Word Building With the Reading Achievement Center

RAC is a word building strategy. Students manipulate letter cards to

build 3-letter words. One letter is changed to create a

new word. This strategy strengthens skills

necessary for success with reading and writing.

RACStep 1- Word Building

On the following slides, you will see a sample of how one letter is changed to create a new word.

The children manipulate student letter cards as the teacher models with large letter cards.

This is called encoding.

RAC Word Building

a f i m n tp

RACWord Building

f i

m n

tp

a

RAC Word Building

f

im

n

tp

a

RAC Word Building

f im

n

t

p a

RACWord Building

f

i

m n

tp

a

RACStep 2-Quick Read

The children will then blend the letters as the teacher changes the word cards to create words. This is called decoding.

RACStep 3-Speed Round

The children will create the words as with their letter cards as the teacher says each word (encoding).

RACStep 4-We Will Write!

The children will write the words that they just practiced building as the teacher says each word (encoding).

RACStep 5-We Will Read!

The children will read in small groups. They will use books that focus on the Everyday Sight Words and word building patterns that have been introduced (decoding). The goal is to read for “fluency,” which means to read smoothly.