What is orthographic mapping and how can I use it to help my students read more fluently? Are you looking for a way to systematically teach your students how to read? I would like to share 5 effective strategies for orthography. This blueprint is all about helping developing readers understand how letters are linked to sounds. The phonics worksheets use specific skill orders to ensure lessons will build on each other and work together. These Orthographic Mapping Worksheets are Science of Reading aligned, and explicitly teach the foundational skills of graphemes and phonemes.

What is Orthographic Mapping 

Orthographic mapping or word mapping is the process of looking at a word, reading the word, breaking down the words into sounds, writing the letter combinations of each phoneme, and writing the entire word. Word Mapping will allow students to build their word recognition skills to permanently connect speech phonemes to the graphemes. 

Why Word Mapping?

The Science of Reading tells us that Phoneme-Grapheme Mapping is the most effective way to help students build their word recognition and become stronger readers. When students develop orthographic knowledge, they learn how to identify letter patterns that are similar between words. By understanding this process your students will be able to differentiate graphemes and phonemes and the various root words, prefixes, suffixes, and syllables.

Mapping in Reading

Orthographic mapping is a series of actions that all automatic readers use to become fluent readers. Through orthographic mapping, there are 3 ways we process each word when we read. 

1. Sounds (phonemes): Students use the oral language to connect (map) the sounds to letters/words they already know.

2. Orthography (spelling): Students will be able to write words with the correct phonemes/graphemes.

3. Meaning: Once students permanently store the connected sounds to letters/words and their meaning, they will be able to instantly recognize the new word.

5 Effective Strategies to use for Orthographic Mapping

Steps I use for Grapheme-Phoneme Mapping

Phonics Word Lists + Orthographic Mapping - In Action

Phonics Word Lists + Orthographic Mapping - In Action

I use these phonics word lists in my reading groups daily to decode (sounds/letters) and encode (write) sections of my phonics-based guided reading lesson plan. From the phonics word lists, I will pick 5 words that students will need to map. I usually pick 3 real words and 2 nonsense words. The first word I start with is a real word and I model the word mapping routine. Students will repeat what I am doing. The next 2 words are a real word and a nonsense word. We will map the words together. The last 2 words are a real word and a nonsense word. I have students orthographically map each word independently. Here is the step in action. 

• Step 1: Identify the Words- We will identify the words by reading. I choral, echo, and partner read the phonics word lists. We will decode and blend the words. Decoding words is the ability to break a written word down by its letter-sound relationship to rapidly and correctly pronounce words. Blending is the ability to put those sounds together to read the word.

In my lesson plan, I have the words picked out and in which order we will map them. 

• Step 2: Tap the Sounds- With my right hand, I have the student start tapping out the sounds with me. I start with my thumb and say the sound. For example, if the word is ship I will hold out my thumb and say /sh/, then my pointer finger and say /i/, and then my middle finger and say /p/. Then we will talk about how many sounds are in the word.

• Step 3: Map the Word- We get out our Orthographic Mapping Template and start filling in the sound dot to match how many sounds we hear. For example, we will say /sh/ and fill in the first sound dot, then we will say /i/ and fill in the second sound dot, and then we will say the last sound /p/ and fill in the last dot. We talk about how the sound dots matched the number of sounds we tapped out.

• Step 4: Graph the Word- We continue with our Orthographic Mapping Template and start connecting the phoneme to the graphemes. For example, we will say /sh/ and write the sh in the first sound box, then we will say /i/ and write the i in the second sound box, and then we will say the last sound /p/ and write the p in the last sound box.

• Step 5: Read the Word- We will then write the whole word out on the Orthographic Mapping Template and blend and read the word.

Phonics-based word lists are a list of real & nonsense dynamic words that are targeted to the specific phonics skill being taught. For example, my Phonics Word Lists: Beginning and Ending Consonant Digraphs (real and nonsense) has real & nonsense beginning and ending consonant digraph words sorted by their phoneme. The word lists are systematic and sequential. They start with the phonics skill your students need to work on and will continue to review previously taught phonemes throughout each list. This means that the consonant digraphs will not have silent e, r-controlled vowels, vowel teams, etc. The word lists, however, will review previously taught sounds (i.e. short vowels and double consonants). Check out my blog on 7 Fun Activities for Decoding of Words Using Phonics Based Word Lists for more information on how to use these phonics word lists!

Digital Phonics Word Lists + Orthographic Mapping - In Action

I use these digital phonics word lists and orthographic mapping slides to introduce a new phoneme, review previously taught phonics skills, and for interactive games. Visit my article on Discover How to Increase Students’ Reading Progress Using Phonics Word Lists + Orthographic Mapping

After reading the interactive word list, the slides will go through the encoding section of the lesson plans. Your students will orthographically map each word individually. One word will appear on each slide. There is an example of word mapping and steps below!

I have my students use Use the following Orthographic Mapping Template as we go through these slides. You can find this below. This orthographic mapping template is just the resource you need when mapping your words. I have my students write the phonemes & graphemes as I go through the digital word mapping slides. Students can Identify, Tap, Map, Graph, Read and Write at their desks!

Visit my blog on Discover How to Increase Students’ Reading Progress Using Phonics Word Lists + Orthographic Mapping to see more ways to use these digital resources for introducing and reviewing phonemes and fun engaging games.

Orthographic Mapping + Word List Phonics Worksheets - In Action

I use these Orthographic Mapping + Word List Phonics Worksheets in a variety of ways. I use these orthographic worksheets as a review to reinforce basic phonics skills.

1. After the phonemic awareness component, I start the review section of my phonics-based guided reading lessons. We will read the word lists and map 2 words together. This takes students 2-3 minutes. 

2. I have also used these worksheets as an exit slip at the end of my lesson. I use them as a quick and informal assessment. It allows me to quickly assess students' understanding of the phonics skill that was taught.

3. The last way I use these Orthographic Mapping + Word List Phonics Worksheets is for students to work on the phonics worksheets during independent work time. When students use these worksheets in their independent rotation I would still have them follow the 5 strategies for using orthographic mapping. Here are those steps.

• Step 1: Identify the Word- students need to read the phonics word lists. 

• Step 2: Tap the Sounds- they will then read the words on the worksheet and tap out the sounds they hear in that word.

• Step 3: Map the Word- depending on your group, the students will either fill in the sound dots as they say the sounds or move into graphing the word.

• Step 4: Graph the Word- they will say each sound and write the grapheme in the sound boxes. There is a column for beginning sounds, vowels, and ending sounds. Then the students can see that each word has a vowel sound and process which consonants come before and/or after the vowel.

• Step 5: Read the Word- the last step of each word is to write the whole word and read it.

All of these ways enable my students to practice orthographic mapping in reading groups or independently. 

This video shows one of my students independently working on this worksheet.

I absolutely enjoyed sharing my ideas for how I am using these orthographic mapping worksheets during my phonics-based guided reading lessons! I’d love for you to send me an email, or DM me on Facebook and Instagram with what you need more help on. I’m here to help you with any phonics and reading lesson planning questions you may have! I hope that after reading this article, you will find these 5 Effective Strategies to use Orthographic Mapping for Reading Success helpful and that you will make phonics orthographic mapping a staple in your reading classroom. You can find these Phonics Worksheets - Word Lists + Orthographic Mapping activities at my Teachers Pay Teachers Store or click on the link below!

Which Phonics Skills are included in the Word Mapping Bundle?

The Word Mapping Bundle includes the following phonics skills:

♦ Word Families

♦ Double Consonants (FLoSS Rule)

♦ Common Consonant Digraphs

♦ Beginning Consonant Blends

♦ Ending Consonant Blend

♦ Silent e (VCe)

♦ R-Controlled Vowels

♦ Advanced Consonants (silent letters)

♦ Vowel Teams

♦ Diphthongs/Vowel Digraphs

♦ Multisyllabic Words (Syllable Types)

♦ Prefixes & Suffixes

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at Littlelephanteacher@gmail.com

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