In this session you will learn how to teach students digraphs.

Digraphs are letters that

join to form entirely new sounds.

DIGRAPHS

MOST COMMON
DIGRAPHS

1. When C&H join together, they form the sound CH as in CHAIR

2. When S&H joins together it forms the sound SH as in SHOW

3. When T&H join to together, they form two sounds TH as in the

word THE and sound TH in the word THING

4. When W&H join together, they form the sound WH as in WHY

&WHITE

In this milestone, students will be introduced to four sounds that are the most common
• When C&H join together, they form the sound CH as in CHAIR
• When S&H joins together it forms the sound SH as in SHOW
• When T&H join to together, they form two sounds TH as in the word THE and
sound TH in the word THING
• When W&H join together, they form the sound WH as in WHY &WHITE
• These are the most common digraphs. There are a few others like P&H and G&H
joining to form the sound F but these are not common and will not be covered in
level 2.

DIGRAPHS

MOST COMMON DIGRAPHS

The sounds CH SH and TH can come at the beginning, middle and at the end of words

Beginning of Word End of Word

CHICKEN WHICH

SHIP FISH

THROW BATH

The sounds CH SH and TH can come both at the beginning, middle and at the end of
words. But we will cover only digraphs that come in the beginning and end of words e.g.
CH can come in CHICKEN, WHICH and or KITCHEN
SH as it comes in SHIP, FISH or CASHEW
TH as in THROW, BATH or EITHER
WH as it comes in WHICH, there are a few words where WH comes in the middle but
these are not common and you will not find any words ending with WH.

DIGRAPHS
STEPS IN TEACHING DIGRAPHS

Steps 1-3: Introductory Activities by the Teacher

1. Introducing the new sound made by the letter combinations (CH/SH/WH/ TH)
2. Blending Diagraphs to word families and long vowels /syllables to form words.
3. Sounding out / decoding words with Digraphs in them

Step 4-6: Decoding Activities in the Workbook.

4. Associating pictures with words -decoding and writing– Activity 2
5. Decoding words without pictures – Activity -3
6. Reading the words in sentences. – Activity 4

Practice Exercises: Activities For Reinforcement

• Activity 5
• Activity 11

Story based Activities: Revising, Writing Sight Words and Reading Story
Sentences
• Activity 7 - 10

As in the case of all other sounds Digraph sounds there are 6 steps to introducing each
of the sounds. Steps 1-3 are done outside of the workbook and is effectively activity 1.
• Introducing the new sound made by the letter combinations (CH/SH/WH/ TH)
• Blending Diagraphs to word families and long vowels /syllables to form words.
• Sounding out / decoding words with Digraphs in them
Step 4-6 are done in the workbook.
• Associating pictures with words -decoding and writing
• Decoding words without pictures
• Reading the words in sentences.
Practice exercises This is followed by reinforcement or practice exercises of different
kinds – fill in the blanks, unjumbling words etc.
Story based exercises: that include revising and writing sight words and reading story
sentences.
By milestone 8 students should be helped with just one example and then encouraged
to do the exercise themselves.
 TEACHING DIGRAPHS

DIGRAPHS: CH, SH, TH, WH

INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITIES
ACTIVITY -1

Demonstrate the sounds formed

by the digraphs

Help students read words with

digraphs

Explain the meanings of these

words in Kannada

Digraphs are taught in the same logical manner as blends. First, the teacher helps
students read words with digraph CH such as chair, chips and church, words with
digraph SH such as shell, shoe, cash, words with digraphs TH such as three,
thumb, month, words with digraph WH such as wheel, whistle, white. This is done
by demonstrating the sounds at the beginning and at the end of the words. Here again
the meanings of these words are explained in Kannada to students.

TEACHING DIGRAPHS
The wall slate
Teaching the CH Sound could also be
used to write
the words

STEP-1

Place the letters C & H next to
each other and tell students
that they make the sound CH.
Make students repeat after you
that CH says________
C H
STEP-2
STEP-3
Place the letters AP / IP/ OP. Ask
students to sound out the word Let students sound out the words.
families. Place CH in front of the
word families to make the words
CHAP/ CHIP /CHOP and ask
students to read the words. C H A I R

C H O P T O R C H
C H E A P

Introducing the CH sound

Step 1: Place the letters CH next to each other and explain that when C&H come
together, they make the sound CH. Write this on the board underline CH and make
students repeat after you that CH says CH.
Step 2: Write the word family AP / IP/ OP on the board and ask students to sound out
the word family.
Use the flashcards or write CH in front to the words to make the following words and
ask students to sound out the words.
CHAP/ CHIP /CHOP
 Step 3: once students can read the simple 4 letter words write the 5 -6 letter words and
get students to sound out the words after you. By now you can write the whole word and
ask students to read.
CHEAP/ CHOOSE / CHAIR / CHURCH /TORCH /LUNCH /CHICKEN
In case a student is having a problem the underline the syllable so that they can sound it
out e.g., CHI CK EN/ CH OO SE. However, by now most students should be able to
decode without support.

TEACHING DIGRAPHS

Teaching the SH Sound

Break up the word
into smaller
syllables to help
STEP-1 students read

Place the letters S & H next to
each other and tell students
that they make the sound SH.
Make students repeat after you
that SH says________
S H
STEP-2
STEP-3
Place the letters : IP/ OP. Ask
students to sound out the word
families. Place SH in front of the Let students sound out the words.
word to make the words SHIP/
SHOP. Ask students to read the
words. C A S H

S H I P F I S H
S H E E P

Introducing the SH sound

Step 4: Once students have understood CH move to SH. Put SH together or write it on
the board and explain that SH produces the sound SH… Make the students say after
you SH says SH….
Step 5: Use the flashcards or write the following word families on the board and allow
students to read the word families.
IP and OP
Write SH in front of the word families and allow students to read it SHIP /SHOP.
Step 6. Write the following words and let students sound out the words.
SHELL SHOE CASH WASH FISH SHEEP SHUT SHOUT
In case students are not able to read break up the word into smaller syllables like SH ---
OUT / SH EE P etc.
 TEACHING DIGRAPHS

Teaching the WH Sound Let students read

the words and tell
you the meaning.
STEP-1

Place the letters W & H next to STEP-2

each other and tell students
STEP-3
that they make the sound WH.
Make students repeat after you Place the letters AT / EN. Ask
that WH says________ students to sound out the words. Let students sound out the words.
Place WH in front of the word to
make the words WHAT/ WHEN.
W H Ask students to read the words. W H E R E
W H E E L
W H A T
W H Y

Introducing the WH sound.

Step 7: Once students have understood SH move to WH. Place the cards WH together
or write it on the board and explain that WH produces the sound WH… Make the
students say after you WH says WH….
Step 8: Use the flashcards or write the following word families on the board and allow
students to read the word families.
AT and EN
Add the digraph WH to the above 2 and let students read the words and tell you the
meaning.
Step 9. Now write the following words on the board and let the students sound
them out:
WHAT/ WHERE /WHY /WHOOP / WHEEL / WHISTLE
The word WHISTLE will be difficult, and you will have to help students read this out.
Explain the meaning of the words.
TEACHING DIGRAPHS
DIGRAPHS: CH, SH, TH, WH
READING & WRITING ACTIVITIES

STEP 4 -
These activities are
done in the
ACTIVITY -2 workbook.
Students look at the picture,
read the words with digraphs STEP 5-
and write them
ACTIVITY -3
Students say and write the words
STEP 6
without pictures

ACTIVITY -4
Students read sentences using
words with digraphs
Activities 2, 3 and 4 involve reading and writing of the words with the digraphs. In the
first step, there is picture, sound and word association. In the next step, students say
and write and in the next step, they read the words in context as the words appear in
sentences.