Tutor Tip: Keeping Word Lists for Phonics Review

To reinforce phonics (and vocabulary), keep cumulative lists of words your students have learned. Use a flip chart, or create lists on a word wall, with a separate page or column for each beginning letter. Review them frequently with students.

**Once students have learned a number of words with the same initial sound, read the list orally together.
**Now ask students to listen to a list of words they know, raising their hands when they hear one with the target beginning sound.
**Alternately, have them identify words which do not have the same beginning sound. This is more difficult.
**Asking students to indentify final sounds is also a way to increase the difficulty.
**Extend the activity by having students add words they can think of which begin with the same letter or sound.

How do you use lists of words in your teaching? Share your ideas in a comment.