Phonics Bingo Cards

By Elaine Kirn

Reinforce phonics (sound/spelling) patterns through simple board games, such as Phonics Bingo. These entertaining activites work because they provide immediate feedback---motivating players to understand and then to pronounce contrasting words comprehensibly.

Each level contains eight games of ten different Bingo boards each and eight decks of caller cards. Four of the games contrast vowel sounds and spellings. The other four games focus on consonants--initial, final, and (at higher levels) medial.

An extensive teacher-resource book for each level includes reduced-sized copies of eight different boards, the rules of Phonics Lotto and Bingo with suggestions for classroom variations, and a mini-phonics course for instructors and tutors--with reproducible reference lists, phonics worksheets, mastery checks, and answer keys for learners.

The four levels of Phonics Bingo are progressively more challenging--in number of contrasting words, spelling and sound patterns, and difficulty of the vocabulary on each board. Each set contains 80 boards, with 8 decks of Caller Cards for 8 games. It comes with a 60-Page Activity & Idea Book with reduced-sized copies of game boards, reference lists, worksheets, mastery checks, answer keys.

See sample game cards and word lists by clicking on the links below each Game Level below.

Literacy Level 1
For pre-literate readers and novice language learners, this set illustrates the most basic sound-spelling contrasts with the most frequent spellings. The games cover 10 fundamental Vowel Sounds, 18 Initial Consonants, and 18 Final Consonants, in graduated order throughout the 8 games.
Picture word list
Sample Basic game card

Nine picture items per board
Words are printed on the game board; pictures prevail.

Beginning-Level 2
8 separate Bingo Games with 80 Boards displaying 128 words containing the most frequent sounds of American English with the most regular + 8 Sets of Caller Cards.
Beginning set word list
Sample Beg Lev vowel card
Sample Beg Lev consonant card

16 contrasting words below their pictures.
The most regular and common phonics patterns appear at the bottom.

Intermediate Level 3
Intermediate language learners are eager to strengthen their phonics skills and move ahead in their language journey. 8 separate Bingo Games with 80 Boards displaying 200 words that exemplify both the regular spellings and most common alternative spellings for 14 vowels and all single consonants and digraphs in American English.
Word list
Sample Int Lev vowel card
Sample Int Lev consonant card

25 items with less common sound-spelling patterns
Pictures and words

Advanced Level 4
This comprehensive material is an advanced-level language resource that immerses learners in a diverse range of one- and multi-syllable words, illustrating nearly all ways to pronounce and spell words in American English. 8 separate Bingo Games 25-32 with 80 Boards displaying 288 one- and multi-syllable words with nearly all regular, alternative, irregular, unusual, and exceptional American-English spellings. 8 Sets of Caller Cards.
Word list
Sample Adv Lev vowel card
Sample Adv Lev consonant card

36 words per game and board
No pictures, only words
Contrast all the spellings of the relevant sounds in contrast, including exceptions.