Do your students ever stare at a blank piece of paper unsure how to start writing? Do you struggle to find fun ways to engage them in phonics practice and writing? Phonics writing prompts provide structure, focus, and a little fun.
2 parts to phonics writing prompts
Like any writing prompts, phonics writing prompts are designed to give students a jumping off point. They may have a type of writing and a situation to get them started. For example, the type of writing might be an invitation. The situation or directive could be: You’re having a party. Write an invitation to your guests.
The difference with phonics writing prompts is that students also have certain words to include. This encourages students to expand their writing vocabulary and use words with sounds that you are practicing, for example /ae/ or /er/. For the party invitation using /ae/ words, students might write: Please come to my party! We will make slime and eat cake. I can’t wait for Saturday. You can adapt writing prompts to practice any phonics sounds by choosing words that students should use.
Ideas for phonics writing prompts
Looking for some ideas for phonics writing prompts? Try these.
- Design a mini book about a rainy day
While you could use this for any sounds, it lends itself well to /ae/, since rainy and day both fit that sound pattern.
- Write a diary entry
You could tie this to a character students have read about or a historical event, but since they already have words to incorporate, it might be best to let their imaginations run wild. - Design a comic strip about a whale
Change whale to mice and you can start shifting sounds from /ae/ to /ie/. What else would be fun to write a comic strip about? Choose a word that fits your sound pattern.
- Send a postcard
Like several of these writing prompts, this gives students a chance to draw as well as write. If students have trouble getting started, have them draw a picture that incorporates a few of the words on your list before they start writing. - Write a recipe
This is great practice in instructive writing and sequencing in addition to providing phonics practice. - Create a profile
Give students a series of prompts to respond to to help develop a character. Include things like age, appearance, likes, dislikes, strengths and weaknesses.
- Write the instructions for a game
Like writing a recipe, this gives students a chance to do instructive writing and sequence steps. Use it with /oe/ words like go, roll, and show or any other word patterns you are working on. - For or against homework
This is a persuasive prompt that students can usually muster energy around. - Acrostic poem
Choose a theme for your acrostic. It might be a month or a season. It could be the student’s name or a favorite object or activity (book, soccer). Write the word down the side of the paper. Each line of the poem begins with one of the letters in the topic word.
Phonics writing prompts are very adaptable. You could have students write an acrostic poem about an animal using /ae/ words and later an acrostic poem about winter with /oe/ sounds. The form stays the same, but the subject and the target phonics skill changes.
Done for you phonics writing prompts
Imagine having ready to print and use phonics writing prompts for a variety of sounds and spellings. Done.
I’ve created a phonics writing prompts bundle for you. Each writing prompt provides a list of eight single syllable and multi-syllable words. Currently the individual packs focus on the following sounds and spellings.
- Pack 1 Sound /ae/, spellings: a, ai, ay, a-e, and ea.
- Pack 2 Sound /ee/, spellings: e, ea, ee, y, ey and ie.
- Pack 3 Sound /oe/, spellings: o, oa, ow, oe and o-e.
- Pack 4 Sound /er/, spellings: er, ir, or, ur and ear.
More sounds are coming including: /e/, /ow/, m/oo/n, /ie/, b/oo/k, /u/, /s/, /l/, /or/, /air/, /ue/, /oy/ and /ar/.
When you buy the bundle, you’ll get four packs now, and you’ll also get the other sounds as they become available.
Get your phonics writing prompts bundle now!
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