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Phonics: The Building Blocks of Early Reading

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Slide 32 of 46

Layers of English Orthography

• Alphabet
• Single sound match-ups with letters (/m/ /a/ /t/)
• Alphabetic principle
• Pattern
• Patterns that guide the grouping of letters
• Single syllable (CVCe — tape; CVVC — bead) and multi-syllable patterns (VCCV — batter; VCV — begin)
• Meaning
• Groups of letters represent meaning directly (roots and affixes)
• Derivational spellings and meanings are constant (remove & rethink; composition & compose)