Reusable mats for reading printed words with known grapheme–phoneme correspondences (GPCs). Children place tiles, blend through the complete word and read it as a whole. Use a few carefully selected words at a time.

Who the pack is for

Primarily Reception children applying teaching from their setting’s systematic synthetic phonics programme (SSP). Adapt the amount of support for other learners. Preschool oral blending can continue through talk and play; these printed-word mats are appropriate only when relevant GPCs have been explicitly taught.

Build then blend then read

1. BUILD  Choose a word containing only taught GPCs. Place its tiles in order, or let the child copy a printed model. An adult may position the tiles so motor skills and spelling do not become barriers. Do not reveal the spoken word or its picture before a fresh decoding attempt.

2. BLEND  Keep the tiles in place. Point from left to right at each grapheme and blend its phoneme through the complete word, using the SSP’s approach. The arrow is a direction guide; it does not prescribe a blending technique or sound-button system.

3. READ  Reread the same word as a whole. Use the optional joined-word strip in the READ space, or reread the tiles. Then discuss meaning or reveal an object or picture. Children may say the word, or show their understanding in an accessible way.

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Twenty-four cards which invite children to read two complete words and compare their print. Eight pairs are identical; sixteen differ. Changes occur at the beginning, middle and end, with one removal and one pair with two changes. Six editable templates let you add examples matched to your learners.

Who the pack is for

Primarily Reception children applying grapheme–phoneme correspondences (GPCs) taught through their systematic synthetic phonics programme (SSP). Select a few pairs that match known code and blending confidence. These cards provide adaptable practice, not a new teaching sequence. Support other learners as appropriate.

Oral blending combines spoken sounds without print. This activity involves reading printed words; Preschool use is appropriate only where the relevant GPCs have been explicitly taught. Continue stories, talk and phonological-awareness play alongside phonics, without a prerequisite checklist.

Read both then compare

1. READ BOTH  Present one card. Invite the child to read the top word, then the lower word, attending to every grapheme and blending using your SSP’s approach. Cover the lower word with plain paper during the first reading if helpful. Do not say either answer in advance.

2. COMPARE  Ask “Are these words the same?” Here, same means exactly the same written word, with the same graphemes in the same order. Check both words all the way through; a shared first grapheme does not make them identical.

3. EXPLAIN AND REREAD  For a different pair, ask “What changed?” Invite pointing to the relevant graphemes and, where accessible, identifying their sounds. For an identical pair, invite checking that every grapheme matches. Reread both complete words, then discuss meanings if useful.

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