Today we will address a question that can affect so many aspects of the process of learning to read: letter formation. We had this question from one of our Phonics First trained teachers: 

"I can not remember for the life of me how to explain the difference between the "b" and the "d" to my class.  Could you please refresh my memory."

There are a couple of instructional tools we use to differentiate between "b" and "d".  For the d, we use the "Key Word" drumstick and the concept of the d being made up of a drum and a stick.  When forming the d, ALWAYS make the drum first (start by making a c and then adding the stick without lifting the pencil).  First make sure they are VERY consistent forming the c correctly and then they can easily turn it into a d.  An additional trick I use is showing them a music CD which most students recognize.  If they think of the term "CD," that helps them remember to make the c and turn it into a d.

The b formation uses the concept of a bat and ball.  Ask the students, "When it is your turn to go up to hit, what do you pick up first?" You always pick up the bat and then hit the ball.  The letter b is ALWAYS made with the bat first (top to bottom) and then the ball is hit down the page.

By having students start each letter in a different place (one at the top, the other at the midline), they are kinesthetically able to recall the correct sequence of movements to form the letters.

I love teaching magic-e to the kids. There are so many fun activities you can do with the multisensories for these lessons. 

The simplest magic-e activity is with our magic-e wand. If you haven't purchased one yet, you could make your own using glitter pipe cleaners. The pipe cleaners will not give the "magical" chime when waved like the metal magic-e wand does, but it is a great and cost-effective way to give your entire class a magic-e wand. Start out with the whole class showing examples of  CVC words (mat, tap, cut), then use your magic-e wand to transform the words with the magic-e (mate, tape, cute). Then provide your class with their own pipe cleaners to make their own magic-e wand pencil toppers (I would remove the red glitter pipe cleaners and reserve them for teaching a red word lesson). 

Now, invite four children up to the front of the class to hold cards from your card pack. (I usually give the four kids doing the demo a pile of cards - beginning sounds person would have a lot of single consonants as well as beginning blends - vowel person would have all five short vowels - and the ending sound person would have several single consonants like: p, m, n, t, b, and d. The magic-e person is placed at the end of the word and holds the card while slowly turning around and around. When magic-e faces away from the word, the other students change their cards and the audience says the short vowel syllable. When the magic-e faces the crowd and completes the magic-e syllable, the students wave their wands and say the new (long vowel) syllable.

Here are a few other ideas and games for teaching Magic-e:

The students could also be encouraged to wave their own personal wands during dictation.

They could use their wands to go on a magic-e hunt of things around the room that have magic-e.

They could do a charades game where their fellow students would have to guess what the magic-e word was they were acting out (they have to include their wand in the movement): wave, cave, hide, robe, kite, cane, slide, time, plane, and note.

The students could also wave their magic-e wands as you play Simon Says: Simon Says.....bite (they wave their wands); Simon Says.....clap (they hold their wands still). The students need to recognize the long sound of the vowel and that it will be a magic-e.

Do you have ideas, activities and tips to teach magic-e? Please share them!