Arkansas Foundations of Reading Test (FORT) 2026 - Free FORT Practice Questions and Study Guide

Blending is the correct instructional strategy for teaching the decoding of CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words, as it involves combining individual sounds to form a complete word. For example, when teaching the word "cat," students would learn to blend the sounds /k/, /æ/, and /t/ together to pronounce the word correctly. This is a foundational skill that enables students to read CVC words fluently, leading to greater confidence in their reading abilities.

Understanding blending is essential for early readers as it helps reinforce the connection between phonemes (sounds) and graphemes (letters). When students practice blending, they develop the ability to quickly and accurately decode other CVC words and eventually build proficiency in reading overall.