Every syllable in every word MUST include a vowel, so knowledge of vowel sounds is exceedingly important. So whether it’s long, short, part of a vowel team, or a tricky schwa, here you’ll find tons of resources aimed to practice mastery of vowels.
Make sure you understand the differences between consonants and vowels (you might be surprised at what you learn!), and download the FREE long and short vowels anchor charts!
Learn all about the vowel digraphs AU and AW and then grab 5 free worksheets for students to practice. AU and AW Words The graphemes AU and AW are vowel patterns. Some refer to these as vowel digraphs or variant vowels. Both AU and AW spell the /aw/ sound. You can clearly hear the /aw/…
Did you know vowels and consonants are sounds, not letters?! Review the definitions, characteristics, examples, and the differences between vowels and consonants to better understand and teach this foundational information. What Are Vowels and Consonants? Let’s start by reviewing some important background information. All words in the English language are made up of a combination…
Get a free printable list of 121 one-syllable words with the short U sound. Read all about teaching the short U sound, get ideas for working with students, and then download a free pdf printable! About the Short U Sound Short /ŭ/ is a vowel sound. The sound is represented by the letter U, and…
Learn about the short O sound and get a FREE printable list that includes 119 short O words, organized by word families. 🐙 All About Short O The written letter O (called a grapheme) can represent different sounds (phonemes). The letter O can be both long or short. But the most common sound the letter O will…
Learn all about teaching the short i sound to students, and get a free printable list that includes 125 short i words, organized alphabetically by word family. All About Short I The letter i can represent multiple sounds, including short or long sounds. When the letter I represents it’s short sound, it will spell /ĭ/ – the…
Learn all about the Short E sound following research-backed, Science of Reading-aligned best practices, and get a free printable list of 114 short e words, organized by word family. 🍳 All About Short E The letter E represents a vowel sound. It can be a long or short vowel sound (or schwa). Short vowels are usually taught…
Learn all about teaching the short A sound and get a free printable list of over 150 short A words, organized by word family. 🍎 All About Short A A vowel sound is made with an open mouth, where the jaw drops and the sound is unobstructed. Every written syllable MUST include a vowel. Short…
Picture labeling is an excellent activity to use with young writers learning to spell. Get 6 FREE label-the-picture worksheets that follow Science of Reading procedures. Kids will have a blast while they tap the sounds, map the letters, spell and read the words, and then color the pictures! 💗 Why We Love It Labeling pictures…
Learn all about the Long U sound, including the 2 sounds long U can make. Then, grab yourself two printable pdf lists with over 215 long U vowel sound words, organized by sound and spelling pattern. All About Long U In our previous long vowel posts, we’ve consistently said that the rule for long vowels…
Learn about the five ways to spell the long o sound: o, o-e, oa, ow, and oe. You’ll also get two lists of 131 long o sound words, organized by spelling pattern and syllable type. All About Long O It’s so important to teach students the long vowel rule: Long vowels say their name! Teaching…