Making learning fun in the classroom is vital. It helps engage students who may be less keen to get involved. Mixing things up can offer a welcome relief from boring textbooks or topics that aren’t always the most enjoyable.
No subject is crying out for this more than phonics. As you’re teaching students how to read and write, you can’t lean back on a simple textbook. They may not even be able to read it yet. This makes an interactive display a valuable tool for teaching phonics.
Not only that, but you’re setting up vital life skills that will be used across every single subject. You really need to nail the landing. So, with that in mind, we’re here to help you put together lesson plans for phonics lessons.
What is phonics?
Phonics isn’t a subject itself, it’s actually a method of teaching. Specifically, it’s a method used to teach children how to read and write the alphabet. It uses sounds and helps students understand the relationship between the sounds of spoken words and the letters of written words. This includes groups of letters and syllables.
In phonics, you break each individual word into individual sounds, before blending them together to form the full word and then, eventually, complete sentences.
Our 10 favourite classroom phonics games
Due to the rise of technology, the games available nowadays are a lot more advanced than what we had a decade or so ago. So even if you have a tried and tested method for teaching phonics in the classroom, you may find new ways to get inspired.
With that in mind, here are ten interactive whiteboard games for phonics lessons for teachers to take advantage of.
1. Abby’s Sandbox Search – PBS Games
From the creators of Sesame Street comes a word hunt game that will have everyone getting their brains ticking to find the words.
Abby’s Sandbox Search from PBS Games involves adventurer Abby Cadabby as you help dig up words that start with a certain letter.
This can be particularly helpful for those who need assistance with letter recognition, letter sounds and early reading. It’s also a group activity that gets everyone involved or something that can be enjoyed individually too.
2. Small Town Superheroes – BBC Bitesize
For online phonic games, you don’t need to look further than Small Town Superheroes from BBC Bitesize. BBC Bitesize is a great source of games and learning materials for teachers. So when you’re looking for interactive whiteboard games, phonics materials, and more, this is the site you should be heading towards!
Make use of this interactive whiteboard game called ‘Simple Sounds‘, a mini-game on the Small Town Superheroes application. Use the yellow arrows in order to navigate your way to the Sally and Percy section, where you’ll find the mini-game.
You’ll need a pen and paper for this game, and it’s split into three options; hunting for sounds, blending sounds and create your own superhero.
3. Buried Treasure
Become pirates in the classroom with these online phonics games from PhonicsPlay! The Buried Treasure game requires the user to drag the coins with real words on them to the treasure chest.
However, be aware that not all words are real! The fake ones should be thrown into the dustbin to avoid losing points. This is a great interactive whiteboard game to help improve the awareness of wrong words.
4. Rhyming Games from Reading Rockets
Reading can be fun too, despite some children not enjoying it as much as others. To help the children in your class, incorporate some reading games from Reading Rockets.
These free games help in practising word recognition and spelling patterns as well as letter-sound knowledge. They’re also useful for any parents or tutors who are looking for digital games related to English and reading.
5. Dragons Den
Another one from PhonicsPlay is the fire-blazing Dragons Den. The children will play along with two dragons who’ve managed to mix up their eggs!
The aim of this phonics game is to drag each egg to the right dragon to help them breathe fire again. The green dragon’s eggs will have real words, whilst the red dragon’s eggs will have fake words.
When it comes to free interactive whiteboard phonics games, this game should keep your students busy for a while!
6. Phonics Pop
ICT games is a popular website for resources for children in school. For interactive whiteboard phonics games, Phonics Pop is a worthwhile choice. It’s also mobile-friendly!
Choose a set of sounds to help children practise how letters together can make different sounds. You can select from the digraph checkboxes available on the screen too. Once the sound has been listened to, you’ll need to pop as many bubbles as possible.
This helps build accuracy in recognising sounds and the letters associated with the sound.
7. Pick A Picture
Visuals are always a great way to help make teaching fun for children, and PhonicsPlay has a great game for that. With Pick A Picture, the aim of the game is to find the word that goes with the matching picture.
The matching picture makes it easier to learn the word by using an image for reference. Play in small groups or individually, depending on the lesson and what else may be played around the room.
8. Picnic On Pluto
For an interactive whiteboard game that’s truly out of this world, Picnic on Pluto is a must-try. Follow brothers Obb and Bob, who love to eat but enjoy eating different things!
Play these interactive games by dragging each snack to the right brother. This allows you to input your own words or choose from a variety of different phases depending on the lesson. There’s lots of fun to be had with this one as well as providing the essential learning materials when it comes to words!
9. Phonics Screening Galaxy Game
Twinkl is a great website for helping children learn all things phonics. There are many interactive games to play, and the Phonics Screening Galaxy game is a game you should be playing!
Use this interactive game to test children to read and decode words using the sounds and graphemes that they have learnt.
There are plenty of free games to choose from and play. With this one, you’ll help your class learn the difference between real and alien worlds in a fun way.
10. Match Sounds
For free games, try Match Sounds. Children can find plenty on the Phonics Bloom website to play. This game works by learning different sounds relating to the animals on the screen of interactive displays. The child can then guess which sound belongs to which animal.
How to Use Phonics Games in the Classroom
Teachers can benefit from these interactive whiteboard resources, whatever website you choose from the list above. In order to use these games to their full advantage, play them in small groups or individually. For example, you could make it part of a group of activities you do in the class.
Learning can always be made fun, especially when you cast it on interactive whiteboards. Children can develop life-long skills whilst playing fun games!
Need more inspiration? We can help.
- The ultimate list of classroom games
- Our favourite classroom quiz games and apps
- English games for KS3
- English games for KS2
- English quiz games
- English learning apps
Enhance Your Phonics Games with Interactive Displays
Enhance gameplay by displaying these phonics games for the classroom on an interactive whiteboard. Parents can also benefit from these games by playing them on a mobile or tablet device to reinforce their child’s learning at home.
Why not contact us at Promethean for more information on how our displays could be the perfect resource for your students and educators? Or, you can request your very own free demo today.