Orton-Gillingham Phonics Lessons: First Five With Lesson Songs

Orton-Gillingham Phonics Lessons: First Five With Lesson Songs 

Lesson 1: Introduction to Short Vowel 'a' and Consonants 'm', 's', 't'

LESSON MUSIC I

LESSON MUSIC II

Objectives:

• Recognize and produce the short 'a' sound (/æ/)
• Learn the consonants 'm', 's', and 't'
• Blend these sounds to form simple words

Activities:

1. Visual introduction: Show the letters and discuss their shapes
2. Auditory practice: Pronounce each sound clearly and have students repeat
3. Kinesthetic reinforcement: Trace letters in sand/shaving cream or form with clay
4. Blending practice: Combine to make words like "at," "am," "sat," "mat"
5. Reading/writing practice: Read and write these simple words

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🎵 "Tap & Snap with A, M, S, and T!" 🎵
(Clap, tap, and snap along with the beat!)

[Verse 1 – Introduce Sounds]
👂 (Tap thighs)
Let’s say the sounds, nice and slow,
/clap/ your hands — now let’s go!

/a/ /a/ /a/ — That’s short A! (æ æ æ)
Like in apple, every day!

/m/ /m/ /m/ — That’s letter M! (m as in "mmmm!")
Like in mat, it’s just a gem!

/s/ /s/ /s/ — That’s letter S! (s like a hissing snake!)
Sssat and sssip — you guessed the rest!

/t/ /t/ /t/ — That’s letter T! (t like a ticking clock — t t t!)
Tip-top-tap, just you and me!

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[Chorus – Tap and Snap Word Jam!]
👣 (Stomp, tap, snap in rhythm)
Snap it! Tap it! Let’s all blend,
Make short words from start to end!

/a/ + /t/ — “at”!
/a/ + /m/ — “am”!
/s/ + /a/ + /t/ — “sat”!
/m/ + /a/ + /t/ — “mat”!

One more time — fast, not flat!
at, am, sat, and mat!

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[Verse 2 – Sound Play Remix]
📢 (Echo and Repeat Style)
Teacher says: /s/ /a/ /t/
Kids say: sat!

Teacher says: /m/ /a/ /t/
Kids say: mat!

Teacher says: /a/ /t/
Kids say: at!

Teacher says: /a/ /m/
Kids say: am!

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[Bridge – Kinesthetic Groove]
🎨 (Action-based cues)
Now draw an "a" in the air,
Trace it big — wave it where? (in the sky!)
Draw "m", "s", and finish with "t",
You’re a letter artist, neat!

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[Final Chorus – Super Sound Stars!]
Snap it! Tap it! You’re so bright,
Blending sounds just right tonight!
/a/, /m/, /s/, and /t/ — hooray!
We built four words the OG way!

Sat, mat, am, and at —
Now give yourself a snap-snap-pat! 👏👏👐

Lesson 2: Add Consonants 'f', 'p', 'n'

Objectives:

• Learn the consonants 'f', 'p', and 'n'
• Continue working with short 'a'
• Expand blending to form more words

Activities:

1. Review previous sounds ('a', 'm', 's', 't')
2. Introduce new consonants with visual, auditory, and kinesthetic activities
3. Blending expansion: Make words like "fan," "pan," "nap," "tan," "snap"
4. Word building: Use letter cards to build and manipulate words
5. Simple sentences: Read/write sentences like "Sam sat." "Pat tap."

EXTENDED LESSON PLAN 

Orton-Gillingham Lesson Plan

Lesson 2: Consonants 'f', 'p', 'n' with Short Vowel 'a'

Materials Needed:

• Letter cards (a, m, s, t, f, p, n)
• Sand tray or textured surface for tracing
• Whiteboard and markers
• Word cards for blending practice
• Pictures representing target sounds (fish, pen, nest, etc.)

Lesson Sequence:

1. Review Previous Sounds (5-7 minutes)

• Letter and Sound Review: Hold up each card (a, m, s, t) one at a time.

  • Teacher: "What letter is this?" (Student names letter)
  • Teacher: "What sound does it make?" (Student produces sound)
  • For each letter, have student trace the letter on the table while saying the letter name
  • Then have student trace again while saying the letter sound

• Quick Drill: Flash cards randomly, having student quickly say letter name and sound

  • "Let's say the letter name and then its sound: 'a' says /ă/, 'm' says /m/, 's' says /s/, 't' says /t/"

2. Introduce New Consonants (15 minutes)

Letter F:

• Show the letter 'f' card and picture of a fish
• Teacher: "This is the letter 'f'. It makes the /f/ sound like in 'fish'."
• Demonstrate formation: "To make lowercase 'f', start at the top line, go straight down below the bottom line, then go back up to the middle line and cross."
• Air Tracing: "Let's trace 'f' in the air. Start at the top, go down below the line, back up and cross. Say 'f' while we trace."
• Table Tracing: "Now let's trace 'f' on the table. As you trace, say the letter name 'f'."
• Trace again saying: "As you trace, say the sound /f/."
• Practice saying words that begin with 'f': "fish, fun, fast, fan"

Letter P:

• Show the letter 'p' card and picture of a pen
• Teacher: "This is the letter 'p'. It makes the /p/ sound like in 'pen'."
• Demonstrate formation: "To make lowercase 'p', start at the middle line, go straight down below the bottom line, then go back up to the middle and make a circle to the right."
• Air Tracing: "Let's trace 'p' in the air. Start at the middle, go down below the line, back up to middle and around. Say 'p' while we trace."
• Table Tracing: "Now let's trace 'p' on the table. As you trace, say the letter name 'p'."
• Trace again saying: "As you trace, say the sound /p/."
• Practice saying words that begin with 'p': "pan, pat, pet, pen"

Letter N:

• Show the letter 'n' card and picture of a nest
• Teacher: "This is the letter 'n'. It makes the /n/ sound like in 'nest'."
• Demonstrate formation: "To make lowercase 'n', start at the top line, go straight down to the bottom line, then back up to the middle and down again to the bottom line."
• Air Tracing: "Let's trace 'n' in the air. Start at the top, go down, back up to middle, and down again. Say 'n' while we trace."
• Table Tracing: "Now let's trace 'n' on the table. As you trace, say the letter name 'n'."
• Trace again saying: "As you trace, say the sound /n/."
• Practice saying words that begin with 'n': "net, nap, nut, nest"

3. Blending Practice (10 minutes)

• Use letter cards to build simple words with the new consonants

• For each word:

  1. Place letter cards in sequence
  2. Point to each letter, having student say individual sounds
  3. Blend sounds together slowly, then faster until word is recognized

• Words to practice:

  • fan, fat, fin
  • pan, pat, tap
  • nap, tan, man
  • sat, mat, at

• Finger tapping technique: Tap each finger to thumb as you say each sound, then sweep fingers while blending the whole word

4. Word Building Activity (7-10 minutes)

• Give student letter cards (a, m, s, t, f, p, n)
• Teacher calls out a word, student builds it with letter cards
• After building, student traces each letter on the table while saying its sound, then blends to read the word
• Words to build:
  • fan → pan (change one letter)
  • pan → tan
  • tan → tap
  • tap → sap
  • sap → snap
  • snap → nap

5. Simple Sentences (5-7 minutes)

• Write simple sentences on whiteboard one at a time:

  • "Sam sat."
  • "Pat tap."
  • "Fan man."
  • "Nat pan."
  • "Tam at map."

• For each sentence:

  1. Student points to each word
  2. Student reads word by word
  3. Student reads whole sentence fluently
  4. Student traces letters on table while saying letter sounds for selected words

6. Review and Assessment (3-5 minutes)

• Quick letter recognition check with all cards (a, m, s, t, f, p, n)
• Sound production check: "Tell me the sound this letter makes"
• Word reading check: Show 3-4 simple words from the lesson

7. Closing

• Review the new sounds learned today: "Today we learned three new consonants: 'f' says /f/, 'p' says /p/, and 'n' says /n/."
• Preview next lesson: "Next time, we'll learn a new vowel sound to go with our consonants."
• Give positive feedback on student's effort and progress

Notes for Teacher:

• Ensure student is properly forming each letter during tracing activities
• Provide immediate correction if letter formation or sounds are incorrect
• If student struggles with a particular sound or blend, provide additional practice before moving on
• Adjust pacing as needed based on student's mastery of concepts

Here's a fun rhythmic chant/song that incorporates body percussion to help teach the letters and sounds from this Orton-Gillingham lesson:

"Tap, Snap, Clap and Sound" Song

Introduction:

This song uses body percussion (snapping, tapping, clapping) to create a rhythm while practicing letter sounds. The pattern helps reinforce the motor-auditory connection that's so important in Orton-Gillingham.

Basic Pattern:

• TAP (on table): Say letter name
• SNAP: Say letter sound
• CLAP-CLAP: Say example word (emphasizing initial sound)
• SNAP: Say letter sound again

"Tap, Snap, Clap and Sound" Song I

"Tap, Snap, Clap and Sound" Song II

[Performed with a steady, playful rhythm at a moderate tempo]

Verse 1: Letter Sounds

F Sound:
[TAP] "F"
[SNAP] "/f/"
[CLAP-CLAP] "Fan, fan!"
[SNAP] "/f/"

P Sound:
[TAP] "P"
[SNAP] "/p/"
[CLAP-CLAP] "Pan, pan!"
[SNAP] "/p/"

N Sound:
[TAP] "N"
[SNAP] "/n/"
[CLAP-CLAP] "Nap, nap!"
[SNAP] "/n/"

A Sound:
[TAP] "A"
[SNAP] "/ă/"
[CLAP-CLAP] "At, at!"
[SNAP] "/ă/"

Chorus:

[TAP-SNAP] "F says /f/"
[TAP-SNAP] "P says /p/"
[TAP-SNAP] "N says /n/"
[TAP-SNAP] "A says /ă/"
[CLAP-CLAP-SNAP] "We can read!"
[Repeat chorus with increasing enthusiasm]

Verse 2: Blending Words

[TAP] "F" [SNAP] "/f/"
[TAP] "A" [SNAP] "/ă/"
[TAP] "N" [SNAP] "/n/"
[CLAP-CLAP-SNAP] "FAN!"

[TAP] "P" [SNAP] "/p/"
[TAP] "A" [SNAP] "/ă/"
[TAP] "N" [SNAP] "/n/"
[CLAP-CLAP-SNAP] "PAN!"

[TAP] "N" [SNAP] "/n/"
[TAP] "A" [SNAP] "/ă/"
[TAP] "P" [SNAP] "/p/"
[CLAP-CLAP-SNAP] "NAP!"

[TAP] "T" [SNAP] "/t/"
[TAP] "A" [SNAP] "/ă/"
[TAP] "P" [SNAP] "/p/"
[CLAP-CLAP-SNAP] "TAP!"

Bridge:

[Slower tempo, emphasizing each sound]
[TAP-TAP-SNAP] "Letters make sounds"
[TAP-TAP-SNAP] "Sounds make words"
[TAP-TAP-SNAP] "Words make sentences"
[CLAP-CLAP-SNAP] "We can read!"

Final Chorus:

[TAP-SNAP] "F says /f/"
[TAP-SNAP] "P says /p/"
[TAP-SNAP] "N says /n/"
[TAP-SNAP] "A says /ă/"
[CLAP-CLAP-SNAP] "Now we can read!"
[ALL TOGETHER] "YES WE CAN!"

[Style directions: Perform with clear articulation of all sounds. Exaggerate mouth movements for consonants, especially /f/ and /p/. Use a bright, encouraging tone throughout. Maintain consistent rhythm with body percussion. End with enthusiastic celebration.]

Teaching Tips:

1. Start slowly, then increase speed as students get comfortable
2. Use exaggerated mouth movements when making sounds
3. Have students watch your mouth formation, especially for consonants
4. For struggling students, guide their hands through the motions
5. Add visual letter cards that students can point to during the song
6. Try varying the volume (loud/soft) to maintain engagement

The multisensory approach of combining rhythm, movement, visual, and auditory elements helps reinforce letter-sound connections while making the lesson engaging and memorable!

Lesson 3: Short Vowel 'i' and Review

Objectives:

• Introduce short 'i' sound (/ɪ/)
• Continue practicing known consonants
• Compare and contrast 'a' and 'i' sounds

Activities:

1. Review all previous sounds
2. Introduce short 'i' with multisensory techniques
3. Sound discrimination: Practice hearing differences between 'a' and 'i'
4. Word building: Make words like "sit," "pit," "fin," "pin," "tip"
5. Word sorts: Sort words by vowel sound (a vs. i)

Lesson 4: Add Consonants 'b', 'd', 'c' (hard sound)

Objectives:

• Learn consonants 'b', 'd', and hard 'c' (/k/)
• Practice with short 'a' and 'i'
• Address b/d confusion with specific strategies

Activities:

1. Review all previous sounds
2. Introduce new consonants with multisensory techniques
3. b/d discrimination: Special focus on distinguishing these commonly confused letters
4. Word building: Create words like "cab," "bid," "bad," "did," "cat"
5. Sentence reading/writing: "Dad sat." "Tim did sit." "Cat can nap."

Lesson 5: Short Vowel 'o' and Review

Objectives:

• Introduce short 'o' sound (/ɒ/)
• Review all previous consonants
• Compare and contrast 'a', 'i', and 'o' sounds

Activities:

1. Review all previous sounds
2. Introduce short 'o' with multisensory techniques
3. Vowel comparison: Practice distinguishing between 'a', 'i', and 'o'
4. Word building: Create words like "top," "mop," "dot," "pot," "not"
5. Word sorts: Sort words by vowel sound (a, i, o)
6. Sentence building: "Tom has a mop." "Dad can stop."

Each lesson should include ample review, follow a structured format, provide multisensory engagement, and offer opportunities for success. Remember that pacing should be adjusted based on each student's needs and mastery of concepts.