Show the students the letter X and model how to make the /ks/ sound. Ask children to repeat the sound several times and check for accuracy. Use words like box, fox, max and tax. Hold up the words and have students repeat them several times, enunciating the /ks/ sound in each word.
Show the students the same words you used for direct instruction. Ask them to identify the letter that makes the /ks/ sound. Once children can do this easily, move on to the phoneme substitution activity.
Have students substitute one sound for another in a collection of X words. For example, display the word "fox". Ask students to change the /o/ to /i/. What word is it now? This exercise can be used to replace the /ks/ sound as well. For example, show the student the word "max". If we take away the /x/ and change it to /t/, what word is it now? This type of activity promotes flexibility and phoneme knowledge in your kindergartners.
Word sorts are an excellent way to teach students about the letter X. Have students separate several known words into piles according to their rime, or ending sound. Words with X that can be used for this sorting activity include fox, box, nix, fix, six, ax, tax, sax, max. These words can be mixed with words that have different rimes, so that students are tasked with putting all the /ks/ words together. At this point, students should recognize the difference between words ending with "-ks" (for example, rocks) and words ending with "x." For an added challenge, you can throw some "-ks" words into the sort to make sure the students can readily decipher the difference.