Orthographic Mapping Mats

Description

What is orthographic mapping? Orthographic mapping is the process of connecting sounds (phonemes) to the letters in a word (graphemes). Through orthographic mapping, successful readers store the connected phonemes and graphemes of words (as well as their meanings) to their long-term memory. Successful readers use orthographic mapping to become fluent readers!

These orthographic mapping mats and templates were designed to help my students with the mental process used to store and remember words. I created two versions of these orthographic mats: half-sheet templates and a full-page version that includes a writing line on the template.

When my students are writing independently, many of them like to use the half-sheet templates. They push a token or counter for each sound they hear in an unknown word and then spell and write the word on the papers they are working on. We sometimes use the half-sheet version (without the writing lines) in our phonemic awareness lessons or warm-ups when we focus only on segmenting sounds or syllables.

We use the full-page version when we are doing explicit whole-group or small-group word dictation and phonics lessons. The full-page version is used within a sheet protector and provides a dedicated space for students to write the word and then erase it for the next word. I hope you enjoy these mapping mats with your students!

THIS RESOURCE INCLUDES:

• ideas for use page
• clickable table of contents for color printing
• clickable table of contents for black and white printing
• manipulative ideas and suggestions for each themed mapping mat
• two pages of real classroom photographs
• 25 themes including seasonal themes and nonseasonal themes
• each of the 25 themes includes:
• 2-phoneme half sheets (writing lines not included)
• 3-phoneme half sheets (writing lines not included)
• 4-phoneme half sheets
• 5-phoneme half sheets
• 6-phoneme half sheets
• 2-phoneme template WITH a writing line to write the graphemes
• 3-phoneme template WITH a writing line to write the graphemes
• 4-phoneme template WITH a writing line to write the graphemes
• 5-phoneme template WITH a writing line to write the graphemes
• 6-phoneme template WITH a writing line to write the graphemes
• EVERY theme comes in color AND black and white.