Phonics Workshop: February 2017

BOSSY R

Bossy R or R-controlled is a combination of a vowel and R to make a new sound, therefore, these combinations are digraphs, but children love the Bossy R rule.

Let's read from story 12 to 14!!

When blending words with digraphs, the children have to remember to look at the two letters and say the one sound. This more complicated skill is mastered when regular words, using the digraphs, are practised. For example, flash cards can be made of regular 'ai' words, like 'pain, rain, train, Spain, hail, snail', etc., so that when the 'ai' sound has been taught they can be held up for the children to sound out aloud and blend.

Vowel digraphs

When there are two vowel letters, the sound is usually the READING long vowel sound of the first vowel letter. The second vowel says nothing. The following type of words can be worked out with this understanding .... 'dream, people, train, boat, toe, Tuesday,' etc. The saying 'When two vowels go walking, the first does the talking' amuses the children and helps to reinforce the rule.

- AI train/cards/mats/ booklet/bingo

- EE train/cards/mats/booklet/bingo

- IE train/cards/mats/booklet/bingo

- OA train/cards/mats/booklet/bingo

- UE train /cards/mats/booklet/bingo

- OI train/cards/mats/booklet/bingo

- OO long train/cards/mats/booklet/bingo

- oo short train/cards/mats/booklet/bingo

- ER train/cards/mats/booklet/bingo

- AR train/cards/mats/booklet/bingo

- OR train /cards/mats/booklet/bingo

- OU train/cards/mats/booklet/bingo

I usually accompany one digraph with an alternative spelling as in:

- AI/AY AY train/cards/mats/booklet/bingo

- OU-OW OW train/cards/mats/booklet/bingo

- OI/OY OY train/cards/mats/booklet/bingo/words in toys

Let's play!!!

Classroom practice

Let's read story 11!!

(Some combinations are sometimes refered to as digraphs. However I prefer to treat them as alternative spellings of a sound. For example, CK is a combination of two letters that is sounded out as C or K, whereas CH is a combination of two sounds which together make a brand new sound).

This rule can be introduced as soon as the children are presented the simple sounds.

CK- LL- SS- FF