Successive Blending: A Scaffold for Beginning Readers

Have you ever read with a student who can segment the sound in a word but when they blend them together they come up with something totally different?

I think we have all experienced this.

For example, a student may tap out /b/ /u/ /t/ correctly but then read it as tub, or bu, or bet or something entirely different.

I am noticing this more and more in my first grade classroom. It could be attention and focus or memory deficits. It could be too much of a cognitive load. Whatever the reason, I know my students needed help!

What is Successive Blending?

Successive blending is a phonics-based technique used to help children decode words by breaking them down into their individual sounds (phonemes) and blending them together, one step at a time. Instead of reading a whole word at once or sounding out each letter individually without context, successive blending allows students to decode progressively by adding sounds to what they’ve already blended.

Here’s how successive blending works:

1. Start with the first two sounds – For example, in the word “cat,” the reader would start by blending the first two sounds, /c/ and /a/, to form “ca.” (The teacher could provide this initially as additional support)
2. Add the next sound – After blending the initial two sounds, the next step is to add the final sound, /t/, forming “cat.”
3. Repeat and reinforce – The teacher may ask students to repeat the process or practice blending similar words to build fluency.

Successive blending focuses on adding sounds incrementally, helping students avoid the confusion that can come from trying to hold too many sounds in memory at once or trying to tackle the entire word all at once.

Why Successive Blending is Beneficial for First Graders

At the first-grade level, many children are still mastering the basic skills needed to read fluently. Successive blending addresses some of the key challenges young readers face and offers several important benefits:

1. Reduces Cognitive Overload

First graders often struggle with holding multiple sounds in their working memory, which can make reading a daunting task. Successive blending reduces this cognitive load by allowing students to focus on just two sounds at a time. Instead of having to remember and combine three or more separate sounds, they blend just the first two sounds, and then add the next one. This step-by-step process helps build confidence and comprehension without overwhelming them.

2. Builds Phonemic Awareness

Phonemic awareness—the ability to hear and manipulate sounds in words—is a key component of early reading skills. Successive blending strengthens phonemic awareness by helping children focus on individual phonemes and how they combine to form words. Each time they add a new sound, they develop a clearer understanding of how phonemes work together in the structure of a word.

3. Encourages Accurate Sounding Out

When children attempt to sound out words, they may rush through the process or guess at the word based on the first sound. Successive blending encourages careful, deliberate sounding out. By requiring students to focus on just two sounds before moving on, the technique ensures that they don’t skip over sounds. This can lead to more accurate decoding.

4. Improves Retention and Fluency

Because successive blending builds words incrementally, it can improve both retention and fluency. When students use successive blending, their reading sounds less choppy and more fluent. Over time, as they become more familiar with blending sounds, they’ll be able to decode words more quickly and fluently.

5. Fosters a Sense of Achievement

For first graders who are just learning to read, struggling with words can feel frustrating. Successive blending provides small, manageable successes along the way. As students gradually blend two sounds, then three, they experience a sense of accomplishment that motivates them to keep going. This positive reinforcement helps build their confidence as readers.

How Teachers Can Implement Successive Blending

To incorporate successive blending into classroom instruction, teachers can use the following strategies:

• Model the Process: Teachers can demonstrate how to blend sounds using examples on the board or in a shared reading setting. They can say the sounds aloud, blend them slowly, and encourage students to follow along.
• Provide Practice Opportunities: Offering plenty of opportunities to practice with different words is key to mastering blending. We need to make sure we are providing students with enough practice!
• Incorporate Visual Aids: Teachers may use letter tiles, flashcards, or phonics slideshows. I have resources in my Tpt shop!

This slideshow makes practicing successive blending a breeze! You can use them with a small group or with your entire class!

Successive blending is an invaluable strategy for helping first-grade students develop the foundational skills they need to become proficient readers. By breaking down words into manageable chunks and blending them together incrementally, this technique helps students build phonemic awareness, improve their accuracy, and increase their reading confidence. For first graders just starting on their reading journey, successive blending offers a powerful way to decode words with greater ease and success.