Diphthongs Decoding Drills are here! After learning a new phonics skill, students need to apply that skill in word reading. Decoding Drills provide students the opportunity to practice their newly learned skills in a fun and engaging format.

--DISTANCE LEARNING UPDATE - August 17, 2020---

***I have now added DIGITAL versions of these Decoding Drills that have been formatted for use with Google Drive! You can access them at no extra cost in the download!***

The use of nonsense words in Decoding Drills helps students build speed and automaticity when reading. The use of real words in Decoding Drills provides students exposure to words with that skill. This means that this practice will improve student fluency when reading.

The skills used here spiral, meaning that as students progress through the phonics skills, they continue to review past skills. This resource is excellent for guided reading warm-ups, lesson introductions and reviews, small-group work, independent practice, homework, and more!

This resource includes sets for each of the following diphthongs:

• al
• au
• aw
• augh
• oi
• oo (moon)
• oo (book)
• ough
• oy
• ow

The skills are broken into 3 separate sets + 1 set of mixed review.

• Set 1 – oi, au, oo [moon]
• Set 2 – oo [book], oy, augh, ough
• Set 3 – al, aw, ow
• Mixed Review: ALL diphthongs listed above

Each set of drills comes in four levels, indicated by stars in the bottom left corner.

★ – diphthong

★★ – consonant + diphthong

★★★ – digraph + diphthong + consonant

★★★★ – blend + diphthong + consonant

There are two versions included:

Class Set: 

• Print this version on cardstock, and/or laminate for durability. (Have enough for each student in your largest group). Cut in half with a paper cutter. Punch holes over the black circles in the upper left-hand corner. Attach with a one-inch binder ring. These are perfect for small groups and one-on-one practice. Best of all, you can use them year after year!

Student Copies: 

• Do you want each student to have his or her own set of Decoding Drills? Print, cut, and staple. You’ll notice that the bottom has recording boxes. Since each student has his or her own book, you can monitor student progress. Use these boxes to record data of your choice (number of words read correctly, words read per given time, etc.).