Stop Teaching Blends and Digraphs Like They're the Same Thing
Here’s the problem: too many reading programs treat blends and digraphs like interchangeable concepts. They’re not. And teaching them incorrectly causes serious confusion for early readers.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, only 35% of fourth graders read proficiently—a figure that hasn’t moved in decades. One key reason? Early phonics skills, like blends and digraphs, aren’t taught in a way that aligns with how kids’ brains actually learn to read.
This article breaks it down for you: what blends and digraphs really are, how to teach them in a sequence that builds decoding success, and why this matters more than you might think. If you're serious about using research to build fluent readers, this is the only guide you need.
What Are Blends and Digraphs—and Why the Difference Matters
Let’s start with the basics. A blend is two or more consonants that appear together, but each sound can still be heard. Examples: bl, cr, sm, st, spl.
A digraph is two letters that come together to make a single sound. Examples: sh, ch, th, wh, ph.
The mistake most teachers make is lumping them together. But neurologically, they involve completely different cognitive processes. Blends require segmentation (breaking apart sounds), while digraphs require recognition of new phonemes (new sounds made from two letters). When you understand this, you teach them differently—and more effectively.
The Science of Reading and Why It Supports Direct Instruction of Blends and Digraphs
The Science of Reading emphasizes systematic, explicit phonics instruction rooted in how the brain processes print. Here’s what the research tells us:
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Blends are not single sounds and should be taught as clusters of separate phonemes.
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Digraphs are single phonemes and should be introduced as new sound units.
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Kids benefit from seeing blends and digraphs in decodable readers that build on known patterns, gradually increasing in complexity.
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Phonemic awareness activities should reinforce segmentation for blends and whole-sound mapping for digraphs.
You can't teach them in the same week with the same worksheet and expect results. They need to be taught in different ways, at different times, for different reasons.
How to Teach Blends Step-by-Step
Blends work best when taught after students are solid with CVC words. Here’s a proven structure:
1. Start with L-Blends and R-Blends
Introduce blends like bl, cl, gr, and tr in isolation. Use visual aids to show that both letters make sounds.
2. Segment and Blend with Phonemic Awareness
Practice saying words slowly: “/b/…/l/… bl!” Help kids hear both sounds clearly and reproduce them.
3. Use Blends in Context with Picture Clues
Use words like flag, frog, clap, and drum. Always say the word, break it apart, and blend it again.
4. Reinforce with Multisensory Practice
Have students build words with magnetic letters or trace them in sand while saying each sound.
5. Embed Blends into Decodable Sentences
Make sure students read full sentences that include target blends and sight words they’ve already mastered.
How to Teach Digraphs for Long-Term Retention
Digraphs are trickier because they often introduce new sounds. Here’s a simple sequence:
1. Teach One Digraph at a Time
Start with sh and ch, then move to th, wh, and ph. Avoid teaching similar-sounding digraphs together.
2. Use Anchor Words and Motions
For example, for “sh,” use the motion of putting a finger to your lips. For “ch,” pretend to sneeze. Kinesthetic cues matter.
3. Practice Visual and Auditory Discrimination
Show flashcards with pictures and have students identify the sound they hear at the beginning or end of the word.
4. Map Sounds with Elkonin Boxes
Use boxes to show that sh goes in one box—not two—because it’s one sound.
5. Reinforce with Daily Dictation and Reading Practice
Use orton gillingham materials that incorporate digraphs in controlled text and short stories.
Common Mistakes When Teaching Blends and Digraphs
🛑 Teaching both at the same time
🛑 Treating blends like one sound
🛑 Not using visual or auditory supports
🛑 Using worksheets with no connection to real reading
🛑 Relying on word lists instead of cvc sentences and context
Avoid these and you’ll instantly improve clarity and retention for your students.
Blends and Digraphs in the Bigger Picture of Phonics
Once students master blends and digraphs, they can move into long vowel sounds, vowel teams, and multisyllabic words. But if they skip this step or learn it incorrectly, everything else crumbles.
Think of blends and digraphs as the bridge between early phonics and fluent reading. They’re where phonemic awareness meets phonics instruction—and where true decoding starts to flourish.
Using structured phonics tools that pair blends and digraphs with short vowel sounds, games, and decodable practice makes a measurable difference in fluency and confidence.
Final Thoughts: Teach Smarter, Not Harder
Teaching blends and digraphs isn’t just about sound and symbol. It’s about teaching how to think like a reader—how to break words apart and put them back together with purpose.
Here’s what great instruction includes:
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Blends taught with segmenting and sound-by-sound practice
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Digraphs taught as single new sounds using auditory and visual memory cues
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Structured, consistent practice using decodable readers and real sentences
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Integration of both skills into meaningful reading, not just isolated drill
With the right methods, your students won’t just memorize phonics rules—they’ll use them. And that’s how real readers are made.
