As we develop as readers, we begin to notice the various ways that vowels can combine to make new sounds. The next concept to introduce to students is the rule for “Two Vowels Go Walking” (TVGW). This rule allows us to introduce the vowel digraphs: ai, ea, oa. It always helps to begin with a […]
Final ‘e’ Rule Before introducing this concept, it is helpful to quickly review the difference between the long and short vowel sounds (or when the vowel says its sound versus it name). We can recall that a vowel can make its long sound, or name, when it is followed directly by an ‘e,’ such as […]
As emerging readers develop, they begin to add significantly to their word base. Reading consists of several skills, one of which is the memorization of many high frequency words, or sight words. These are words that occur often when we read and tend to make up the majority of the words we read when reading. […]
If you think back into history when you were just beginning to read and spell, there was most likely a moment when you asked yourself: “Why do we spell words the way we do?” You probably asked yourself this during a moment of frustration while trying to master a challenging word. A student may read […]
You may know the riddle: When is a door not a door?Answer: When it’s ajar. It’s a simple joke, but it shows how much riddles and puns depend on wordplay. To understand them, readers need a strong grasp of English — especially the tricky world of homophones and homographs. What Are Homophones? A homophone is […]
Learning to Read: An Airport Walkway Analogy The Walk to the Gate Imagine yourself rushing through Denver International Airport. You hop on the moving walkway to speed things up. You’ve got no bags, just a book in hand, and soon you’re passing everyone with ease. Beside you is a couple: a woman juggling a baby […]
The Sound Symbol Association
Emerging readers need to be able to hear and make these individual sounds in words. They also need to blend these sounds together to form words. Humans are born with this ability, and spend their early childhood developing it.
