Silent E

An Intervention Strategy

The KEYS to the success of this strategy are:

  • Teacher preparation of word lists in advance of the lesson
  • Having materials ready at the table
  • Explicit instruction delivered consistently
  • Distributed practice

Students frequently misread a word by calling a word with a similar beginning &/or ending sound. They fail to attend to the medial vowel sound. That is why they can tell you a “rule” for silent-e, but fail to apply it in connected text. It’s not about the rule. It is about focusing on the vowels to decode new words.

Materials needed:

  • Word lists (see attached list)
  • Markers
  • Marker board
  • Practice strips with words
  • Chart for tracking student progress

Who needs this practice?

Determine who needs this practice based on the data from the Informal Phonics Survey. Students who do not have the Silent E should participate in “mini-lessons” of 3 –5 minutes each day for distributed practice.

  • SILENT E: Students who know short vowel sounds but have trouble with silent-e; It’s not about the rule!
  • Be sure to use words that represent all the vowels; do not use patterns; use some words with silent-e and some without.
  • Use pre-selected words from list/plans
  • Keep record of the words used and constantly drop old words and add new words. Use about 3-4 previously taught words and 1-2 new words to see if students can apply their learning.

Silent E PROCEDURE

  1. Teacher shows students a list of words (6-8) written on a marker board. (Sample: game, sit, hop, side, ram, smoke)
  2. Teacher shares with students that vowels in words say their short sound until we add another vowel to them.
  3. Teacher points to the first word (game) and says: This word has an e added at the end so the vowel in the middle will say its name.
  4. Teacher: Points to the a and says The sound of the vowel is /a/. What sound?
  5. Students: /a/
  6. Blend it together: g a m e
  7. Teacher: What word?
  8. Students: game
  9. Teacher points to the next word (sit) and says: Is there an e at the end of this word?
  10. Students: No
  11. Teacher: So will the vowel say its name?
  12. Students: No
  13. Blend it together:______
  14. Teacher: What word?
  15. Students: Respond with correct word
  16. If students give incorrect response, Teacher supplies the correct word to the whole group and repeats Steps f-j.
  17. Teacher continues with list of words, removing the rule “talk” first and then scaffolding of asking about the silent-e whenever students demonstrate mastery.
  18. Put the 5 words from the lesson on a practice strip for students to read orally when they come to the group tomorrow. Focus on the medial vowel. Each day drop an old word and add a new word. Give practice strips of words to students to keep and practice.
  19. At the end of 5 days of instruction, progress monitor by having the student read the words orally from a list of 14-20 words. Also have the student read several pre-selected sentences with words using the Silent-e. Record # of correctly read words and date.
  20. Continue using this strategy for two more weeks. Keep data. Analyze success rate at the end of the three weeks. (Keep word lists in your plans for documentation.)

Silent E Progress Monitoring

Student: ______Date: From ______to ______

WORDS CORRECT

DAY
1 / DAY
2 / DAY
3 / DAY
4 / DAY
5 / DAY
61 / DAY
7 / DAY
8 / DAY
9 / DAY
10 / DAY
11 / DAY
12 / DAY
13 / DAY
14 / DAY
15

Silent E Progress Monitoring

Student: ______Date: From ______to ______

WORDS CORRECT

DAY
1 / DAY
2 / DAY
3 / DAY
4 / DAY
5 / DAY
61 / DAY
7 / DAY
8 / DAY
9 / DAY
10 / DAY
11 / DAY
12 / DAY
13 / DAY
14 / DAY
15

Silent E Progress Monitoring

Student: ______Date: From ______to ______

WORDS CORRECT

DAY
1 / DAY
2 / DAY
3 / DAY
4 / DAY
5 / DAY
61 / DAY
7 / DAY
8 / DAY
9 / DAY
10 / DAY
11 / DAY
12 / DAY
13 / DAY
14 / DAY
15