TEACHER’S NOTES

Onestop Phonics: Three-letter sounds -ick and -ing

by Rachel Finnie
YOUNG LEARNERS

Level: Starter; Starters (Cambridge Young • Ask the children if they can think of any words with
Learner tests) -ick or -ing in them.

Target age: 4+ - If they can, each time they say a word, ask the
rest of the class to call out -ick or -ing depending on
Time needed: 30 minutes which sound they hear in the word.
Materials: Phonics podcast (downloaded from - Draw two columns on the board, one for -ick words
www.onestopenglish.com); flashcard; copies and one for -ing words. At the side of the column,
of worksheet 1, 2 and 3 for each child write letters that can be used with both word endings
(e.g. s, br, k, th, w, cl  ). Invite children to come to the
board and choose a letter or letters from the list. They
Three-letter sounds -ick and -ing use the letters to make a word in one of the columns.
The class says the word chorally. (Clarify meaning if
Vocabulary necessary.)

-ick (chick, sick, pick, lick, quick) • When all the words are on the board, point to them
at random and ask the children to read the word,
-ing (thing, sing, singing, feeling, sleeping, think about how it is pronounced and then to say the
wing, whispering) sound that is in the word (either -ick or -ing).
Note to teachers: Should you wish to refer to the • Say to the children: We are now going to listen to
onestopenglish phonemics chart, follow the link: the new sounds in a rhyme. Then play the audio for
www.onestopenglish.com/skills/pronunciation/ this lesson. Ask the children to listen carefully. Play
phonemic-chart-and-app/ the audio a second time if you think it is necessary.
The vocabulary words all appear in the fun rhyme that
is used to present the sounds initially. Hand out Worksheet 1 and 2
Some of these words will be new to your learners • Play the audio again. This time, say to the children:
and may require pre-teaching. You may like to use Look at the Worksheet and follow the words in the
onestopenglish flashcards to pre-teach the words. rhyme with your finger as you listen.
Another option would be to use pictures from books,
magazines or posters, draw pictures on the board or, • Then read the rhyme one line at a time. Each time,
where appropriate, use mime. ask the children to repeat it.
TEACHER’S NOTES

Alternatively, you might choose to start by inviting the • For each line of the rhyme, ask the children: Which
children to guess the meaning of the words from the sound did you hear? and choose children to call
context of the rhyme. out the sound (each line only contains one of the
sounds).
The thing to remember is this: the more difficult words in
the rhymes are only receptive. They are there to help the • Then choose children to call out the words from the
rhymes scan properly, and the children WILL remember rhyme that include either the -ick or -ing sound. Write
the words easily as part of the rhyme, even if they don’t the words on the board if you wish.
always know the exact meanings of the words. • Read the rhyme as a class.
Procedure • Suggest that the children take their pictures home
to colour them in however they want.
• Start by telling the children: We are going to learn
about the sounds that different groups of three letters • Ask the children to bring their coloured pictures to
make when they are together in a word. Those the next lesson. You can then ask for volunteers to
letters are -i-c-k and -i-n-g. Explain what this means: bring their coloured pictures to the front and to read
When the letters ‘i’, ‘n’ and ‘g’ are together in a word, the rhyme to the class, to help to consolidate/revise
they are pronounced ‘ing’ as in ‘playing’. When the the previous sounds.
letters ‘i’, ‘c’ and ‘k’ are together in a word, they are
pronounced ‘ick’ as in ‘click’.
E ED •
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YOUNG LEARNERS / Phonics / Three letter sounds -ick and -ing

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 TEACHER’S NOTES
Onestop Phonics: Three-letter sounds -ick and -ing
by Rachel Finnie
YOUNG LEARNERS

Audioscript: Fun activity

• Write a selection of -ick and -ing words on the
The thing
about Carlotta Chick board. Ask for a volunteer to come to the front of the
is that she can sing class. They choose a word from the board and mime
beautifully. it for the class. The first child to guess the word cor-
rectly comes up to the board and chooses the next
But today word to mime.
Carlotta’s not singing
because she is feeling
sick.

Did she
pick
too many berries
or lick
too much ice cream?

Now
Carlotta’s sleeping
with her head under her wing.
And her friend is whispering
a message ...
‘Get better, Carlotta!’
‘Quick!’

Hand out Worksheet 3

• Explain that the children are going to complete all the
words on the page by writing ick or ing. Point out that
some words are in the rhyme and some are not.
TEACHER’S NOTES

• Walk round as they are working, to check what they

are doing.
• When they have all finished, hold up the worksheet
and point to the words one at a time, each time, the
children call out the word and the spelling.
• End the lesson by asking the children to say the
rhyme again as a class. You can invite them to tap
out the rhythm with their fingers on their desks as they
listen.
• You can either ask the children to draw a picture
for one of the words in class, or they can take their
worksheets home and draw a picture. If they draw their
pictures at home, they should bring their pictures to the
next lesson.
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YOUNG LEARNERS / Phonics / Three letter sounds -ick and -ing

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 WORKSHEET
Onestop Phonics: Three-letter sounds -ick and -ing
by Rachel Finnie
YOUNG LEARNERS
WORKSHEET 1

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YOUNG LEARNERS / Phonics / Three letter sounds -ick and -ing

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 WORKSHEET
Onestop Phonics: Three-letter sounds -ick and -ing
by Rachel Finnie
YOUNG LEARNERS

The thing Did she

about Carlotta Chick pick
is that she can sing too many berries
beautifully. or lick
too much ice cream?
But today
Carlotta’s not singing Now
because she is feeling Carlotta’s sleeping
sick. with her head under
her wing.
And her friend is
whispering
a message ...
WORKSHEET 2

‘Get better, Carlotta!’

‘Quick!’
E ED •
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YOUNG LEARNERS / Phonics / Three letter sounds -ick and -ing

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 WORKSHEET
Onestop Phonics: Three-letter sounds -ick and -ing
by Rachel Finnie
YOUNG LEARNERS

Write ick or ing to make words. Then draw

a picture.

l i_ c_ k_ ch___

qu___ k___

sleep___ walk___

s___ r___
WORKSHEET 3

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