Did you know that roughly 25% of children struggle with sounding out words? After years of working with struggling readers, I’ve discovered that most reading difficulties boil down to a few key missing pieces in phonics instruction. Today, I’m sharing five game-changing tricks that have helped many kids overcome some of those “weird phonics rules” reading hurdles.

Sounding Out Words With A Silent E

Let’s talk  about the little letter that packs a huge punch in the English language – the silent E! Did you know this E has control over letters that have more than ones sound? In the English alphabet, the vowels A, E, I, O, and U all have 2 sounds. The letters C and G also both have a “hard” sound and a “soft” sound (like when C says /s/ and G says /j/).

Here’s how it works with vowels: When you add a silent E to the end of a short vowel word, it reaches back and taps the short vowel on the shoulder, telling it to say its name (or the long sound) instead of its short sound. Take the word “rob” – add an E, and suddenly that ‘o’ perks up and says its name, giving us “robe.”

For the letters C and G, as soon as E is placed next to them, they change their sounds to their “soft” sounds, like in “ice” and “huge”.

I’ve found that the best way to practice this is with what I call “flip cards.” You take a basic word like “cap” and create a flap with an E that can fold over. When kids physically flip that E into place and watch “cap” become “cape,” it’s like magic happening right before their eyes.
I’ve created two full pages of flip cards for you to print and practice with your child!

You can download them using this big green button!

Download Your Silent E Flip Cards

Sounding Out Words That Break Silent E Rule

Now, here’s something that used to drive me absolutely crazy when I first started teaching reading – words like “have” and “give.” They’ve got that silent E at the end, but they completely ignore our previous rule! What gives? (See what I did there?)

Well, it turns out English has this weird quirk where it absolutely refuses to end words with the letter V. I know, I know – it sounds made up, but I promise it’s true! Think about it: can you name any English word that ends with just a V? Every single word with a V sound at the end needs that E to make it complete – love, above, stove, cave, you name it.

This rule has saved so many of my students from confusion. When they’re writing and hear that /v/ sound at the end of a word, they know they need to add an E, even if it doesn’t make the vowel say its name.

Sounding Out Words With Vowel Pairs

Let’s talk about something I like to call “vowel teams.” You know that old saying, “when two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking”? Well, it’s not perfect, but it’s actually pretty helpful for most common vowel teams.

Think about words like “rain,” “seat,” or “boat.” See how those vowel pairs work together? The second vowel is making the first letter say its name (aka its long sound).

Take “ae” – it says A’s name. “ie” gives us that long I sound, “oe” says O, and “ee” makes that long E sound. Even “ai,” “ea,” and “oa” follow this pattern, with the first vowel saying it’s long sound.

But I should mention – there are some rebels in the vowel team world. Combinations like “ou,” “au,” and “oi” play by their own rules. They’ve got their own unique sound.

Sounding Out Words With a Whiny A

Here’s a fun one that always gets kids giggling – the “whiny A” rule!

When the letter A shows up before M or N in a word, it often makes this special “aaa” sound. Think about words like “ham,” “can,” “man,” or “fan.” That A isn’t making its usual short sound – it’s got a bit of attitude!

Now, I should mention that this rule can vary depending on where you’re from. Different regions pronounce these words slightly differently, and that’s totally okay! The important thing is helping kids recognize this pattern in their own speech and reading.

I love teaching this rule because it helps with so many common words that kids will face early in their reading journey.

The FSZL Rule: When Words Have Double Consonants

Now for the grand finale – the rule that most parents have never heard of but makes such a huge difference! I call it the FSZL (“fizzle”) rule and another one kids love.

Picture this: your child is reading along smoothly with simple words like “sit” and “cat,” when suddenly they hit words like “miss” or “bell” and everything screeches to a halt. Sound familiar? This is where the FSZL rule comes to the rescue!

Here’s the deal: when you have a short vowel sound and the word ends with F, S, Z, or L, we almost always double that final letter. But – and this is crucial – we only make the sound once! Think about words like “stuff,” “miss,” “buzz,” and “pill.”

Doubled letters go even deeper than that. They protect the short vowel sound in longer words, keeping that bossy E and other vowels from making them change their sound. Without them, “bigger” would become “biger,” and “kitten” would turn into “kiten.”

Conclusion

These five phonics tricks might seem simple, but they’re absolute game-changers for young readers. Remember, every child learns differently, so don’t be afraid to adjust these techniques to fit your little reader’s needs.

The most important thing is to keep it positive and celebrate progress, no matter how small. Reading is a journey, not a race, and these tricks are tools to make that journey smoother and more enjoyable.

Start with one rule at a time, practice regularly, and watch your child’s confidence grow. Before you know it, they’ll be spotting these patterns everywhere and teaching them to their friends!

Have you tried any of these tricks with your young reader? I’d love to hear about your experiences and what worked best for your child. Remember, sometimes the smallest changes in our teaching approach can make the biggest difference in a child’s reading journey.