Description
It’s so exciting when students can decode Consonant-Vowel-Consonant (CVC) words using the basic code; and it’s a testament to good teaching!
But CVC decoding is just the beginning. It’s time to level up to Consonant-Vowel-Consonant-Consonant words (CVCC)!
Introducing ‘Wendy has Zest!’, a CVCC workout for readers who have learned the basic code.
This sentence-level workout is about a free spirit by the name of Wendy. As you will see, Wendy knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to assert herself. (Wendy is the sister of Stan, who has his own workout for decoding CCVC words in sentences.)
Although she can be a bit bossy, her family (and our students) love her attitude to life!
Featuring 59 short sentences, this workout is loaded with CVCC words that use the basic code (with very few digraphs, split digraphs or diphthongs).
We wrote these sentences to help practice blending and segmenting words with four letter-sounds. They can be used for:
- decoding practice; or
- word or sentence level written dictation (encoding) practice.
While illustrated, we have designed the sentences to discourage guessing from context or pictures, and to instead promote the phonological awareness skills most correlated with reading outcomes, namely letter-sound links, blending and segmenting skills.
We’ve also worked hard to make the sentences motivating for children to read – including for children with dyslexia and other learning disorders.
We hope your students find Wendy’s sentences useful as you work with students to master CVCC words using the basic code.
More information and resources
For free, evidence based on effective reading instruction, check out these articles:
- Is your child struggling to read? Here’s what works
- Too many children can’t read. We know what to do, but how should we do it?
For free, decodable stories focusing on the basic code, check out: Is your Kindy kid really reading? Find out with our 7 free mini stories
- CCVC Words in Sentences: Is Stan a brat?
- Split digraph minimal pair sentences
- Polysyllabic words in sentences
For our ‘Select-your-Sequel’ adventure series of decodable texts for 7-12 year-olds focusing on the extended code and reading fluency – including the free first book – check out The Scatter-Slayer Adventures.
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