OnTrack Reading

Preparation:

Write the following letter combinations on the board: x, ck, tch and dge. Underneath them write “Markers are spellings that mark the sound before them as the First Vowel Sound. The markers are x, ck, tch and dge.”

Familiarize yourself with the concept of a Marker, and the definition used here.

Print off or write down the word list near the bottom of this lesson plan so you can use it in class.

Class time elapsed: 0 minutes

Refer the class to the definition of a Marker on the board.

Ask the class if they know the sounds represented by each Marker, first x, then ck, then tch, and finally dge. Answers: /k/s/ (two sounds at once; the only letter that does this), /k/, /ch/ and /j/.

Write the word quack on the board.

Point to the letter a in quack and tell the class that a single vowel letter will always come before a Marker and that it will almost always be the First Vowel Sound.

Point to quack and tell them that the letter a in front of the Marker ck means that it will be the First Vowel Sound, /a/, so this spelling cannot be quake, it must be quack.

Write lick on the board and ask what it is. Point out that it can’t be like because the Marker marks the vowel sound as the First Vowel Sound, /i/.

Write sock on the board and ask what it is. Again, point out that it must be sock, and not soak, because of the Marker marking the vowel sound as the First Vowel Sound.

Refer to the Marker x and ask the class for one-syllable words ending with the letter x.

List them on the board and show the class how each has a single vowel letter in front of it, and that each of them is a First Vowel Sound.

Refer to the Marker dge in the definition.

Write badge on the board and show the class that the dge represents the /j/ sound.

Ask for more examples and list them on the board, repeating the process done with the dge words.

Refer to the Marker tch in the definition.

Write hatch on the board and show the class that the tch represents the /ch/ sound.

Ask for more examples and list them on the board, again repeating the process of reinforcing the concept of a Marker.

Class time elapsed: 5 minutes

Review the Main Rule: Stop each chunk after the vowel sound and try the First Vowel Sound first.

Tell the class that they can use Markers to help them read longer words more effectively.

Write “Exception #1” on the board.

Write “If there is a Marker after the vowel sound, add it to the chunk.”

Explain that since a Marker tells them what the vowel sound is in front of it, there is no need to ever test the vowel sound in that chunk, so add any Marker to the chunk and stay with the First Vowel Sound in that chunk.

Write hatchet on the board and have a student underline the Marker. Then tell the student draw a vertical line after the first chunk. If he draws it after the letter a, tell him that the First Exception tells him to add the Marker to the chunk. Have the student draw the vertical line after the Marker tch.

Repeat this process with several words from the lists below:

Words with ck: jacket, reckless, nickname, sickness, cricket, sticker, lucky

Words with tch: kitchen, matches, pitcher, stretcher, catchy

Words with x: expand, exit, expect, excuse, toxic, boxer, vixen

Words with dg: fidget, budget, midget, gadget, badger, judgement

Some 3-syllable words: rickety, maximum, flexible, exotic, execute
How to chunk them: rick e ty, max i mum, flex i ble, ex o tic, ex e cute

Class time elapsed: 10 minutes

Notes to the Teacher: Make sure that your students know what the word “exception” means here. We follow the Main Rule, except when a Marker comes after the vowel sound. Use an example they can identify with, such as one exception to the rule that they stay until the end of class time is when there is a fire drill. They stay until the end except when there is a drill. The drill is one exception to the normal rule that class ends at, for instance, 10:45 and that the exception overrides the main rule.

Also, be aware that a few words violate the Marker concept. The word catch is properly pronounced /c/a/ch/, but many people say /c/e/ch/. Two other tch words violate the marker concept, watch, where the leading w has the same influence as it does in words like wall and waffle, and butch or butcher, where the vowel sound follows the pattern in bull and bush. For now, don’t get into this unless the class brings it up. Cuckoo is another word that violates the Marker concept, but such exceptions are rare.

Next mini-lesson: Exception 2 - Double Consonants

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