Vowel 'i'

After learning the combination with vowel 'e', the next step is to learn the vowel 'i' combination.

Vowel i can be combined with consonants as b, d, g , m, n, p, r, s, and t.

Make small flash cards and write these combination on them.

i + b = ib (as in bib)
i + d = id (as in bid)
i + g = ig (as in big)
i + m = im (as in dim)
i + n = in (as in bin)
i + p = ip (as in dip)
i + t = it (as in bit)

After writing each of these combination on separate flash cards, sit with your child and explain him how to blend these two different letter sounds to make one single sound. Start with putting your finger on 'i' and then say the /i/ sound and then slowly slide it to 'd' and say the /d/ sound and then finally slide it to 'id' and say the /id/ sound. Do this exercise several times and then encourage your child to do the same. Go slow. After your child is thorough with these alphabet combination, you may jumble the cards and ask him to read them aloud.

As mentioned in the previous post, this exercise should be done at a pace that is comfortable to your child. It's very important that you do this every day, even if it's for just 5 minutes. Do not hurry. Only when you feel that he has understood how to blend a particular combination well, move to another one.

Next week, we shall talk about vowels 'o' and 'u'.

Have a nice weekend.

Vowel 'e'

Last week, we talked about the vowel-consonant combination with the vowel 'a'. The next step is to learn the combination with the vowel 'e'.

The vowel e can be combined with consonants such as  d, g, n, r, and t.

Make flash cards using these combination.

• e + d = ed (as in bed)
• e + g = eg (as in beg)
• e + n = en (as in ben)
• e + r = er (as in her)
• e + t = et (as in bet)

Put your finger on 'e' and say the /e/ sound aloud and then slide it on 'd' and say the /d/ sound and finally sliding it on 'ed' and saying /ed/ aloud.

Once your child is thorough with one combination, move on to another one. After teaching all the above combination of vowel 'e', ask your child to read them aloud at random.

Do this exercise daily, for almost one week, till your little one is thorough with all the combination.

Next week, we shall discuss the combination with vowel 'i'.

Have a nice weekend.

Vowel 'a'

After learning the sounds of consonant-vowel combination, the next step is to learn the vowel-consonant combination. We shall begin with vowel 'a'.

'a' can be combined with several consonants as d, g, m, n, p, r, s, t, and y.

To start with, make small flash cards and write these combination on them.

• a + d = ad (as in bad)
• a + g = ag (as in bag)
• a + m = am (as in dam)
• a + n = an (as in ban)
• a + p = ap (as in cap)
• a + s = as (as in has)
• a + t = at (as in bat)
• a + y = ay (as in bay)

After writing each of these combination on separate flash cards, sit with your child and explain him how to blend these two different letter sounds to make one single sound. Start with putting your finger on 'a' and then say the /a/ sound and then slowly slide it to 'd' and say the /d/ sound and then finally slide it to 'ad' and say the /ad/ sound. Repeat this several times and encourage your child to do the same.

After you feel your child is through with these alphabet combination, jumble the cards and ask your child to read them.

Next week, we shall learn combination with vowel 'e'.

Have a nice weekend.

Consonant Vowel Combination

After learning the letter sounds, next step is to learn the sounds of consonant-vowel combinations.

When consonants are combined with vowels, their sounds combine to make one single sound as:

• b + a sounds ba as in bat
• b + e sounds be as in bet
• b + i sounds bi as in bit
• b + o sounds bo as in bob
• b + u sounds bu as in but

Use this technique to teach other consonant-vowel combinations beginning with d, f, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, v, w, y, and z. For a thorough understanding, you may write them down on flash cards and ask the child to read these two letter combinations by flashing these cards at random.

Avoid teaching the combinations involving consonants c, g, q, x at this stage because different set of rules apply to these consonants. For example, when consonant c is followed by vowel a, it sounds ca as in cat, but when followed by vowel i, it sounds ci, as in cite. The sound of letter c changes from the sharp sound of /k/ to the soft sound of /s/. This can confuse a young mind and hence it's best to keep it simple in the beginning.

Next week, we will learn about vowel-consonant combinations. Have a nice weekend.