Orton Gillingham is a special approach to phonics because it teaches using a three-pronged approach, known as multi-sensory. We want students to hear it (auditory), see it (visual), and feel it (kinesthetic). That starts from the very beginning in our scope and sequence with the first consonants (and short vowels) we teach.

Using my scope and sequence, we start by using drill cards and teach the letter m, the sound /m/, and the keyword, magnet (keywords can be different and that’s okay!).

We say the letter, keyword, and sound and have the student repeat it. We have them trace the letter while saying the sound out loud. And we add sounds as we go.

But, it all starts with one little M and unfolds from there. Orton Gillingham training teaches us that starting with the most basic phoneme and continuing to build using the tools we are provided gives our students a lasting connection to the entire English language.

Facts About Consonants

There are 21 Consonants in the English alphabet. They are: b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, w, x, y, z

Most consonants have one sound. Five consonants have more than one sound: c, g, s, x, n

c can say, /k/ as in cat or /s/ as in city.
g can say, /g/ as in goat or /j/ as in gem.
s can say, /s/ as in sun or /z/ as in rose.
x can say, /ks/ as in box, /gz/as in exit, or /z/ as in xylophone.
n can say, /n/ as in nose or /ng/ as in think.

Consonants never say their name (except in rare words like x-ray).

Consonants are voiced and unvoiced. Voiced consonants will cause a vibration on the lips, where unvoiced consonants are a softer feel or a “puff” feeling on the lips.

Voiced consonants are: /d/, /v/, /b/, /z/, /g/, /j/, /zh/, /th/, /w/
Unvoiced are: /t/, /f/, /p/, /s/, /k/, and digraphs, /ch/, /sh/, /th/, /wh/

The letter r does not say “er.” It sounds more like a growling – “rhhh.”

The letter q is ALWAYS followed by a u in English words. They make the sound “kw” as in queen. Because they are always together, we teach QU as one consonant sound.

No English words end in the letters v or j. V is always followed by e. For example: active, believe, -ge and -dge are used to make the sound “j” at the end of a word. For example: engage, ridge

Consonant Blends are two or three consonants that blend to make a sound. You can still hear the consonants in a blend. Examples are: club, splash, fast, lamp
Consonant Digraphs are two consonants that come together and make a single, new sound. Examples are: shout, thimble, chest

A Few Facts to Note About the Consonant Reading Drill Deck

Basic consonants that only make one sound: b, d, f, h, j, k, l, m, p, r, t, v, w, y, z, qu

Basic consonants that make 2 sounds: c, g, s, x, and n.

For c and g, we initially teach only the hard sounds and later teach the C&G Rule that makes the c/g soft.

For N to make the ng or nasal sound, it must be followed by the letters n or k, as in ing, ang, ung, ong, ink, ank onk, unk. Blending wheels are a good way to teach these.

Consonant digraphs are two letters that when put together, make one unique sound. Those are ch, sh, th, wh, ph and gh.

Ph is Greek in origin. GH can also be considered a silent letter combination as in ghost – it is in both the digraph deck and the silent letters deck. GH can also be in the final position in words like though and laugh.

Silent letter combinations include gn, gu, kn, -lf, -lk, -mb, -mn, ps, rh, wr.

A note: -lf and -lk can be silent letters, or they can be blends in words like self or milk.

More cards in the deck: ck, -dge, -ge, -tch. These are found in our short vowel spelling rules, but taught first as sounds.

-que says /k/ and is found in French words like technique.

–ed is a suffix, but taught as a sound because it can make 3 sounds.

SC is a more advanced sound because it depends on the letters that follow the SC. Just like the C & G Rule, an sc with an e,i,y, it will be soft, and sc followed by a, o, u will be hard. Examples are scene or science, versus scan or scone.

-du and -tu are advanced combinations. -du often sounds like “joo” as in gradual or adulation. This is usually found in the middle of words.

-tu makes the “ch” sound and is usually found at the end of words like picture, pasture or nature. The root of these words usually ends in a t, as in the root of picture is to paint, pasture is to feed, and nature is to be born.

Going Through the Consonant Reading Deck Sound by Sound

See this video to go through the deck for each sound.

A Final Word

Orton Gillingham starts with the most basic unit of sound, the phoneme, and blossoms into the whole English language.

The first phoneme we teach (using my scope and sequence) is the letter m, a consonant. We teach m, /m/, magnet and move from there. Consonants and vowels are the building blocks of words, so they are pretty darned important!