Beginning, Middle, End
PSF - Phonemic Awareness Segment and Blend Phonemes
The purpose of this activity is for the student to practice identifying whether a target sound is at the beginning, middle, or end of a word.
Warm Up


We are going to play a game where you will tell me where you hear a sound in a word. I'll say a word, then I'll say one of the sounds in the word. You'll tell me if the sound is at the beginning, middle, or end of the word.

Listen to me do the first one. The first word is "dog." The sounds in "dog" are /d/ /o/ /g/. The /d/ is at the beginning. The /o/ is in the middle. The /g/ is at the end. If the question is "Where's the /o/ in dog?", then I would say "in the middle."

Now let's do one together. The word is "cat." Where's the /k/ in "cat"? The answer is "/k/ is at the beginning of cat."

Model for the student.


Now your turn to try one. Say the word "duck." Where's the /d/ in "duck"? At the beginning, middle, or end?
If Correct: Good. The /d/ is at the beginning of "duck."

If Incorrect: Let's think about it again. In the word "duck," the sounds are /d/ /u/ /k/. The /d/ is at the beginning. The /u/ is in the middle. The /k/ is at the end. So the sound at the beginning is /d/.

Try to get a correct response before proceeding.


Say the word "big." Is /b/ at the beginning, middle, or end of "big"?
If Correct: Good. The /b/ is at the beginning of "big."

If Incorrect: Let's think about it again. In the word "big," the sounds are /b/ /i/ /g/. The /b/ is at the beginning. The /i/ is in the middle. The /g/ is at the end. So the sound at the beginning is /b/.


Activities


Where is the ...

/k/ in cat? Correct: beginning
/h/ in hot? Correct: beginning
/m/ in mat? Correct: beginning
/t/ in robot? Correct: end

/s/ in soap? Correct: beginning
/p/ in cup? Correct: end
/u/ in run? Correct: middle
/d/ in mad? Correct: end

/m/ in mouse? Correct: beginning
/a/ in apple? Correct: beginning
/k/ in key? Correct: beginning
/s/ in horse? Correct: end

/ch/ in chair? Correct: beginning
/a/ in hat? Correct: middle
/d/ in road? Correct: end
/u/ in up? Correct: beginning

/k/ in rake? Correct: end
/e/ in bed? Correct: middle
/t/ in light? Correct: end
/o/ in octopus? Correct: beginning