Word Chains
Change one sound to make a new word, cat to hat to hit, hopping across the river.
Word Chains at a glance.
Word chains for early reading and spelling: change one sound to make a new word. cat becomes hat, hat becomes hit, hit becomes hip, and the student hops across the river one stepping stone at a time. Spell it: the next word's picture is shown and its recording said, and the student changes one letter to make it. Read it: the letter is changed for them and they read the new word aloud while you score it. Choose which sound changes (beginning, middle, end), the chain's length and how many letters to choose from. Each student's choices are saved.
- Ages
- K to 6th grade
- Languages
- English
Up to 4 students, each with their own targets.
- Pick up to 4 students and choose Word Chains.
- Set it up for each student and the level or categories you want.
- Score each answer C, A or W on the student’s card, or let the tap score itself where the student picks the answer.
- See progress by goal and by area, and copy a ready summary into your progress note.
Pairs well with Word Chains.
Pattern Sort
Sort words by their vowel pattern: short or long a, a_e or ay, oi or oy, ou or ow.
Sound Boxes
Sound boxes: tap one box for each sound, then put a letter in each box to spell the word.
Beginning Sounds
Find the first sound of each word, one of the first steps toward reading.
Letter Names
Hear a letter sound and pick the matching letter, with 2 to 4 choices.
Decoding Room
Help Frankenstein's monster blend syllables and sounds into words.
Heart Words Flash
Sight words flash and hide, and the student reads them on sight, in English and Spanish.
Frequently asked questions.
What does Word Chains work on?
Change one sound to make a new word, cat to hat to hit, hopping across the river. It works on phonological awareness, letters, phonics, spelling.
What ages is it for?
K to 6th grade. You set the level and content for each student, so the same activity can be easier or harder.
Is Word Chains in Spanish?
Word Chains is in English. Smarty Ears Online has 37 activities in Spanish in other areas.
How do I see progress?
Score each answer C, A or W on the student’s card. Every answer goes into the student’s progress page, by goal and by area, with a summary you can copy into a progress note.
Can I use it in teletherapy or with a group?
Yes. Play with up to 4 students at once, each with their own settings and scores, at the table or by sharing the browser tab in Zoom, Teams or Meet.
Which plan includes Word Chains?
Every plan includes all 90+ activities. Try it free for 14 days; after that Basic Professional is $29 a month.
Try all 90+ activities free for 14 days
All 90+ activities are included in every plan. Then it’s $29 a month.
