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  4. L4: Last Sound Swap

L4: Last Sound Swap

  1. Overview
  2. Materials & Preparation
  3. Activity
  1. Small Groups
  2. Questions and Answers

1. Overview

Produce and then read a series of three-sound words by swapping out the last sounds to make new words.
last sound swap
L4: Last Sound Swap
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2. Materials & Preparation

Print out the sound cards and the word work mat, preferably on sturdy card-stock paper, and cut apart the sound cards. For the word work mat, trim off the white edges and tape the pages together. Put the word work mat directly in front of your child. The word list is for the adult’s reference only. All the words in this activity contain short vowel sounds, so do a quick review of those sounds with your child if necessary. ↑ Top

3. Activity

Video: How to play Last Sound Swap
Have the child put the sound cards in their matching squares on the word work mat, giving the sound for each letter or digraph as he moves the card to its place. You will guide your child through building a three-sound word on his word work mat and then swapping the last sound to make other words. In the example below, we will lead a child through the words starting with ba- word family, starting with bad.
Adult: You can make lots of words by swapping their last sounds. Here’s how: I’ll say three sounds. You find each sound when I say it, and move the card to the boxes at the bottom of the mat. Start here. [Point to left box.]             Get ready: /b/ [child moves card] … /aaa/ [child moves card] … /d/ [child moves card]             Now say the sound on each card. Start here. [Point to left box.] Child: /b/ • /aaa/ • /d/. Adult: Say the sounds fast. What word? Child: /b/-/aaa/-/d/. b/a/d. Bad! Adult: Good job. Now put the /d/ card back in its place. Swap it for the /g/ card. Child: [Swaps cards.] Adult: Say the sound on each card. Get ready: Child: /b/ • /aaa/ • /g/. Adult: Say the sounds fast. What word? Child: /b/-/aaa/-/g/. b/a/g. Bag! Adult: Yes. You swapped the last sound to turn bad into bag. Now put the /g/ card back and swap it for the /mmm/ card.
Continue until your child has made all the words you have chosen to present to her from that group, then reverse the order. Go through the word group backward, from the final word bang back to bad. Have the child put all three sound cards back in their places before beginning a new word group. Go through about twenty words (two to four word groups) in a session. NOTE: You do not have to cover every word in a word group or even every word group. We have provided a large variety of words from which you can choose. NOTE: Do not go so fast in this game that your child gets frustrated and discouraged. It is better to introduce just five to six words (and sound swaps) in one word group and repeat them in random order several times than it is to confuse or overwhelm the child by presenting too many different groups in a session. ↑ Top

4. Small Groups (2-5 children)

Lesson Objective: Using visual aids, children will hear individual phonemes in a three-sound word, identify and correctly order their corresponding lower-case alphabet letter cards to build the word, read the word, and then swap the final phoneme sound cards to produce and read a new word. GELDS (Georgia Early Learning & Development Standards): CLL6.4f (closest standard) Georgia Standards of Excellence: ELAGSEKRF2.e Common Core State Standards: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.2.E Additional Materials:
  • optional: pocket chart to display work mat and sound cards
Adaptation: Read the main activity, watch the video, and follow the instructions above, with the following changes: Do a quick review of short vowel sounds by pointing to random vowels and having the children say the sounds. Reverse the activity by giving the sound and asking the children to touch the matching sound card and say the vowel name. Be sure each child in the group has performed both these review tasks. Play the game together, giving the sound and moving the last sound card to the bottom row of the chart. Let the children take turns choosing a letter from the chart to place as a last sound. Ask the entire group, “What new word did we make?” Always have the children give the sound for the new letter card and blend the sounds into a new word both individually and as a group. Reinforcement: Place a three-sound word on the chart (such as bad). Say the word together. Give each child a different consonant (or digraph) letter card. Take away the last sound from bad and have the children take turns adding their letter card to the end. Ask each child to say their new word. Have the group confirm or correct each other’s work. Use this Reinforcement at Home form to tell parents and guardians how they can reinforce lessons outside the classroom. ↑ Top

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