Are you teaching your student to read ing words like digging, dreaming, sailing…etc? For struggling readers, ing words are often challenging. It may be the first time your student is reading 2-syllable words. To decode these word types, your student needs to learn how to decipher the first vowel. Is it long or short? For more on how to teach ing words, read on. For now, here is our fun ing words worksheet with spring flowers:
Here is a picture of the above pdf:
How to teach ing words
How does your student learn the difference between words like hoping and hopping, spinning and spiking, floating and flopping? To the student, deciphering the vowel sound may be confusing. You can guide your student with the following questions:
- Is there a vowel team?
- How many consonants are in the middle?
- Does that make the first vowel long or short?
- Vowel sound?
- From the beginning?
A few examples to master teaching ing words
TEXT: sailing
TEACHER: Is there a vowel team?
STUDENT: Yes.
TEACHER: (Underlines “ai” unit.) Vowel sound?
STUDENT: /ai/
TEACHER: From the beginning.
STUDENT: sailing
Here is another example. In this example, the vowel is a bit more ambiguous. There is not a vowel team like ai, ay, ee, ea, igh, ow…etc. The student has to figure out if the first vowel is long or short.
TEXT: skipping
TEACHER: Is there a vowel team?
STUDENT: No.
TEACHER: How many consonants are in the middle?
STUDENT: 2
TEACHER: Does that make the first vowel long or short?
STUDENT: short
TEACHER: (points to first vowel) Vowel sound?
STUDENT: /iiiiii/ (says and holds short i sound)
TEACHER: From the beginning.
STUDENT: skipping
Here is another example. In this last example, the student again has to decide if the first vowel is long or short. There is no vowel team. The vowel is a bit ambiguous.
TEXT: hiding
TEACHER: Is there a vowel team?
STUDENT: No.
TEACHER: How many consonants are in the middle?
STUDENT: 1
TEACHER: Does that make the first vowel long or short?
STUDENT: long
TEACHER: (points to first vowel) Vowel sound?
STUDENT: /igh/ (says and holds long i sound)
TEACHER: From the beginning.
STUDENT: hiding
Teaching struggling readers ing words
Struggling readers need explicit practice. This does not mean giving them the answer. Learning must be effortful in order to be effective. Lead your student through the above process when he makes an error. After enough iterations, the process will become internalized, reading ing words will be automatic, and you’ll enjoy watching your student progress to more sophisticated texts.
Systematic phonics books
Reading Elephant offers systematic phonics books. Our books introduce phonics sounds one at a time. If you have a struggling reader, use our printable books to guide your student through the English spelling code.
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