Kids usually learn the silent e sounds at the end of Kindergarten or beginning of first grade. Here is a silent e holiday worksheet that your student can read and color:
Explicitly teach the difference between short vowels and silent e.
Teach the difference between short vowels and silent e by presenting your student with a contrasting list of words. Use a list like the following to teach your student that the e at the end changes the sound of the first vowel. The e at the end makes the first vowel long. Long vowels say their name.
When your student learns silent e, she’s probably learning long vowels for the first time. Previously, the student has worked with short vowels: a_ as in cap, e_ as in them, i_ as in rip, o_ as in hop and u_ as in cut. Short vowels allow kids to read a lot of words including: hat, ran, sit, rim, hen, ten, got, lot, cup, run… etc.
After kids become fluent in reading short vowel words, they’re ready for the silent e vowel pattern. Once you introduce silent e with the above list, write flashcards with the new sound: a_e, e_e, i_e, o_e, u_e. Mix these flashcards in with other sounds your student knows, including short vowels. Have your student review these flashcards daily.
Reading Elephant offers printable silent e books.
If you need silent e phonics books to help your student practice the new sound, check out our printable phonics books. Our stories allow kids to build a strong decoding foundation. Our bundled package carries kids through short vowels, consonant digraphs, consonant blends, silent e, long vowels and r-controlled sounds. To check them out, enter our shop.
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