After many conversations with our K-2 Literacy Coach and some colleagues I am shifting my thinking about how I'm conducting our short vowel word study. Instead of studying each short vowel in isolation we are going to focus our thinking on all short vowel sounds for awhile. Students need to be able to hear and tell the difference between the short vowel sounds. Right now we are immersed in finding words with short vowels and listening for short vowels in words. Above you can see how we searched through poems to find short vowels and sorted objects into short vowels based on what they heard in the word (see the cat on the short A and the witch on short I?!).
A few ways you can help with this at home:
- while your child is reading have them search the page and point out words that have short vowels
- using magnetic letters (real or on a mobile device) have them spell words for you that have short vowels
- on our SpellingCity.com page find the lists with short vowels and have them practice those words
- when they are writing have them point out the words with short vowels to you and hold them accountable for using the right vowel
How will this be assessed:
- I will be looking at their writing samples and making sure they are using them accurately.
- Over the next few days I will be observing them while working with words to see if they are using them accurately.
- After awhile I will be asking students to create short vowels using magnetic letters and seeing if they can generate words with accurate short vowel sounds.
A few ways you can help with this at home:
- while your child is reading have them search the page and point out words that have short vowels
- using magnetic letters (real or on a mobile device) have them spell words for you that have short vowels
- on our SpellingCity.com page find the lists with short vowels and have them practice those words
- when they are writing have them point out the words with short vowels to you and hold them accountable for using the right vowel
How will this be assessed:
- I will be looking at their writing samples and making sure they are using them accurately.
- Over the next few days I will be observing them while working with words to see if they are using them accurately.
- After awhile I will be asking students to create short vowels using magnetic letters and seeing if they can generate words with accurate short vowel sounds.