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    • Gumball Phonics™
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Gumball Phonics™

"Phonics Gumballs": This unique color-coded phonics strategy will keep your young writers and readers engaged and alert for phonics and spelling patterns they are learning in your Word Study program during your literacy block.

Gumball Phonics™ is a unique color-coded phonics strategy to help young readers and writers DECODE unfamiliar words, rather than GUESS.

"Phonics Gumballs": This unique color-coded phonics strategy will keep your young writers and readers engaged and alert for phonics and spelling patterns they are learning in your Word Study program during your literacy block.

 

This FUN color–coded phonics approach will help your students discriminate between the various phonics and spelling patterns found in words they encounter while reading.  Not only will this color-coding system make your students better readers, you will find they apply these same strategies when writing!

Another benefit to using Gumball Phonics™ is that it can be aligned with any phonics or basal program!

Let’s begin by taking a look at the color-coded system:

 

"Phonics Gumballs": This unique color-coded phonics strategy will keep your young writers and readers engaged and alert for phonics and spelling patterns they are learning in your Word Study program during your literacy block.

 

Now that you have an idea of how each spelling pattern is color-coded, lets take a closer look at how it can be applied in the classroom.

"Phonics Gumballs": This unique color-coded phonics strategy will keep your young writers and readers engaged and alert for phonics and spelling patterns they are learning in your Word Study program during your literacy block.

 

Spelling Lists and Word Sorts

If you use Words Their Way or spelling lists from an anthology you will know that each list has a focus on a specific spelling pattern. You can use this color coded method to help your young readers VISUALIZE the spelling patterns. Begin by having them “gumball-up” the phonics rule.  We simply draw a circle around the spelling pattern and color the gumball according to the system.  This will help your students isolate the sound when they encounter them in their word lists.  As pictured in the word sort above, the spelling focus is that of /ar/ verses the short /a/ in CVC words.  The r-controlled vowel is gumballed-up in blue to make the spelling pattern more noticeable to a young reader’s eye.

Center Activities

Whenever possible, encourage your students to “gumball-up” the spelling pattern during the various activities you have planned during your centers. The second photograph above illustrates how our “Stamp It” Word Study Center also incorporates the gumball strategy. This speller is focusing on the blue r-controlled vowel: /or/.

Anchor Activities

It is inevitable that you will find the need to provide your students with various activities (also known as worksheets) to help reinforce your phonics instruction.  The gumballs approach will help make it more fun.  We use mini bingo dot markers to highlight the phonics rule according to the color-coded system.  The kids love hunting for spelling patterns on their “worksheets” especially when they get to use the bingo dot markers.  Using their crayons to highlight the rule is also very engaging for them.

"Phonics Gumballs": This unique color-coded phonics strategy will keep your young writers and readers engaged and alert for phonics and spelling patterns they are learning in your Word Study program during your literacy block.

 

Small Group Instruction

During your small group instruction, you will take the time to provide your students opportunities to preview the sight words or spelling words that will be found in their text.  This is a great opportunity to isolate PREVIOUSLY learned gumballs in the new sight words presented. Study the words and help your students identify them as you read together. In the photograph above you will see that I have provided my students with a leveled text that contains words with the /er/ spelling pattern and a matching BLUE reading tracker to make it extra fun (because r-controlled vowels are blue gumballs)!

Using Decodable Text: a Gumball Word Hunt

We often use decodable readers which contain a collection of words that focus on ONE spelling pattern.  Notice how in the second photograph, one reader is hunting for words with the /wh/ spelling pattern.  Her “Gumballs Collection” is color-coded to include green “gumballs” to identify this digraph.

Independent Reading

I love to disguise Read To Self as Word Study.  One effective strategy to incorporate into your classroom is to encourage your students to look for spelling patterns in the their self-selected books. This gives them an opportunity to identify NEW words that might not be on their assigned spelling list.  Be sure to find time to allow your students to share the gumballs they have found during independent reading.  To learn more about peer-teaching during Share Time, you can visit The Read To Self Thinkmark and download a freebie!

"Phonics Gumballs": This unique color-coded phonics strategy will keep your young writers and readers engaged and alert for phonics and spelling patterns they are learning in your Word Study program during your literacy block.

 

Model Using an Anchor Text

Children love to be read to.  Using mentor texts when teaching children HOW to write is extremely effective.  Often times, we will begin our Writer’s Workshop with a short read aloud and focus on an author’s craft.  We also will “lift” one line of text from the story and study HOW the author wrote the words. In the first photograph above you will see how during a nonfiction writing unit we were reading about monkeys.  Each day after our read aloud we studied one line of text and color-coded the gumballs that the author used to write his/her words.  This strategy is highly motivating for young writers who want to be REAL authors some day!

Shared Writing

During the Write Aloud of our Writer’s Workshop, I often elicit the help of my students to write the words for my story.  I simply circle the gumball we used in color and later, the children enjoy gumballing-up my writing at the easel.  This is a great way to reinforce the spelling patterns that we had discussed during the Write Aloud.  It’s meaningful and it sticks with them!

Students Write Using Gumballs

Since having started using the Gumballs Phonics© approach I have found great JOY watching my students gumball-up their OWN writing.  I don’t ask them to, they just start doing it on their own!  Using our Interactive Word Wall (a non-traditional Word Wall that focuses on “gumballs” rather than beginning sounds) my students are motivated to use the spelling patterns we are studying during Word Work and Reading and apply it to their own Writing!  How is that for synthesis?!?!

 

As you can see, I have found great success in using the Gumball Phonics™ approach during my literacy lessons. So much so, that I want to share it with everyone!

If you would like to download the FREE bookmark to help you get started using this Gumball Phonics™ approach in your own classroom, click on the image below!

"Phonics Gumballs": This unique color-coded phonics strategy will keep your young writers and readers engaged and alert for phonics and spelling patterns they are learning in your Word Study program during your literacy block.

 

Below you will find a collection of blog posts that provide you with additional examples of how the “Gumball Phonics™” approach is used in the classroom.

 

Pin it for later:

Are you looking for a way to help your young readers remember spelling patterns? This FREE unique color-coded phonics strategy will help young readers and writers DECODE unfamiliar words, rather than GUESS. These Gumball Phonics© reading strategies will keep your young writers and readers engaged and alert for the phonics and spelling patterns they are learning. #phonics #literacy #spelling #firstgrade #literacy

TheKFiles.com


"Gumballs"

Be a Smart Cookie! A Differentiated Sight Word Fluency System

Be a Smart Cookie! A Differentiated Sight Word Fluency System

Are you looking for a method to Improve sight Word Fluency while using differentiated sight word lists? I know what is holding you back…it’s work.  I won’t lie and say that it was easy coming up with this system.  It took me a few years.  […]

Our Interactive Gumball Phonics™ Notebook

Our Interactive Gumball Phonics™ Notebook

As Adults: Not many of us enjoy a challenge. Not many of us embrace unfamiliar territory. Many of us are creatures of habit and find security staying in our comfort zone.  Yet, as adults when we do encounter challenges, we work through them because we […]

Gumball Phonics™: A Unique Color-coded Phonics Approach

Gumball Phonics™: A Unique Color-coded Phonics Approach

Gumball Phonics™ is a unique color-coded phonics strategy to help young readers and writers DECODE unfamiliar words, rather than GUESS.   This FUN color–coded phonics approach will help your students discriminate between the various phonics and spelling patterns found in words they encounter while reading. […]

The Read to Self THINKmark:  A FREEBIE for you!

The Read to Self THINKmark: A FREEBIE for you!

Are you looking for more opportunities to encourage your students to apply what they have learned from your phonics instruction while they read? Let me share this strategy with you!   We all know that children LOVE to read and be read to! The method […]

Differentiate Your Literacy Program!

Differentiate Your Literacy Program!

As requested, I have bundled up the ESSENTIAL resources you need to help with: planning organizing establishing routines and implementing   DIFFERENTIATED WORD STUDY GROUPS! You can find the complete bundle here at The K Files shop: Differentiate Your Word Study Groups:  The ESSENTIALS BUNDLE

A True Interactive Phonics Word Wall

A True Interactive Phonics Word Wall

Many of us Super Teachers have had Word Walls in our classrooms for years and years now. I have had one since forever! However, I have never found the Word Wall to be truly interactive for my students. Have you? Of course, we practiced our […]

4 Tips to Motivate Struggling Readers to DECODE, not GUESS!

4 Tips to Motivate Struggling Readers to DECODE, not GUESS!

As primary teachers, we spend most of our time teaching our children to READ, and READ some more.  This is not always an easy task.  We take on this responsibility and are continuously searching for the right strategies and tools that will provide our young […]

Words Their Way, OUR way Part 7: Read to Self as Word Study

Words Their Way, OUR way Part 7: Read to Self as Word Study

Why not take your Word Work one step further? I have disguised Read to Self as a bit more… Word Work… and my firsties don’t seem to mind. Yours won’t either. It’s a Win-Win!  Read on! Read to Self Word Study Assignments In addition to […]

Words Their Way, OUR way Part 4: Motivation & Goal Setting

Words Their Way, OUR way Part 4: Motivation & Goal Setting

Now that you have prepped your resources, you are ready to forge ahead with your differentiated Word Study groups. But before you do, I have some tips to help you motivate your students to achieve with goal setting! Motivate Your Students with a Theme and […]

Read to Self Bookmarks

Read to Self Bookmarks

As part of our Daily 5 routine my students follow a “Must Do” and “Can Do” list.   In addition to my students’ Word Work during our Daily 5, one of their “Must Do” items is to Read to Self. During this time the children […]

Write the Room with QR Codes!!!

Write the Room with QR Codes!!!

I’ve added QR codes to my existing Write the Room series!! Students love to Write the Room as much as they love to use technology. So I thought, why not add QR codes?!?!? And I did! These phonics review games are a great opportunity to […]

Write the Room

Write the Room

Students love to Write the Room. It is a great opportunity to get your students moving as they hunt the room for words that reinforce the current phonics rule they are studying. And it is so easy to prep! After hiding the words around the […]


Phonics

Differences Between Phonological and Phonemic Awareness

Differences Between Phonological and Phonemic Awareness

Confused with the terms of phonological awareness and phonemic awareness? Phonology is the study of vocal sounds. There is no print involved in this stage of literacy.  It is an “eyes closed” stage in identifying and manipulating the sounds of oral language.  Beginning with sentences, words, syllables, onsets, rimes and ending with phonemes.

Phonics Workshop: How to Organize it all

Phonics Workshop: How to Organize it all

Managing Phonics Workshop supplies can be a challenge. If you are looking for a better way to organize your whole group supplies… if you are anything like me, saving minutes throughout the day is a struggle!  Transitions from one lesson to another while gathering and […]

Sight Word Activities with a Word Detective Theme

Sight Word Activities with a Word Detective Theme

Which are the best sight word activities to boost fluency? Is it the traditional word wall, a portable word wall, a phonics notebook, a word wallet or a personal word wall? Let’s take a closer look at all our options with a Word Detective theme! […]

Using Your Classroom Rules as Personal Behavior Goals with “I can” Statements

Using Your Classroom Rules as Personal Behavior Goals with “I can” Statements

When you are introducing your classroom rules at the beginning of the school year, you hope they stick! As teachers, we make every effort to repeat, rehearse and restate our classroom expectations, but will our students remember them and follow through? Setting personal behavior goals […]

A Print Rich Classroom Environment

A Print Rich Classroom Environment

In an effort to raise phonemic awareness, teachers are presented with the challenge of providing their students with a print rich environment that will provide their students with a variety of opportunities to see, read and most importantly interact with written words. How do we […]

Be a Smart Cookie! A Differentiated Sight Word Fluency System

Be a Smart Cookie! A Differentiated Sight Word Fluency System

Are you looking for a method to Improve sight Word Fluency while using differentiated sight word lists? I know what is holding you back…it’s work.  I won’t lie and say that it was easy coming up with this system.  It took me a few years.  […]

Our Interactive Gumball Phonics™ Notebook

Our Interactive Gumball Phonics™ Notebook

As Adults: Not many of us enjoy a challenge. Not many of us embrace unfamiliar territory. Many of us are creatures of habit and find security staying in our comfort zone.  Yet, as adults when we do encounter challenges, we work through them because we […]

Gumball Phonics™: A Unique Color-coded Phonics Approach

Gumball Phonics™: A Unique Color-coded Phonics Approach

Gumball Phonics™ is a unique color-coded phonics strategy to help young readers and writers DECODE unfamiliar words, rather than GUESS.   This FUN color–coded phonics approach will help your students discriminate between the various phonics and spelling patterns found in words they encounter while reading. […]

The Read to Self THINKmark:  A FREEBIE for you!

The Read to Self THINKmark: A FREEBIE for you!

Are you looking for more opportunities to encourage your students to apply what they have learned from your phonics instruction while they read? Let me share this strategy with you!   We all know that children LOVE to read and be read to! The method […]

Differentiate Your Literacy Program!

Differentiate Your Literacy Program!

As requested, I have bundled up the ESSENTIAL resources you need to help with: planning organizing establishing routines and implementing   DIFFERENTIATED WORD STUDY GROUPS! You can find the complete bundle here at The K Files shop: Differentiate Your Word Study Groups:  The ESSENTIALS BUNDLE

Independent Word Study Centers

Independent Word Study Centers

If you run literacy centers or a Daily 5 framework in your classroom then you know the struggle of constantly planning and prepping engaging activities for your students to keep behavior problems at a minimum so you can meet with your small groups for Guided […]

A True Interactive Phonics Word Wall

A True Interactive Phonics Word Wall

Many of us Super Teachers have had Word Walls in our classrooms for years and years now. I have had one since forever! However, I have never found the Word Wall to be truly interactive for my students. Have you? Of course, we practiced our […]

Disguise Read to Self As Word Study

Disguise Read to Self As Word Study

Read to Self is an excellent opportunity incorporate additional word work. If you are looking for more opportunities to encourage your students to apply what they have learned from your spelling and phonics instruction WHILE they read, you are going to love this! We all […]

Hands-on Words Sorts

Hands-on Words Sorts

We all know and appreciate the benefits of providing our students with hands-on learning activities. Not only does working with manipulatives keep students engaged, but they also help students retain what they are learning and foster a love of learning new WORDS. As primary teachers, […]

4 Tips to Motivate Struggling Readers to DECODE, not GUESS!

4 Tips to Motivate Struggling Readers to DECODE, not GUESS!

As primary teachers, we spend most of our time teaching our children to READ, and READ some more.  This is not always an easy task.  We take on this responsibility and are continuously searching for the right strategies and tools that will provide our young […]

Words Their Way, OUR way Part 7: Read to Self as Word Study

Words Their Way, OUR way Part 7: Read to Self as Word Study

Why not take your Word Work one step further? I have disguised Read to Self as a bit more… Word Work… and my firsties don’t seem to mind. Yours won’t either. It’s a Win-Win!  Read on! Read to Self Word Study Assignments In addition to […]

Words Their Way, OUR way Part 6: Assessment

Words Their Way, OUR way Part 6: Assessment

Now that you have your Word Study routines in place it is now time to consider how you will assess your students and evaluate their growth. I have some simple solutions for you! Assessing Each Sort At the end of each sort/unit I administer a […]

Words Their Way, OUR way Part 4: Motivation & Goal Setting

Words Their Way, OUR way Part 4: Motivation & Goal Setting

Now that you have prepped your resources, you are ready to forge ahead with your differentiated Word Study groups. But before you do, I have some tips to help you motivate your students to achieve with goal setting! Motivate Your Students with a Theme and […]

Words Their Way, OUR way Part 3: Planning for Differentiated Word Study Groups

Words Their Way, OUR way Part 3: Planning for Differentiated Word Study Groups

Data drives instruction! You already have the data from the Qualitative Spelling Inventory. You already grouped your students. Your resources are ready. You are ready to “rock on”. Planning for Differentiated Word Study Groups I have a basket for each Word Study Group labeled with […]

Words Their Way– OUR Way PART 2: Getting Organized

Words Their Way– OUR Way PART 2: Getting Organized

If you haven’t already read Words Their Way– OUR Way PART 1: Getting Started, you may wish to start there to learn about how to administer the Spelling Inventory, analyze your data and form your differentiated Word Study groups. If you have read Part 1, […]

Words Their Way OUR Way PART 1: Getting Started

Words Their Way OUR Way PART 1: Getting Started

As teachers, we are always searching for the most effective program, and designing our delivery to best meet the diverse needs of our students. At the same time, we aim to go about each endeavor in the most effective yet efficient and time-saving manner. This […]

Words Their Way, OUR way Part 5: Routine & Differentiated Mini-lessons

Words Their Way, OUR way Part 5: Routine & Differentiated Mini-lessons

Now that you have motivated your students and set goals, you are ready to introduce your Word Study routines. I have some tips to help you introduce these routines whole group so that later on, your students will have clear expectations as to what they […]

Read to Self Bookmarks

Read to Self Bookmarks

As part of our Daily 5 routine my students follow a “Must Do” and “Can Do” list.   In addition to my students’ Word Work during our Daily 5, one of their “Must Do” items is to Read to Self. During this time the children […]

Write the Room with QR Codes!!!

Write the Room with QR Codes!!!

I’ve added QR codes to my existing Write the Room series!! Students love to Write the Room as much as they love to use technology. So I thought, why not add QR codes?!?!? And I did! These phonics review games are a great opportunity to […]

The K Files’…FILES!

The K Files’…FILES!

I don’t know about you, but my filing cabinet is a treasure chest of resources and goodies that are dear to my teacher heart. But it wasn’t too pretty to look at. So I created some fancy dividers to help me locate just what I […]

Using Anchor Activities–FREEBIE!

Using Anchor Activities–FREEBIE!

I am a huge fan of using Anchor Activities during my routine procedures for Words Their Way. When I am facilitating my morning tune ups (differentiated mini lessons) with my small Word Study groups, the students who are not working with the teacher are completing […]

Slides and Ladders Long Vowel Games

Slides and Ladders Long Vowel Games

I am so happy that I took the time to create these Slides and Ladders games for my firsties. They are truly enjoying interacting with each other, learning new social skills while reviewing the phonics rules they are learning in their differentiated Word Study Groups. […]

Write the Room

Write the Room

Students love to Write the Room. It is a great opportunity to get your students moving as they hunt the room for words that reinforce the current phonics rule they are studying. And it is so easy to prep! After hiding the words around the […]

Reading Strategy Goals with Beanie Baby Friends

Reading Strategy Goals with Beanie Baby Friends

My students absolutely adore our (beanie baby) Reading Friends and poster set! As I introduce the many reading strategies at the beginning of the year I always have a little help from our “Reading Friends”. Our reading buddies help the students focus on becoming good […]

Student DRA Reading Level Graph

Student DRA Reading Level Graph

At the start of the school year, I administer the The Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA2) to my students. After I calculate the results and determine their independent reading level I have a conference with each student and we discuss their level. If you look closely […]

UPDATED: Letter Sounds Word Wall Set!

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Do you know these letter sounds? They will help you learn to read. Our word wall has evolved so much throughout the year! It brings me such happiness when I see my young writers looking at the wall to find the words they need in […]

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