Lesson 7: f /f/
Where this sound appears: F can appear at the beginning or end of a word (fish, if).
Quick Tip: F is made by touching your top teeth to your lower lip and pushing air out. It is unvoiced -- no hum. Make sure your child says /f/ not /vuh/.
Extra Practice Worksheets (preview at bottom)
Step 1: Phonemic Awareness
No letters, no writing. Ears only.
Part A: Blending
"I am going to say some sounds one at a time. Squish them together into a word. Ready?"
/f/ /a/ /t/ -> fat
/t/ /a/ /p/ -> tap
/m/ /a/ /p/ -> map
/s/ /a/ /p/ -> sap
Part B: Segmenting
"Now I will say a word. Break it into its sounds and count them on your fingers. Ready?"
fat -> /f-a-t/ (3 sounds)
tap -> /t-a-p/ (3 sounds)
map -> /m-a-p/ (3 sounds)
pat -> /p-a-t/ (3 sounds)
Step 3: Auditory Drill
"I will say a sound and you write the letter as fast as you can. Ready?"
Say: /a/ -> Write: A
Say: /m/ -> Write: M
Say: /s/ -> Write: S
Say: /t/ -> Write: T
Say: /p/ -> Write: P
If they write the wrong letter: give the correct answer, have them write it while saying the sound, then move on.
Step 5: Word Building
"I will say a word. Listen for all the sounds, then build it or write it. Then look at it, cover it up, and write it again."
Say: "tap"
Say: "pat"
Say: "map"
Say: "sap"
After all words: go back and spot-check any that were spelled incorrectly. Say the sounds out loud together, then have your child try again.
Step 6: New Concept and Letter Formation
Uppercase and Lowercase
"This is the uppercase F and the lowercase f. The name of this letter is F. Let us say the letter name together: F."
Different Ways to See This Letter
"Look at all the different ways you might see the letter F. It can look a little different in different books or on signs, but it is always the same letter. Can you find them all?"
ASL Sign
"This is the ASL hand sign for the letter F. Let us make it together."
"Hold up your hand and try to copy the shape on the screen. Great!"
Keyword, Mouth, Voiced or Unvoiced
"Our keyword for this sound is fish. Say it with me: fish."
"Now watch my mouth when I make this sound: /f/. Rest your top teeth lightly on your bottom lip. Push air through. Your voice box stays quiet."
"This is an unvoiced sound. Put your hand on your throat and say /f/. Your voice box stays quiet. Only air comes out."
Where the Sound Appears
"Listen while I tell you where you can hear this sound in words. You hear the F sound at the beginning of words like fish and fat. You also hear it at the end of words, like in if."
Let's Read Some Words
"Now let us read some words that have this sound in them. Point to each word and read it with me."
fat | fan | sap | tap | if
How We Form the Letter
"Now let us learn how to write the letter F. Watch me first."
"Pull down from the top to the baseline. Add a line across at the top and another line across in the middle."
"First, let us sky write it together. Hold up your writing finger and write it big in the air. Ready? Go."
"Now trace it on your paper or whiteboard."
"Now write it on your own. Say /f/ each time you write it."
Day 2 | Step 10: Dictated Sentence
"Now I will say a sentence. Listen carefully, then write it down."
"A fat mat!"
"When you are done, let us check it together using CAPS."
C = Capital letter at the start. | A = Appearance. | P = Punctuation at the end. | S = Spelling.