Learning the fundamentals of reading and writing is an exciting journey for young students, and one popular method for teaching phonics and handwriting is the Fundations program. Created by Wilson Language Training, Fundations is a multisensory and systematic approach to teaching reading, spelling, and handwriting skills to students in grades K-3. A key component of the Fundations program is the use of letter boards, which provide a hands-on way for students to practice and reinforce their learning. In this article, we'll explore the benefits of using letter boards in the Fundations program and provide five free Fundations letter board printables that you can use with your students.
What is Fundations?
Fundations is a research-based reading and spelling program that focuses on phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, spelling, and handwriting. The program is designed to be taught in a specific sequence, with each lesson building on the previous one to provide a comprehensive foundation in literacy skills. Fundations is widely used in schools and homeschools, and is also popular among parents who want to provide their children with a strong foundation in reading and writing.
Benefits of Using Letter Boards in Fundations
Letter boards are a key component of the Fundations program, and provide a hands-on way for students to practice and reinforce their learning. Here are some benefits of using letter boards in Fundations:
- Develops fine motor skills: Letter boards help students develop the fine motor skills they need to write letters and words correctly.
- Improves phonemic awareness: By manipulating letters on a board, students develop phonemic awareness and learn to segment and blend sounds.
- Enhances decoding skills: Letter boards help students practice decoding words by sounding out letters and blending them together.
- Builds spelling skills: Students use letter boards to practice spelling words by arranging letters in the correct order.
- Provides hands-on practice: Letter boards provide a hands-on way for students to practice their literacy skills, which can be more engaging and effective than traditional worksheets.
5 Free Fundations Letter Board Printables
Here are five free Fundations letter board printables that you can use with your students:
- Letter Board Template: This printable provides a blank letter board template that you can use to practice any word or phrase.
- Word Families: This printable provides letter boards for several common word families, including -at, -an, and -in.
- Phonics Patterns: This printable provides letter boards for several common phonics patterns, including blends and digraphs.
- Sight Words: This printable provides letter boards for several common sight words, which can help students practice reading and spelling these words.
- Word Building: This printable provides letter boards for several common word building activities, including building words from individual letters and changing the initial sound of a word.
How to Use These Printables
These printables can be used in a variety of ways to support student learning in the Fundations program. Here are a few ideas:
- Independent practice: Provide students with a letter board and a set of letters, and have them practice building words and phrases on their own.
- Guided practice: Use the letter boards to guide students through a phonics or spelling lesson, having them manipulate the letters as you provide instruction.
- Small group instruction: Use the letter boards to provide small group instruction, having students work together to build words and phrases.
- Assessment: Use the letter boards to assess student knowledge and understanding of phonics and spelling concepts.
Conclusion
Letter boards are a powerful tool for teaching phonics and spelling in the Fundations program. By providing a hands-on way for students to practice and reinforce their learning, letter boards can help students develop the literacy skills they need to succeed. We hope these five free Fundations letter board printables are helpful in supporting your teaching and student learning.
What is Fundations?
+Fundations is a research-based reading and spelling program that focuses on phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, spelling, and handwriting.
How do I use the Fundations letter board printables?
+You can use the letter boards to provide independent practice, guided practice, small group instruction, or assessment.
Are the letter boards suitable for homeschool use?
+Yes, the letter boards are suitable for homeschool use. They can be used to provide a hands-on way for your child to practice and reinforce their learning in phonics and spelling.