How to teach silent e words (2024)

How to teach silent e words (1)

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Looking for tips and tricks for teaching magic e words? We’ve got over fifty free printables!

How to teach silent e words (2)

Silent e words, sometimes called magic e words, can throw new readers for a loop. They’ve finally got the hang of CVC words (such as hat) and CCVC words (such as trip), and then we expect them to change up the vowel sounds.

How can we help our young readers make sense of magic e words?

How to teach silent e words (3)

We like to begin with Fold and Read cards. Your child reads the short vowel word and then folds in the e. The e is”magic” – it changes the sound of the first vowel into its long sound.

Free Fold and Read Cards

  • a-e words
  • i-e words
  • o-e words
  • u-e words

How to teach silent e words (4)
Our next activity is our Four in a Row reading games. Just grab Do-a-Dot markers (or round counters to cover the words). Take turns reading a word and dotting it. Try to be the first to get four in a row.

Even after you have a winner, go ahead and take turns reading and dotting the remaining words.

Free Four in a Row Games

  • a-e words
  • i-e words
  • o-e words
  • u-e words

How to teach silent e words (5)

We alsoplay our Follow the Path games. Like the Four in a Row games, these are no prep! Just print and play. Take turns reading the words as you roll the die to move along the path.

Free Follow the Path Games

  • a-e words
  • i-e words
  • o-e words
  • u-e words

How to teach silent e words (6)

Finally, I check my son’s understanding with our worksheet packs. He does a few from each pack, depending on his ability and interest.

Free Magic e Worksheets

  • a-e words
  • i-e words
  • o-e words
  • u-e words

We hope you and your readers enjoy these free resources for teaching magic e words!

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How to teach silent e words (7)

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How to teach silent e words (8)

Members of The Measured Mom Plus get access to even more printables, plus quick and practical workshops, no-print resources, and more!

Free Reading Printables for Pre-K-3rd Grade

Join our email list and get this sample pack of time-saving resources from our membership site! You'll get phonemic awareness, phonics, and reading comprehension resources ... all free!

How to teach silent e words (9)

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Reader Interactions

49 Comments

  1. Roxannie

    Great site. Very helpful for teaching my kid.

    Reply to this comment

    • Heather Groth, Customer Support

      We’re happy to hear that, Roxannie! Thank you!

      Reply to this comment

  2. Jenny

    Hi Anna,

    Thank you so, so much for sharing all of these ideas to teach the long vowels with the magic e. I find them very useful when I teach students with learning disabilities. I really appreciate that you share your ideas for free. Thanks for your generosity and kindness.

    Reply to this comment

  3. Gena

    These activities are fantastic! We use them often. Do you have similar activities for Long E spellings? I can only find A, I, O, and U.

    THANKS!!

    Reply to this comment

  4. Sandi Walker

    Hi I enjoy your printable’s I am trying to download the magic e activities but no links are coming up to follow or am I missing them somehow? Thanks

    Reply to this comment

    • Kate Dowling

      Hi Sandy!

      This is Kate, Anna’s assistant. The links are in the blog post. The first set of links looks like this, and you’ll find more sets in the post:

      Free Fold and Read Cards

      a-e words
      i-e words
      o-e words
      u-e words

      The linked words are brown. I hope this helps!

      Reply to this comment

  5. Mandy Blanch

    I love your Fast & Fluent worksheets…do you have them with silent e words?

    Reply to this comment

    • Anna G

      Not yet… but that’s on my to do list!

      Reply to this comment

  6. txtchr@yahoo.com

    I love your printables and your generosity. I’m finding as I find something I would I would to use in my classroom like the magic e word activities, I have to dwell and dwell before I get what you have to offer. Am I overlooking it (which is likely), or what? Thanks so much for your help and your kindness.

    Reply to this comment

    • Kate Dowling

      Hello!

      This is Kate, Anna’s assistant. I’m sorry you’re having trouble! This page we’re on has many different links to magic e activities. Is there one that is not working for you, or is there one you need that you can’t find? Feel free to leave another comment if there is a way I can be of help. I’m not sure which activity you’re having trouble with. Thanks!

      Reply to this comment

  7. Millions

    Wow. Thank you SO MUCH for these. It can be so hard to find well designed activities that are clear and simple to follow. I am so grateful to you for sharing these —and my kids will be too!

    Reply to this comment

    • Anna G

      You’re very welcome!

      Reply to this comment

  8. Harriett Childress

    I am absolutely thrilled with your website. The activities are awesome and they’re FREE!! I am using them with my grandsons who are in first grade. It makes learning so much fun for them. It is so difficult to find worthwhile activities that hold the interest of children the way yours do! Thank you so much for taking your time to create such an abundance of fantastic activities.

    Reply to this comment

    • Anna G

      You’re very welcome, Harriett!

      Reply to this comment

  9. Dolores MIller

    Hello Anna,
    I truly appreciate these freebies – as a special education teacher of K-3, mixed ages, skills and disabilities in my classroom, I am using your materials everywhere all the time. You and your work are truly a blessing. Thanks so much!
    Dolores

    Reply to this comment

    • Anna G

      I’m so glad you can use these, Dolores!

      Reply to this comment

  10. Angie

    Thank you very much. You could be selling on TpT, but I am grateful that these are free.

    Reply to this comment

    • Anna G

      I’m glad you can use these, Angie! I do actually sell on TPT, but 95% of my products are free. 🙂

      Reply to this comment

  11. Katja

    Hi Anna,

    Do you have the magic e booklets that I see printed? I would love to use those in my classroom?

    Thank you!
    Katja

    Reply to this comment

    • Anna G

      Yes, right here 🙂

      https://www.themeasuredmom.com/8-free-silent-e-phonics-readers/

      Reply to this comment

  12. Ruth Rhodes

    Thank you so much for your generosity in sharing all your hard work. I tutor students that are dyslexic and have used several of your worksheets. What a valuable resource you are!
    Thank you!

    Reply to this comment

    • Anna Geiger

      I’m so glad these are working for your students, Ruth!

      Reply to this comment

  13. Shana

    I absolutely love your printables, and so do my class.
    Thank you so much for your generosity.

    Shana

    Reply to this comment

    • Anna Geiger

      Thank you, Shana! :))

      Reply to this comment

  14. Tara

    🙂

    Reply to this comment

  15. Dipti Gandhi

    I tired this method with a child with learning disabilities and he did so well. Thank so much.

    Reply to this comment

    • Anna Geiger

      That’s so wonderful to hear, Dipti- thank you!

      Reply to this comment

  16. Bridget Bitely

    This is the best find of a blog that I have come across yet! I am so thankful for all the hard work you have put into this, and even more thankful that you are willing to share it for free! My 1st grade classroom has benefited so much from many of your resources, but especially love the Magic e activities. I can’t say enough good things about this! Thank you!!!

    Reply to this comment

    • Anna Geiger

      Thank you so much for your kind comment, Bridget! It was a real day brightener. 🙂 I’m SO happy to hear that my magic e activities are a hit with your students! I hope you keep finding many more resources on my site. 🙂

      Reply to this comment

  17. Ashley

    I used the Fold and Read cards and the Four in a Row game with a few of my tutoring students this week. They were a hit and a breakthrough for one student in particular! Thank you for making these resources available and FREE!

    Reply to this comment

    • Anna Geiger

      Yay – thanks so much for passing on your success with the printables, Ashley! That’s so great to hear!

      Reply to this comment

  18. Tina Stirling

    Anna, thank you, your generosity with resources enables the ” wheel need not be reinvented!! 🙂 A life saver to getting new programmes up & running earlier. I look forward to using your resources to help my mixed grades class become faster readers/ spellers.

    Reply to this comment

    • Anna Geiger

      Yay! So glad to hear that my resources are a time saver for you, Tina!

      Reply to this comment

  19. Tania

    Thank you so much! Your printables are amazing! I amusing these with my struggling readers and the improvements that they are making because of the games and worksheets to follow is incredible. Keep up the great work!

    Reply to this comment

    • Anna Geiger

      I’m SO happy to hear that, Tania! Thank you so much for your comment! 🙂

      Reply to this comment

  20. Magalakshmi

    Hi your worksheets are great. Especially the phonics worksheets and writing printable a. Keep up the good work. Thanks a lot.

    Reply to this comment

    • Anna Geiger

      You’re very welcome – I’m so glad you can use them!

      Reply to this comment

  21. Maria

    Hello Anna,
    Thank you so much for your fantastic printables. I teach 2nd grade and both my students and my son enjoy using your games & clip cards to practice reading skills, while having fun. Wishing you all the best with your new baby. May your little blessing arrive soon, and may you and your family enjoy a wonderful Christmas.
    Maria

    Reply to this comment

    • Anna Geiger

      I’m so glad you can use my materials, Maria! We were blessed with our new baby boy on Monday and just arrived home tonight. 🙂

      Reply to this comment

  22. Martha López

    Thanks a lot , the worksheets are very suitables and interesting for my students. Please could you help me with games to teach vocabulary for children 7 to 8 years old.
    Best regards.

    Reply to this comment

Trackbacks

  1. […] Reading: Silent E /additional resources […]

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  2. […] Findall our silent e printables here! […]

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  3. […] Findall our silent e printables here! […]

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  4. […] e”, since it causes the other vowel in the syllable to change sounds. Like a magic trick. This post has some nice suggestions and printables for getting into magic e words, if you think your child is […]

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  5. […] How to Teach Magice Words […]

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