CVC Can You See Lesson Plan CVC: Can You See?
Clinical Staff Training • Literacy for AAC Users
Lesson Type
Tier 3 (Individual)
TIME
15 Minutes
AUDIENCE
Clinical Staff
APPROACH
Interactive Instruction
Materials Needed
CVC Word List for AAC Users
CVC Word Picture Cards
Slide Deck (CVC: Can You See?)
AAC Device (charged)
"The Why"
"Mastering CVC words is a fundamental step in literacy development, enabling AAC users to build phonological awareness, decode new words, and enhance their communication independence by expanding their expressive and receptive vocabulary."
Learning Objective
Clinical staff will learn strategies and techniques to effectively introduce and teach CVC words for reading to a beginner AAC user, focusing on visual, auditory, and tactile methods tailored for AAC comprehension.
Preparation
Review Materials (5 minutes)
Review the lesson plan to familiarize yourself with the flow and objectives.
Gather and review the CVC Word List and prepare Word Picture Cards (print/cut).
Ensure the AAC device is charged with relevant vocabulary accessible.
Instructional Sequence
1
Introduction: What Are CVC Words?
2 MINS
• Use the Slide Deck to introduce the concept of CVC words (Consonant-Vowel-Consonant).
• Explain the importance of CVC words for early literacy and AAC users.
• Engage staff with a brief discussion on their prior experiences. Refer to the Teacher Script for guiding questions.
2
Demonstrating CVC Word Building
5 MINS
• Using the Slide Deck and the CVC Word Picture Cards , demonstrate phonetic breakdown.
• Show how to model each sound (C-V-C) and then blend them together.
• Provide examples using the AAC device to show how a user might interact (selecting letters/words). Refer to the Teacher Script for step-by-step guidance.
3
Staff Practice and Feedback
5 MINS
• Have staff practice teaching CVC words to each other using the Picture Cards and Word List .
• Encourage "think-alouds" regarding instructional adaptations for AAC users.
• Provide constructive feedback and answer questions using prompts from the Teacher Script .
4
Wrap-up and Next Steps
3 MINS
• Summarize key strategies: sound segmentation, blending, and AAC modeling.
• Distribute the CVC Word List for AAC Users as a take-home resource.
• Discuss daily integration of CVC practice. Refer to the Teacher Script for concluding remarks.
Clinical Success Tip
Always model on the student's device as you say the sounds!
Ref: T3-LIT-AAC-01
CVC Can You See Slides CVC: Can You See?
Strategies for Beginner AAC Users
Why are CVC words important?
Build phonological awareness
Foundation for reading
Expand communication and vocabulary
Enhance independence
What Are CVC Words?
Consonant + Vowel + Consonant
Simple, three-letter words
Short vowel sounds (a, e, i, o, u)
C
Consonant
V
Vowel
C
Consonant
Common Examples:
C-A-T Cat 🐱
D-O-G Dog 🐶
S-U-N Sun ☀️
Why CVC for AAC Users?
Bridging the Gap
CVC words are the building blocks of literacy that move a user from pre-selected icons to independent generation .
Decoding & Encoding
Sounding out unknown words and supporting spelling/typing on their device.
Vocabulary Expansion
Unlocking thousands of new words and concepts through phonetic construction.
Increased Independence
Less reliance on pre-programmed phrases or specific symbols.
Teaching Strategy: Sound It Out!
Example Word
MAT
🧘
1
Introduce: Show a picture card (e.g., 'mat').
2
Say Sounds: "/m/" (point to M), "/a/" (point to A), "/t/" (point to T).
3
Blend: "/m/a/t/" (sweep finger under letters).
4
Say Word: "Mat."
5
AAC Action: Repeat word or select letters on device.
Adaptations for AAC
Visual
Highlight target letters
Use color-coded vowels
Use Picture Cards
Auditory
Clear sound segmentation
Vowel stretching (m-aaaa-t)
Emphasize endings
Tactile
Physical letter tiles
Tracing in sensory trays
AAC button feedback
AAC Modeling: Demonstrate letter-by-letter spelling on the device!
Time to Practice!
Step 1
Pair up: One "Teacher," one "AAC User."
Step 2
Use the
AAC CVC Facilitator Script Facilitator Script
CVC Words for Beginner AAC Users
Training Duration
15 Minutes
Guide for Facilitators
Text in bold teal represents what you should say. Text in gray boxes are stage directions or cues for slides and physical materials.
1. Introduction: What Are CVC Words?
(0:00 - 2:00)
[SLIDE 1 & 2: Title & Definition]
"Hello everyone! Welcome to our mini-session on teaching CVC words to beginner AAC users. Today, we're going to explore effective strategies to help our students build foundational reading skills."
"First, let's talk about CVC words. Does anyone know what CVC stands for?"
[Pause for brief audience response]
"That's right! Consonant-Vowel-Consonant. These are simple, three-letter words like 'cat,' 'dog,' or 'sun,' where the vowel has a short sound. Why do you think it's important for our AAC users to learn these simple words?"
"Exactly! Mastering CVC words is a crucial step for early literacy. It helps our students develop phonological awareness—understanding that words are made up of individual sounds—and it's a stepping stone to decoding longer words and expanding their vocabulary. For AAC users, this means greater independence in expressing themselves and understanding the world around them."
2. Demonstrating CVC Word Building
(2:00 - 7:00)
[SLIDE 3 & 4: Why for AAC & Step-by-Step]
"Now, let's look at how we can teach these words. I'll demonstrate, and then you'll have a chance to practice. We'll use our CVC Word Picture Cards for this."
[Hold up a picture card, for example, a picture of a MAT .]
"Let's take the word 'mat.' When we teach this to a beginner AAC user, we want to break it down. We'll focus on each sound. First, we introduce the word: This is a mat."
"Next, we say each sound. We can point to the letter as we say its sound: /m/ (point to M), /a/ (point to A), /t/ (point to T)."
"Then, we blend the sounds together. We can sweep our finger under the letters as we say them faster: /m/a/t/... and finally, we say the whole word: 'mat.'"
"For an AAC user, this might involve them selecting the letters 'M,' 'A,' 'T' on their device, or eventually, the whole word 'mat' if it's programmed. The goal is to connect the sound, the letter, and the meaning."
3. Staff Practice and Feedback
(7:00 - 12:00)
[SLIDE 5 & 6: Adaptations & Role-Play]
CVC Word Picture Cards Activity CVC Word Picture Cards
Visual Aids for Phonics Instruction
Instructions for Use
Print and Cut: Print these pages on heavy cardstock if possible. Cut along the dashed lines.
Present: Show the picture card to the student. Clearly state the name of the object.
Sound Out: Point to each letter at the bottom as you sound it out individually (e.g., /c/ - /a/ - /t/).
Blend: Sweep your finger under the word and say it as a whole (e.g., "cat").
Model: Encourage the student to repeat the word or use their AAC device to identify the letters or the full word.
🐱
CAT
🐶
DOG
☀️
SUN
🖊️
PEN
🧘
MAT
🥤
CUP
🛏️
BED
📦
BOX
🏃
RUN
🕸️
NET
Cut along the dashed lines for individual 5"x7" cards.
CVC AAC Word List Reference CVC Word Reference List
Categorized Resource for AAC Instruction
Resource Type
Staff Handout
Tips for Clinical Staff
Start with words that are highly motivating or relevant.
Use visual aids (Picture Cards) with every new word.
Model sounding out and blending on the student's AAC device.
Provide immediate, positive reinforcement for attempts.
Pair words with functional objects in the room.
Limit sessions to 5-10 words to prevent fatigue.
Short 'A' Words
bag
bat
cab
can
cap
cat
dad
fan
jam
mad
man
map
mat
nap
pan
ran
sad
tag
van
Short 'E' Words
bed
fed
hen
jet
leg
men
net
pen
red
set
ten
vet
web
yes
Short 'I' Words
big
bin
dig
fin
fit
hid
him
kit
lip
pig
pin
sit
tin
zip
Short 'O' Words
box
cop
cot
dog
fox
hot
jog
log
mop
pot
rod
top
Short 'U' Words
bug
bun
bus
cup
cut
gum
hug
hut
mud
nut
run
sun
tub
Tracking Tip
Check off words as the student masters decoding and encoding (spelling) on their device.
Receptive Recognition
Expressive Selection
CVC Literacy Handout
AAC CLINICAL SERIES
