A Look at the Evolution of American English
We will be celebrating the 250th birthday of the United States this year. To reflect on our 250 years of independence, we must examine who we are and where we...
Thoughts From My Notebook
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How do I teach -dge?
-dge I am concluding my series of short vowel-based patterns with <dge>. Click the attached links to read about the other short vowel patterns <ck >, <tch>, and the Fizzle/ Floss rule. <dge> tends to confuse people; not understanding why it...
“Fizzle/Floss Rule”
Does Sammy really like fried zebras? The pattern of doubling <f>, <l>, <s>, and <z> in a one-syllable word after a short vowel, sometimes referred to as the “Floss” or “Fizzle” rule, has a few people still puzzled. For the...
-ch or -tch, which witch?
/ch/ -tch after a short vowel Don’t you love that we have a pattern that is so simple to follow? Yes, but people ask me, what about much and sandwich? Let’s take a look at the historical aspects of these...
Is it ee or ea?
and other facts you didn’t know you needed to know! The question of when to use these two spellings of /ē/ is never-ending. Why do we have two so closely related spellings of /ē/? These two spellings of /ē/ are...
/k/ can be tricky!
Let’s talk about these three spellings of /k/. When do we use <c> and <k>, and what is the pattern followed for <ck>? Do you struggle with what to tell your students when they ask, “Should I use a...
Why are there two ways to write /w/?
Why are there two ways to write /w/? Is that a <w> or <wh>? How often have you heard that from your student? How do you explain the difference? Do they really sound different? Let’s take a deep dive into...
Too many rules and exceptions!
As the Science of Reading pushes awareness of how to teach reading and spelling, people are jumping on the bandwagon. Publishers also see an opportunity to make money, so they are cranking out a “phonics-based “ curriculum with all the...
Don't let a scope and sequence dictate your decodable book choice!
Like everything in education, the pendulum swings; this time, it brings to light decodable readers' importance. For better or worse, I am on a few FaceBook pages about the Science of Reading and, of course, Orton Gillingham. I see everyone...