This is a PowerPoint presentation I developed to help my First Grade students learn to blend sounds together to read long vowel a words (spelled –ai and -ay). Each word is color-coded and repeated across several slides that prompt students to make one sound at a time, and then blend all sounds together to read the word. After all sounds have been blended together, the word is displayed a final time with a picture to help students create meaning for the word they just read. The complete presentation features 55 slides that guide students in blending 11 long a words. The presentation also features notes as an instructional guide.

The preview includes recorded sounds to help you understand how to use the presentation with your students.
*Please note that the actual file does not include sounds, only words and pictures.

I have used this presentation with a digital projector as a mini-lesson for the entire class, and also as a station on my classroom computer to provide struggling readers with independent practice.

If you like this lesson, I have several more to offer as a teaching tool for additional vowel sounds, blends, digraphs, and compound words.

Created by Maria Manore