There is a basic rule about IE/EI, but there are also many exceptions to the rule that make it difficult to learn and teach this concept. However, getting a basic understanding of the rule can level the field for spelling and reading. This rule is usually for 4th grade and above. First, the rule says (and many have already heard this): Use i before e except after c, when spelling long e (ē). ֎So, what does this mean? It means that the location of the c is very important to the concept. Because it says “after” c, but in reality the c comes first, before the ei. It is important…
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More Facts – Vowel Facts
Facts About Vowels All single vowels have more than one sound: they all make a long sound, a short sound and a schwa sound. For example: baby = “ā,” apple = “ă,” bandage = “Ə” Short vowels are indicated with a breve – ă 60% of English words have short vowel sounds A vowel followed by a consonant (closed syllable) is usually short = VC. Examples: at, dog, bid, sat, mat, plat, slug ●Exceptions: a vowel followed by the letters r, l, w, or y is NOT short. Curb Call Cow Delay Magic E – the Magic E pattern is VCE. E at the end of the word usually makes…
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It’s a Fact — Consonants
Today, I want to give you a few facts about consonants. 21 Consonants are: b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, w, x, y, z Consonants never say their name (except in words like x-ray). Most consonants have one sound. Five consonants have more than one sound: c, g, s, x, n The letter r does not say “er.” It sounds more like a barking dog – “rhhh.” The letter q is ALWAYS followed by a u in English words. They make the sound “kw” as in queen. The letter x makes three sounds: “ks” as in Box “gz”…
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Always, Then, Last: REVLOC order
In my Orton Gillingham journey I’ve heard some who use the word CLOVER to teach syllable types. In the class I took, the word to remember syllable types is REVLOC. The reason for using REVLOC is that this is the order of the syllable for labeling. CLOVER may be an actual word, but REVLOC will give better guidance when trying to decode a word by remembering which syllable types overrule the next. I’ll give an example and then you can see the attached sheet for further explanation. The syllable: tur At first glance, it might seem that this is a closed syllable. But closer inspection tells us that the syllable…
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I’m Seeing Double – 1-1-1 Doubling Rule Explained
Continuing with Suffix Rules, the first one I will go in depth on is the 1-1-1 Doubling Rule. The grade level this rule corresponds with is 2nd through 12th. Before teaching this rule, one should know: What a suffix is That some suffixes begin with vowels and some with consonants The difference between one and two syllable words. The 1-1-1 Doubling Rule says: 1 syllable words ending in 1 consonant after 1 vowel double the final consonant before a vowel suffix. Why do we double? Because doubling keeps the vowel short. For this rule, worksheets are great, but it is better if you have plenty of interaction to get this…
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Illustrations of Suffix Rules, An Overview
Continuing with Suffixes, today I will create an overview of suffix rules. The three suffix rules are: 1-1-1 Doubling Rule, E Drop Rule and the Y-Changing Rule. I will do an overview today, but go in depth in my next posts. 1-1-1 Doubling rule is: 1 syllable words ending in 1 consonant after 1 vowel, you double the final consonant before a vowel suffix. Why double? Because doubling the consonant after the vowel keeps the vowel short. E Drop Rule is: Words ending in e drop the e before adding a vowel suffix. Y Changing Rule is: Words ending in y change the y to i if there is a…
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The Ending Gives It Meaning – Suffixes
I know many of you who have followed my blog probably thought I would never come back to it, but here I am. I am committed once again to writing the wonders of Orton Gillingham! My daughter was recently diagnosed as mildly dyslexic. She was in pre-K when I took this class and I had no idea she was going to get this diagnosis later (she is now in first grade). I am so glad to have the tools and knowledge that OG has provided me in my daughter’s journey! Not as much because she lets me teach her, I have a tutor that sees her twice a week, but…
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Phonemic Awareness: Speaking of Individuality
What’s the importance of phonemic awareness and what exactly does that mean? First, phonics and phonemic awareness is not the same thing. Phonics is the understanding of the relationship of letters and sounds in WRITTEN language. Phonemic awareness is understanding the sounds of language working together in SPOKEN language to make words. According to the National Institute for Literacy, Putting Reading First, Kindergarten Through Grade 3, “If children are to benefit from phonics instruction, they need phonemic awareness.” The document goes on to say, “The reasons are obvious: children who cannot hear and work with the phonemes of spoken words will have a difficult time learning how to relate these…
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Go to the End and Count Back Three, if You See Consonant + LE
So, I have another blog called Moms Soul Café, which I posted to yesterday. Today, I was going through my past posts and noticed that I accidentally posted the following OG information to my Mom’s Soul Café blog. I imagine my audience was a tad confused about the relevance of Consonant + LE in that genre! But hopefully they learned a little something. The syllable pattern in REVLOC is is a departure from the Vowel-Consontant-Vowel patterns. This one is Consonant+LE. It is the L in REVLOC. If you have not read the post on REVLOC, please read it and come back. When you have a word with a Consonant+LE at…
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Breaking the Rules: Wild Old Words
I’ve written in the past about closed syllables and how if a syllable is “closed in” by consonants, then it will be a “closed syllable” and the vowel will be short. However, there are groups of words called Wild-Old Words that are “fossil” words left from Anglo Saxon times that do not follow the rules. These words are common but irregular. A student can learn that some common words ending in ld, st, nd, and lt have a single vowel with a long vowel sound. Examples comb roll, troll, stroll mold, told, sold, scold, old, bold, cold, fold, gold bolt, colt, dolt, jolt, Holt, molt, volt bind, find, mind, wind,…