Understanding the vowel team syllable can seem complex. There are many vowel teams in the English language, so how can we teach vowel teams to our students? Let’s look at what a vowel team is generally and how to introduce this syllable type in your classroom. This is post 20 in my series Phonics Rules for Teachers (and How the…
Knowing how to teach open syllables is an important phonics skill for teachers. You also need simple, engaging, and effective strategies to practice open syllables with your students. Let’s take a look at the characteristics of an open syllable, where we find them, and how to teach the open syllable to your students. This is post 14 in my series…
What is a long vowel? When should you teach your students about long vowels? And what order should you teach long vowel spelling patterns? Let’s learn all about long vowels, why they’re important, and how to teach them to your students. This is post 13 in my series Phonics Rules for Teachers (and How the Heck to Teach ‘Em). If you’d…
Closed syllables are the first syllable type you should teach your students. But, what exactly is a closed syllable, why should you teach closed syllables first, and how can you help your students understand them? This is post 10 in my series Phonics Rules for Teachers (and How the Heck to Teach ‘Em). If you’d like to see previous posts,…
Understanding the difference between letter names and letter sounds is one of the first steps of phonics instruction. People often use letter and sound interchangeably, but they’re not the same thing. Let’s explore why letters and sounds are different . We will also explore strategies to teach these concepts to our students in a simple and meaningful way. Would you…