Listening for Long Vowels

We are in LONG VOWEL mode for the remainder of the year in our classroom!  Honestly, I can't believe it has taken us so long to formally introduce this concept especially since we expect our kids to be reading at DRA 10 by December.  To tell you the truth, I've snuck it in a little here and there.  If you'd like to know how, read about it here.

We will spend the first week just familarizing ourselves with listening for long vowels.  I plan to build their phonemic awareness prior to even thinking about reading or writing long vowels.  I will be using some of the products by Nancy Fetzer, a nationally recognized literacy curriculum expert and staff development trainer, who is also a California local.  I like the Spelling and Phonics Program: Featuring the Magical Land of Words of hers the best and use it most often in my classroom. 

To help get back into school mode, the first day we will review what is a vowel.  We will do a simple vowel and consonant sort.  I want to make sure everyone knows this before moving on.

Then, we will use these little "stories" to help us remember about the vowel sounds.  Each child, will get one to keep in their book box.  They will have these handy during their independent reading time.

 

Students will make these mini answer boards.  One side will have the Short Vowel picture and cue and the other will have the Long Vowel picture and cue.  Then, each day as we practice, they will show me their answer as I check for understanding.  I plan to use them also as their exit slip individually throughout the week. 

 

Later in the week, the students will use pictures and do a picture sort.  The standard in California is to be able to listen for long vowels in single syllable words. I will use this as an evidence of their learning. 

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Happy Teaching and Learning!