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Consonant Blends And Digraphs
By Glenn and Diane Davis
The difference between consonant blends and digraphs is that consonant blends put together the sounds of two consonants, while digraphs combine two consonants to make a completely different sound. For example, "bl" is a consonant blend because each letter makes its own sound. "Sh" is a digraph because the combination of "s" and "h" makes a different sound than the individual letters.
Some schools and reading systems want students to memorize all the consonant blends. This slows down the process of learning to read and complicates it. It is far better to teach the sounds the individual letters make and then show the student how to blend them into a word. For example, at Read With Confidence, we teach our students to say the sounds of "b" and "l" close together. Listen to it as you say "bl." It is not a different sound, but the sounds of "b" and "l" together. And that is a much easier way to teach it. Why make things harder?
Learning which consonants make only one sound each and then blending them naturally as they occur in words is an easier and more effective method than trying to memorize blends out of context. Cliff Ponder, Academic Associates Reading Program Founder
Digraphs
Digraphs combine two consonants to make a unique sound. Some common ones are: ch, sh, th, wh, ph, ck, kn, wr, ng, gh. Sometimes these combinations can make more than one sound. For example, "ch" makes three sounds depending on which language the word originated in. Read With Confidence students know which sounds go with which words.
Trigraphs
The trigraphs are usually a normal-sounding letter added to one of these true diagraphs and, as a result, do not need to be taught as a distinct sound. For example, "shrank" is sometimes taught as the trigraph "shr." In reality, it is only the digraph "sh" with the "r" sound after it. Why make things complicated? "Spl" is taught as a trigraph. Say the word "splash" and listen carefully. It is simply the three normal consonant sounds said together. With all the unnecessary complications added to reading, it's no wonder many students struggle! When taught correctly, the average student will learn to read with about 60 hours of instruction.
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Diane Davis is a Reading Specialist focused on phonics instruction and helping parents support children as they learn to read. With more than 20 years of experience, she has helped over 100 students build stronger reading foundations and confidence. Readers are welcome to explore Diane’s testimonial page. In her free time, she enjoys reading Christian romance and suspense novels.