Words with long vowel sounds are challenging to spell and pronounce because of the myriad ways we can represent or spell each sound. There are eight ways to spell /A/, eight ways to spell /E/, seven ways to spell /i/, eight ways to spell /O/, and at least five ways to spell /U/.
How do you teach such orthographic complexity without confusing kids and causing sleepy time? Use their names to get them involved in learning about spelling. For example, the names Kaylah and Keisha are engaging spelling tools.
Here’s a quick lesson outline. Ask your kids to spell Kaylah. Then, tell them there are different ways to spell that name; for example, Kaylah can be spelled as Keilah or Kailah. Then, ask them why the names sound the same, though we spell them differently. This will lead to a discussion of the many ways to represent, write, or spell the long vowel sounds. Students need to learn that words with different spellings can sound the same because various spellings can represent the same sound. Ask them to underline the letters that change the way we spell Kaylah. Next, show them a chart with the many ways to spell the long vowel /A/ or write them on the board: a, a-e, ay, ai, ey, ea, ei, eigh.
Make learning fun by encouraging your students to explore the various spellings of each vowel sound in their names or their friends' names. For instance, the name Keisha is a treasure trove for introducing the long vowel /E/. It can be spelled as Keysha, Keisha, Kiesha, Keesha, or Kesha. And let's not forget names like Aiden, which can be spelled as Aden or Ayden.
This “Spell that name” game demystifies orthographic complexity by giving your students a simple, relevant spelling tool. It’s an iteration of the old pedagogical principle: “Use what they know to teach them what they need to know.”
Comments