It is a wonderful accomplishment when a student has mastered the single sandpaper letter sounds. She can begin to decode three letter phonetic (CVC) words and then move on to four letter phonetic (CVCC & CCVC) words. Soon she can begin to start working on puzzle or sight words and move right into early reader books. It is such an exciting time! There is much more to reading, however, and the Montessori reading curriculum does not end with the mastery of the single sandpaper letters. The phonogram sandpaper letters are double sandpaper letters that make up the key digraphs and diphthongs that are first taught in the Montessori reading curriculum. These are typically the next step in the reading curriculum after a student has mastered the single sandpaper letters and is beginning to read short phonetic words. While this is the usual sequence, it should be noted that it is fine to begin introducing the green sandpaper letters earlier. For example, if a student has a name that begins with or contains a phonogram, it would be logical to show the child the corresponding phonogram. If I had a student named Charlie, I would not hesitate to show the student the green sandpaper letter card, "ch".
The Montessori phonogram sandpaper letters are:
- sh as in shell
- ch as in chip
- th as in bath
- qu as in quit
- ee as in bee
- ie as in tie
- oa as in boat
- oo as in book
- ue as in glue
- oy as in boy
- ou as in loud
- au as in haul
- er as in herd
- ai as in paid
- or as in form
- ar as in car
Just like with the single sandpaper letters, the phonogram sandpaper letters can be introduced in sets. I group them in sets that are easiest to say, recognize, and that will be encountered first when beginning to read. The sets I use are:
Set 1: ee, sh, ch
Set 2: th, qu, oy
Set 3: er, ai, oa
Set 4: ue, ou, ar
Set 5: or, oo, ie, au
Moving through the groups of green sandpaper letters can usually move a bit more quickly than the single sandpaper letters as the student has typically mastered most if not all of the sandpaper letters, has been actively using the movable alphabet, and reading short phonetic words without phonograms. Once a child has mastered a set of phonograms, the child can begin to build words using those phonograms with the movable alphabet and then reading those words with three part cards and in phonetic reading books.
Check out my phonogram sandpaper letter presentation and phonogram reading practice interactive presentation designed for distance learning!
