1st Grade Digraphs Worksheets

Teach digraphs after students have a solid foundation with CVC words and some exposure to blends. Introduce one digraph at a time, spending at least a week on each. Start with sh because the /sh/ sound is very distinct and easy for students to hear and produce. Follow with ch, then th. Explicitly distinguish digraphs from blends: in a blend like 'sl,' you hear two sounds; in a digraph like 'sh,' you hear only one sound from two letters. Use hand signals — for example, hold two fingers together when saying a digraph sound to represent two letters making one sound. Practice digraphs in both initial and final positions (ship/wish, chin/much, thin/bath). For th, point out that it has two pronunciations: unvoiced (thin, math, three) and voiced (this, the, that). Students do not need to label these — they just need exposure to both. The ck digraph appears only after short vowels and only at the end of words (duck, stick, neck), which is a useful spelling rule. Provide decodable text passages that feature multiple digraph words so students practice in context. Mix digraph words with CVC and blend words for cumulative review to prevent students from forgetting earlier skills.