Fill the Missing Letters

What is "Fill the Missing Letters"?

• This is a game where you look at a word with empty spots and try to figure out which letters are hiding!
• It helps you become a better speller and a faster reader.
• You have to use your phonics skills (listening to sounds) and your memory of sight words.

How to Find Missing Letters Follow these steps to solve any word puzzle:

1. Look at the Picture: If there is a drawing, it’s your biggest clue!
2. Sound it Out: Say the word slowly. Which sound is missing?
3. Check the "Holes": * If the first letter is missing, listen for the beginning sound.

• If the middle letter is missing, listen for the vowel ().
• If the last letter is missing, listen for the ending sound.

Types of Missing Letters

1. Missing Vowels Vowels are the "glue" that holds words together.

• C _ T It's an A! (CAT)
• P _ G It's an I! (PIG)

2. Missing Digraphs Sometimes two letters go missing together because they make one sound.

• _ _ I P You hear "sh," so you add SH! (SHIP)
• B A _ _ You hear "th," so you add TH! (BATH)

3. Silent "Magic E" If the word has a long vowel sound (like the "a" in cake), there is usually a missing E at the end.

• B I K _ It's a BIKE.

Why Do We Practice This?

• Brain Training: It teaches your brain to recognize patterns in words.
• Writing Help: When you write your own stories, you'll know exactly which letters to pick.
• Reading Speed: When you get good at this, you don't have to read every single letter anymore—your brain "fills them in" automatically!

Lesson Summary

• Listen for the missing sound.
• Identify if it’s a beginning, middle, or ending sound.
• Write the letter that matches that sound.