Digraphs can be one of the trickiest parts of phonics instruction. For many kids, learning individual letter sounds is a big milestone, but when two letters come together to form a completely new sound, it can feel overwhelming. That’s why digraph word sorts are such an effective tool—they help students see patterns in digraphs like ch, sh, th, and wh, making it easier to recognize and use them in reading and spelling. With plenty of hands-on practice, students can master these tricky letter combinations and build confidence in their literacy skills.
What Makes Digraphs So Tricky
Digraphs can really trip students up because they don’t follow the simple phonics rules that kids are just starting to learn. For example:
- “ch” and “sh” may look like regular consonants, but when paired, they create totally new sounds. Plus, since they look so similar, it can be easy for students to mix them up.
- “th” is extra tricky because it makes two different sounds: a hard version (like in “this”) and a soft version (like in “thin”).
- “wh” might look new to students, but it makes the same sound as “w”, which can be overwhelming at first.
- Silent digraphs like “kn” and “wr”—they include letters that aren’t pronounced at all, making them tough for early readers.
- Less common combinations like ph” and “qu” don’t follow the usual sound rules and make sounds that don’t seem to match the letters used to spell them!
These tricky digraphs can leave students feeling frustrated and confused. Many kids instinctively try to sound out each letter separately, leading to mispronunciations and spelling mistakes. To make things even more challenging, some digraphs align with common speech development errors, meaning students may struggle with auditory discrimination as well. (psst, for extra support with distinguishing the “th” sound, check out my TH, V, and F Made Fun blog post).
How to Make Digraphs Easier for Students
So, how do you teach digraphs effectively? The answer is simple: lots of practice! The more students see, hear, and use digraphs, the easier it becomes for them to recognize and understand them.
Incorporating digraphs like ch, sh, th, wh, wr, kn, ph, and qu into daily literacy activities—through word sorts, literacy centers, and phonics activities—helps students become more familiar with these patterns. One of the most effective ways to teach digraphs is through word sorts. When students actively sort words with similar patterns, they begin to recognize connections between letter combinations, making these tricky digraphs feel more predictable and easier to decode.
A No-Prep Solution to Help Students Master Digraphs
If you’re looking for an easy, no-prep way to help students tackle digraphs, my No-Prep Digraph Word Sorts and Worksheets are exactly what you need! These activities are specifically designed to address the challenges students face when learning digraphs like ch, sh, th, wh, wr, kn, ph, and qu.
Here’s what you’ll get:
- Word sorts that focus on key digraphs like ch, sh, th, wh, wr, kn, ph, and qu.
- Simple, repeated pictures to help students complete the activities independently, so they won’t have to ask for help every five minutes!
- Flexibility and Versatility: You can use these activities for independent work, small groups, assessments, homework, or even intervention sessions.
The visual nature of word sorts makes it easier for students to see patterns in digraphs, helping them decode words with confidence. And since these activities are no-prep, you’ll save valuable time while ensuring your students get meaningful practice.
You can SUBSCRIBE to access a free word sort in my resource library or click here to access it on TPT. If you’re already subscribed, simply go to the Freebie Library to download it right away.
Why Word Sorts Work
Word sorts are a powerful tool for teaching digraphs because they allow students to categorize words based on their spelling and sound patterns. This approach helps students see the relationships between letters and sounds, reinforcing phonics rules in a hands-on way.
As students work with digraphs like ch, sh, th, wh, wr, kn, ph, and qu, they start to recognize these letter combinations more easily, improving both their reading and spelling. Plus, word sorts allow for independent practice, which means less time managing the activity for you and more time for your students to work on building their phonics skills.
Still not sold on word sorts? Read all about how word sorts can simplify your phonics instruction.
The Takeaway
Teaching digraphs doesn’t have to be overwhelming! With structured practice, engaging phonics activities, and the right resources, your students can master these tricky letter combinations and build reading confidence.
If you want extra practice with digraphs, check out my digraph activity bundle —a fun, hands-on way to make reading practice more engaging!
Explore My TPT Store
Looking for more phonics activities and literacy center resources? Visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store, Primed for Primary, for no-prep reading and spelling games, phonics word sorts, and Science of Reading-aligned literacy activities.
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