How to Teach Phonics

by Lida Myrtle Williams

All vowels are short unless modified by position.

Have the children notice the effect of final "e" upon some of their short vowel words. These lists will furnish good pronunciation drills.

mat		mate		bit		bite		tap		tape
pan		pane		rod		rode		fad		fade
fat		fate		hat		hate		mad		made
can		cane		pin		pine		rat		rate
not		note		rob		robe		pet		Pete
man		mane		din		dine		dim		dime
cap		cape		fin		fine		spin		spine
hid		hide		mop		mope		kit		kite
hop		hope		plum		plume		rip		ripe
tub		tube						cub		cube
								cut		cute
								tun		tune

Call attention to the vowel digraphs in the same way: ea, ai, oa, ay.

deaf		seat		bean
neat		leaves		meat
heat		peach		lean
please		eagle		clean
eat		seam		teach
mean		stream		glean
read		squeal		wean

While there are exceptions, as in the words "head" and "bread," the digraph "ea" has the sound of long "e" in nearly three-fourths of the words in which it occurs and should be so taught. The visual image "ea" should call up the auditory image of long "e." When the child meets the exceptions the context must be relied on to aid him.

Likewise in the following list, the new fact to be taught is the digraph "ai" having the long sound of "a." Blending the initial and final consonants with this, the pupil pronounces the new list of words without further aid.

rain		chain		faith		daisy
wait		main		paint		daily
nail		brain		faint		plainly
pail		drain		snail		waist
pain		claim		frail		complain
pain		train		praise		sailor
aim		plain		quail		raise
maid		braid		sprain		trail
mail

The digraph "oa" and "ay" may be taught with equal ease the first year. There is no reason for deferring them; they should be taught as soon as the children have need for them.

coat		toast		roar
load		goat		roam
float		road		moan
toad		roam		throat
oar		boat		oat meal
croak		soar		foam
loaf		soap		coarse
loaves		groan		board
goal		boast		cloak
coach		poach		roast