n/ /d/

Those last two sounds, /n/ and /d/, are close together. Sometimes students may read the beginning of the word correctly but leave off one of the sounds at the end. They might read hand as han or struggle to blend all four sounds together.

That is why ending blends may require a little more practice, patience, and support.

Why Teach Ending Blends Next?

Teaching ending blends continues building on skills students have already learned.

When children read CVC words, they are already blending three individual sounds together. For example:

cat = /c/ /a/ /t/

Now we are simply adding another consonant sound to the end:

camp = /c/ /a/ /m/ /p/

The important thing to remember is that a blend contains two consonants that each keep their own sound. In camp, students hear both /m/ and /p/.

Other examples of ending blends include:

-nd: hand, sand, bend
-st: fast, nest, list
-mp: jump, lamp, camp
-lt: belt, melt, salt
-sk: desk, mask, tusk

The goal is not to rush through a list of blends. The goal is to help students hear that both sounds are there and blend them together successfully.

Making Ending Blends Multisensory

Just like with CVC words and beginning blends, students benefit from being able to see, hear, say, and physically work with the sounds.

Here are a few ways to practice:

Count the sounds. Say a word slowly and have your child count each sound they hear. For camp, they should hear four sounds: /c/ /a/ /m/ /p/.

Use Elkonin boxes. Give students one box for each sound. They can push a counter, pom-pom, or small object into each box as they say the sounds.

Tap the sounds. Have your child tap a finger for each sound in the word. This can help them slow down and hear every sound, especially those at the end.

Clap the sounds. Some children enjoy clapping once for each sound they hear. Again, camp would have four claps.

Use manipulatives. Blocks, counters, coins, or even small toys can make sound practice more hands-on. Move one object for every sound.

The most important thing is to use strategies that work for your child. Not every learner needs the same support, and that is okay.

Scaffold as Needed

Ending blends can be challenging because students have to hold onto all of the sounds and make sure they do not leave one off at the end.

If your child is struggling, it is okay to provide more support. You might stretch the word out, model the sounds first, or practice with fewer words at a time.

And if it becomes too frustrating, go back a step.

There is nothing wrong with returning to CVC words or practicing CCVC words, which are words with beginning blends, such as stop or flag, before trying again.

Going back is not failing. It is building the foundation your child needs to move forward with confidence.

We want children to experience success as they learn. If a skill is causing too much frustration, take a step back, give them support, and return to it when they are ready.

E3 Takeaway

Phonics skills build on one another, but every child will move through them at their own pace.

Ending blends are a natural next step after beginning blends, but they can take a little more time and practice. Use multisensory activities, scaffold when needed, and do not be afraid to go back to previously learned skills if your child is becoming frustrated.

Confidence matters.

A child who feels successful while learning is much more likely to keep trying. 💛

From the Teacher's Desk,
Tonya
E3 Learners | Engage. Empower. Educate.