Level 5: Drop Off, Add On

Manipulation of Sounds

Level 5 Activities are the highest level of phonemic awareness. The focus is to manipulate sounds (phonemes) within words; adding, exchanging, deleting, or transposing sounds (phonemes) to form new words.

Children ready for Level 5, have solid knowledge of how language works before attempting this level. Children need to be able to mentally blend sounds (phonemes), modify words, and segment sounds (phonemes) in order to make the sound (phonemic) transference. The ability to manipulate sounds (phonemes) strongly correlates with beginning reading acquisition.

Early Literacy Foundational Skills

• Sound (Phoneme) Substitution

  • identify and substitute beginning sound in a word

  • identify and substitute ending sound in a word

  • identify and substitute middle sounds in a word

• Sound (Phoneme) Deletion

  • identify and omit beginning sound in a word

  • identify and omit ending sound in a word

  • identify and omit middle sounds in a word

Drop Off, Add On

GOALS: sound (phoneme) deletion and sound (phoneme) substitution

Materials

• Words Within a Word: index cards with the following words written on:

  • will fast ball candy fist

  • then that must call slip

  • meat cold wins tent plant

  • bus done fit chill pink

  • this list onto boxer stop

  • sled pond horn inch fond

  • twig skin grant mend pout

  • clap hand twin farm upset

    To make reusable cards may be laminated

    To make reusable the words may be typed and printed on paper

Directions for New Players:

1. Select and read one word from the Words Within Words list.

2. Ask the child(ren) what sound needs to be dropped to uncover the “hidden word.” For example: What sound do you drop to change meat to eat?

3. Repeat with other words from Words Within Words list.

Directions for Established Players:

1. Select words for the child(ren) to add letters to given words. For example: Add /c/ to the beginning of row. Response: crow.

Challenge:

Use words with blends and clusters. For example: sweep to weep; craft to raft; glitter to litter.

HELPFUL TIPS:

• Always model first until the child is comfortable with this activity.