Tag: mnemonics

Why Can My Child Sound Out Words, But Still Struggle to Understand What They Read?

If you are a parent or educator of a child with dyslexia, you may have encountered a puzzling gap: your student can decode words, but their reading fluency is multiple grade levels behind, and their reading comprehension is dangerously low.

When schools focus solely on decoding accuracy as the requirement for extra support, children with fluency and comprehension deficits often get left behind. But science tells us that sounding out words is only the first step—and without automaticity, reading becomes an exhausting mental effort.

The Science: The Working Memory Bottleneck

To understand why a child who can sound out words still struggles to comprehend, we have to look at how the human brain processes information:

  1. Working Memory is Strictly Limited: Cognitive Load Theory shows that our working memory (our conscious “mental workspace”) can only hold roughly 4 to 7 chunks of new information at once.
  2. Labored Decoding Overloads the Brain: When a child has not yet mastered automatic word recognition, sounding out letters requires conscious, step-by-step mental calculation.
  3. The “Memory Decay” Effect: Imagine trying to read a long page of random numbers. You might pronounce every single digit correctly, but by the time you reach the end of the line, your brain has forgotten the numbers at the beginning.

When a child with dyslexia spends all their cognitive energy translating letters into sounds, their working memory reaches cognitive overload. There is simply no mental space left over to organize ideas, connect sentences, or remember what was just read.

How We Bridge the Gap: Offloading Cognitive Strain

The key to helping dyslexic readers transition from labored decoding to true comprehension is reducing extraneous cognitive load—taking the heavy mechanical strain off working memory so the brain can focus on meaning.

Here is how targeted, structured literacy tools make reading easier and more effective:

  • Visual Picture Mnemonics (Dual Coding): The brain processes visual images and spoken sounds through two separate channels. Embedded picture mnemonics—like turning the vowel team ui into a basket of fruit—give students an immediate visual anchor. Instead of frantically searching their memory for an abstract rule, the visual cue instantly unlocks the sound, saving precious working memory capacity.
  • “Chunk and Chew” Reading Formats: Long, dense paragraphs overwhelm short-term storage. Decodable comic formats break stories into bite-sized, digestible panels. Asking a child to read a short section and draw the scene forces them to build a mental picture of the story, ensuring they comprehend as they go.
  • Logical Rules Over Rote Memorization: English spelling can feel full of random “exceptions” that frustrate dyslexic learners. For example, knowing that Final Silent E acts as a guardian because English words do not end in v or u turns confusing words like have or blue into a logical schema. Giving students clear structural rules removes trial-and-error guessing.
  • Visual Phonics for Tricky Words: Homophones (like there and their) cause major cognitive friction. Embedding subtle visual clues directly into letter shapes—like dressing the letter i in their in a sports uniform to mean “I am on their team”—helps students permanently map word spellings and meanings into long-term memory.

Making Literacy Accessible and Joyful

Dyslexia is not a reflection of a child’s intelligence or effort—it is a working memory challenge. When we provide visual anchors, bite-sized practice, and logical spelling frameworks, we remove the “spelling tax” and free up their minds to discover the true joy of reading.

At Pure Joy Teaching, our structured phonics games, decodable comics, and picture-embedded anchor charts are designed using these exact Science of Reading principles. They give parents and educators simple, no-prep tools that reduce cognitive load and build confident, fluent readers.

Why Some Children Know the Alphabet… But Still Can’t Read

If you have a struggling reader and are looking for more resources to help you help them at home on in the classroom. Here are a few more things that have worked for us. These are not affiliate links, just honest advise.

Nessy has a free spelling Ebook. It is great for students, and they have lots of great videos.

Uncovering the Logic of English, by Author Denise Eide. It is a great book, and she has lots of great videos.

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Support Reading Skills with Games

Building Cognitive Flexibility and Supporting Reading Intervention with Uno-Style & Crazy 8 Spelling Games

These colorful, engaging card games are more than just fun—they’re powerful tools for building cognitive flexibility and reinforcing essential spelling and decoding skills. Designed in the style of popular games like Uno and Crazy 8, these four targeted spelling games support reading intervention while keeping learners motivated and engaged.

Uno-style CVCC Game with Spelling Rule Cards

What’s Included:

Each game focuses on a foundational spelling pattern:

  • CVC – Simple consonant-vowel-consonant words, perfect for early readers. Carefully selected to avoid confusing endings like “r” or “z.”
  • CVCC – Emphasizes ending blends and introduces nine essential spelling rules (like ck, wa, qu, double consonants, and soft c/g). Blends such as nd, mp, nk, and others are practiced with separate flashcards.
  • CVCe – Also known as the “Magic e” pattern, this game incorporates six spelling rules, including when o says /ŭ/ and when s sounds like /z/.
  • R-Controlled – Covers patterns like ar, or, ur, er, and more complex sounds like air and oar, along with homophones and tricky combinations (w+ar, w+or).

How These Games Build Cognitive Flexibility:

Cognitive flexibility involves shifting attention, adapting to new rules, and recognizing patterns—skills that are constantly exercised as players sort, match, and interpret cards based on multiple spelling rules and phonics cues. The color-coded format strengthens visual memory and reinforces sound-symbol correspondence.

Ideal for:

  • Reading intervention groups
  • Small group instruction
  • Independent centers
  • Home practice with families

Students can use these as traditional flashcards or jump into fast-paced gameplay, practicing decoding, blending, and rule application in a low-stress, highly engaging format. Wild cards representing spelling rules further deepen understanding and allow teachers to differentiate instruction with ease.

In short, these games blend play and pedagogy, making foundational literacy practice fun, effective, and flexible.

Spelling Clip cards are a great way to gamify a spelling test.

Chef vs Magician, Sh Sound Spelling ci, ti, si, Card Games

Letter g, Mastering Sound and Shape

lowercase letter ‘g’ can be a tricky one to learn, both in terms of its sound and its shape. While these challenges are quite common, understanding the reasons behind them can help students overcome confusion. They can master the letter with ease with these helpful tips. Let’s break down two main difficulties students often face when learning the lowercase ‘g’.

Clever handwriting trick for making the letter and the hard g sound.

Watch this super simple video a few times. Learn to make the lowercase letter g in three easy steps and remember the hard /g/ sound with the word “girl.”

See /c/, /a/, /g/ girl. YouTube Video Here.

Pure Joy Teaching. Handwriting Trick for the Letter /g/.

This video was made at the request of a mother who was trying to teach her daughter to make the lowercase /g/ correctly and remember the letter sound, too.

Understanding the Lowercase Letter ‘g’: Overcoming Common Struggles

For many students, the lowercase letter ‘g’ can be a tricky one to learn, both in terms of its sound and its shape. While these challenges are quite common, understanding the reasons behind them can help students overcome confusion. They can master the letter with ease with these helpful tips. Let’s break down two main difficulties students often face when learning the lowercase ‘g’.

1. Letter Sound Confusion: The Soft ‘g’ and the “j” Sound

One of the biggest challenges students encounter is distinguishing the sound of the letter ‘g.’ When we say the name of the letter “G,” it sounds like the “j” in words like “giraffe.” This can lead to confusion because the letter ‘g’ actually has two distinct sounds in English:

  • The hard ‘g’ sound, as in “go” or “girl.”
  • The soft ‘g’ sound, as in “giant” or “giraffe.”

Because the letter name sounds like a soft “j,” students can mistakenly believe that the letter always makes the soft sound. Helping students practice both the hard and soft sounds of ‘g’ can clear up this confusion.

2. The Shape of Lowercase ‘g’: Confusion with Capital G

Another challenge is the shape of the lowercase ‘g,’ which can easily be confused with the capital letter ‘G.’ The lowercase ‘g’ is unique because it has a loop at the bottom that faces the opposite direction of the capital ‘G.’ This can be difficult for students to grasp, especially since both letters look somewhat similar. If they have learned the capital letter first, they may influenced by that initial shape curving the other direction.

To help students remember the lowercase ‘g’ shape, it’s important to practice writing the letter step by step:

  • Start by drawing the letter /c/.
  • Then, make it into the letter /a/ by sliding up and down to the line.
  • Finally, complete the letter by drawing a little tail that hangs out to the left side. Very simular to the letter /j/ tail.

By focusing on these specific steps and practicing the direction of the curve, students can avoid mixing up the lowercase ‘g’ with its capital counterpart.

The Importance of the Starting Point

The lowercase letters c, a, and g, all have the same starting points. Unlike most lowercase letters the /c/ shaped letters move in the opposite direction of normal English reading. The /c/ shaped letters start at the top and move from right to left. This book is helpful for teaching these letters.

C Pirate Letters Handwriting Storybook

Tips for Teaching the Lowercase ‘g’

  1. Use Visual and Auditory Cues: To reinforce both the sound and shape of ‘g,’ this video can be a helpful tool.
  2. Practice Writing: Give students plenty of opportunities to write lowercase ‘g’ repeatedly, encouraging them to focus on the starting point of the letter /c/. and the direction of the curve. It can also be helpful to trace the letter first, then try writing it independently.
  3. Focus on the Sound: Practice distinguishing between the hard and soft ‘g’ sounds in various words. Reading aloud and singing songs with the letter ‘g’ can help students become more familiar with the sound.

Conclusion

While the lowercase ‘g’ may seem tricky at first, understanding the reasons behind the confusion can help students master both the sound and shape of the letter. By practicing consistently and breaking down the challenges step by step, students can overcome their struggles and gain confidence in their learning journey. With patience and the right approach, the lowercase ‘g’ will become second nature!

Sound Wall Frame for Intervention
Pure Joy Teaching

Heart Words Display Frame

 The Sound Wall Frame and Heart Words were a big hit with my students. We focused on the short /o/ sound, as in “all.” One of my students drew two L’s hugging each other, the letter /a/ is thought it was so cute, and she made the /o/ sound, “ŏ.”

You can use letter pictures to teach sounds and spelling patterns.

Sound Wall Frame and Heart Words were a big hit.   Skill was Short /o/ as in all. 

 The Sound Wall Frame and Heart Words were a big hit with my students. We focused on the short /o/ sound, as in “all.” One of my students drew two L’s hugging each other, the letter /a/ is thought it was so cute, and she made the /o/ sound, “ŏ.”

I created a simple and versatile sound wall to display on my classroom wall, right next to my reading table. As part of my reading intervention lessons, students are encouraged to create visual images to help them remember the skills we are working on.

Sound Wall Frame for Intervention

Add some silliness to the sight words. I have a collection of sight words that have a silly snake image. I tell the students that it is a sleepy snake. He falls asleep and starts to snore. He makes the “zzzzz.” sound.

This snoring snake would be a cute one to draw for the Sound Wall Frame.

Words in this list include- is, his, was, has.

Other Ways to Play with Heart Words

Tic Tac Toe Board with Electrical Tape

Sound Wall Frame for Intervention

A Simple Black Frame Has Inspired Students to Draw Decodable Sounds.

Sound Wall frame . Letter g Pure Joy Teaching
Sound Wall Frame. Letter g Pure Joy Teaching

Art has always been my first love, and it is a great way for students to make sound connections to letters, digraphs, spelling patterns, and heart words.

Any space can easily be used for this type of visual-sound encouragement.

I used a lightweight plastic frame with no glass and painted it black. I also colored the tacks black with a large permanent marker so that they were hidden. Now, the focus is on the art and the sounds.

Easy Step to Create a Sound Wall

  • Cut the background fabric a little larger than the frame opening.
  • Pin or staple the fabric to the wall.
  • Place large black tacks in the corner of the frame opening. Let the frame hang on the tacks inside the top two corners.
  • Let students draw pictures inside the letters to help them make sound connections. (Try to encourage using the letter shapes to make sound links to relatable words. Example /ee/ bee – might be two bumble bees.)
  • Extra tacks are there for students to hang their art.
  • Or display the main skill that you are working on for the day.

Lowercase letter g for girl, with braided long hair hanging down.

Some of my younger ESL students were confusing the hard and soft letter g sounds. This is actually very common because of the letter name influence.

The name of the letter G, does have a soft “j” sound and they can instantly relate the name and sound together. I like to correct them by reminding them that they are correct. Sometimes the letter G, does make the “j” sound but it also has a tricky first sound and that is the hard /g/ as in girl.

I created a sample drawing for them, where my girl had brown braided hair flowing down in the shape of a lowercase “g.” The other girls wanted to draw their own versions, adding colored hair, flowers, and crowns. We kept the pictures displayed for a while, and it actually helped some of the other intervention groups who were facing the same difficulty with the “g” sound.

If you don’t want to hand draw all the letters for the students you can print them out. It is very handy to have them ready ahead of time and add a word list on the back to inspire the art. This is my set for Long E.

These pre-made cards can be used to inspire the students with images that relate to the sounds that the letters make.

ch, wh, sh, Teaching Trick Digraphs

What to do with the pictures after they draw them?

After the lesson is over, I leave the pictures up for a while. Sometimes I have to take them down for the next group and replace them the next day. It depends on your classroom situation. I teach reading invention, in seven different groups a day.

Some of the groups began creating a sound notebook, gluing the pictures into it. This was a great way to keep the images and lessons organized together. If you think this would be helpful, I have a link to that resource.

two sounds of long u
vowel team digraph cards

Find this on TPT mnemonic images for sounds and spelling patterns.

Schwa Bundle

The schwa sound can be challenging to teach and learn. While there are some tricky words, there are also predictable spelling patterns. These games and lessons can be helpful in mastering it.

Following the scope and sequence, some of the first words students may encounter are in the first lesson. These include words like: the, was, what, of, some, come, and from.

Learning the Schwa Spelling Pattern is Easier with Games and Posters.

Looking for a way to introduce and practice the schwa sound?

How to explain the schwa sound
Explain the schwa sound to emergent readings

The schwa sound is more than just the letter /a/ making the /u/ sound in words like banana, grandma, and pizza.

Students may first encounter the sound in the words the, was, what, and the word of. As well as the words come, some, from, and love. The bundle below has my favorite tools for introducing the schwa sound and spelling patterns to students of many levels and skills.

schwa spelling bundle educational games
Schwa spelling bundle

The schwa sound can be challenging to teach and learn. While there are some tricky words, there are also predictable spelling patterns. These games and lessons can be helpful in mastering it.

Following the scope and sequence, some of the first words students may encounter are in the first lesson. These include words like: the, was, what, of, some, come, and from.

The first poster set includes them. The warning sign theme helps reinforce the visual reminder that some words have tricky vowel sounds that we will call schwa.

schwa warning signs
schwa words of, the, was, what, warning signs. Pure Joy Teaching

The schwa sound is typically the short /u/ sound. What makes it more challenging to teach is that any of the vowel letters can represent the schwa sound.

You may choose to group the spelling patterns together to help students better remember them.

One option is to introduce the letter /o/ as a schwa sound, with a predictable pattern that students may encounter.

schwa love, dove, glove, oven
schwa love, dove, glove, Pure Joy Teaching

This schwa sound UNO-style game is excellent for helping students master words that feature the schwa sound.

uno-style schwa game

Fast pasted fun educational game students will love to play.

The Letter U has Many Sounds

More than just schwa…………….

The letter “u” sound can be quite confusing, but this fun mnemonic sentence and image of the letter “u” pushing a super unicorn can serve as a memorable spelling aid.

Letter u has many sounds
letter u has many sounds Pure joy Teaching
Many Sounds of the Letter u.

Have Pure Joy Teaching

pure joy teaching
pure Joy teaching

Ed Said, “d, id, t.” Suffix Game

Have you heard students struggling to decode words with the suffix -ed? I have! The suffix -ed has 3 different sounds. This game is a fun way to learn them.

Spelling Patterns for the -ed Sounds

Have you heard students struggling to decode words with the suffix -ed? I have!

The suffix -ed, can be tricky

Trying to explain the different sounds, spelling patterns, and irregular verb tenses can be overwhelming sometimes. This war-style card game can be used to tackle all those things in three different ways. Ed said, Ed says, and Ed spells are 3 fun, engaging ways to play with suffixes, and tenses while learning at the same time.

The word hopped can be very hard for students sometimes.

Ed the elephant can not say this name, but he can make 3 different sounds “d, id, t.”

The suffix -ed has some very predictable patterns and those patterns each have a different point value in the game. The irregular verbs like run and ran are so tricky so I have added them into another game called Ed Says? The irregular verbs have the highest number of points in this game.

The third game is called Ed Spells. This game has point values for the many different spelling patterns of the word that have the suffix -ed added to them.

Suffix -ed spelling patterns are +ed, double consonant, drop e, & change the y to /i/ +ed.

This is also a great game for ESL students.

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The b fits in the Left Hand

This is a helpful way to remember which way the letter b is going

b/d Reversals Tricks and Tips

b d reversals. Do your students ask this question a lot? Which way is b?

This poster is a helpful way to remember which way the letter b is going. It should fit in your left hand. Find it here on TPT.

This works for students who are right-handed writers.

Pure Joy Teaching

You might also like this hb hb go the same way. Great for letter b reversals.

Long Vowels Spelling Test Clip Card Bundle

Decodable game-style testing ay, ea, ei, e, i, -y, ey, igh, y_e, ie, ign, oa…..and more. Long a, e, i, o.

This is a great way to check on the student’s spelling without them knowing that they are being assessed for spelling. It works well in small groups and it is fun.

© Pure Joy Teaching – Vowel Team Spelling Cards

There are four sets of cards in this bundle.

You can get them here from TPT.

Pure Joy Teaching

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You may also like the suffix game.

Which do I use letter C or the Letter K?

I remind them to listen for the vowels. If it is a, o, u, use c. If it is e or i, use the k.

Do your students ever ask you this question? Is it c or k?

 Letter C or Letter K . Reminding the students to listen for the vowel sounds is great to figure it out.  If the sound is: a, o, u, the use letter c. 

If the vowel sound is: e or i, use the k.

This game is one way to let them read words that have the c and k spelling patterns.

Pure Joy Teaching – Find me on TPT or Facebook

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Sellers-Im-Following/Add/Pure-Joy-Teaching

You may also like the final K game.