Structured Literacy - Blending Review

This section focuses on the Blending Review, a vital part of Structured Literacy that strengthens students’ decoding and fluency skills. By practicing how to combine individual sounds into whole words, students become more confident readers and improve their ability to tackle unfamiliar words. You’ll also find helpful tools and guidance here to support your instruction and keep this practice engaging and effective.

Use previously taught sounds to reinforce known phoneme-grapheme correspondences.
Model blending clearly and slowly, then have students echo and practice.
Use consistent routines (e.g., sound by sound, continuous blending).
Keep the pace brisk—aim for 2–3 minutes of focused practice.
Incorporate visual supports (sound boxes, finger tapping) as needed.
Provide immediate feedback and re-model when necessary.

Here are some recommendations for what to do and what not to do in Blending Review.

Don’t use unfamiliar sounds or patterns students haven’t learned yet.
Don’t rush through without modeling—students need a clear example.
Don’t skip student participation—blending is a skill that builds through practice.
Don’t drag out the activity—keep it quick and targeted.
Don’t ignore errors—use mistakes as teaching moments.
Don’t make it rote—switch up word choices and keep students engaged.

Blending Stages

Hall, S. L. (n.d.). Phonological awareness: Blending progression. 95 Percent Group Inc.

The 95% Blending Progression is a structured sequence developed by the 95 Percent Group to support students in learning how to blend sounds into words. It begins with simple syllable and onset-rime blending, then progresses to phoneme-level blending with increasing complexity. This progression helps build essential phonological awareness skills that are foundational for decoding and fluent reading.

University of Florida Literacy Institute. (2014, November 25). UFLI blendable sounds: A quick review [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8sjxXSDRyI

The UFLI Blendable Sounds video is a short instructional resource designed to help students practice blending individual phonemes into whole words. It features clear articulation of consonant and vowel sounds, modeled blending, and opportunities for students to repeat and blend along. The video supports early reading development by reinforcing phonemic awareness and decoding skills.