Teaching Kids Complex U Sounds in Spelling
Understanding Long Vowel Sounds and Vowel Combinations
Apr 9, 2009
After learning the sounds of the long “a”, the long “ee” diagraph, the long “i” sound and the long “o”, it’s time to move to the slightly more complicated “u” sound. Once the child is familiar with and understands the simple “u” sounds described in the starter session, introduce the more challenging long “u” combinations.
Fun Aids for Learning Spelling
- Cut out a set of flash cards from light coloured board, on which you can write. With brightly colored sketch pens, write out the words CUT, DUN, US, on the cards, each word on one card, leaving space to add another alphabet at the end.
- Make a set of blank cards as well.
- Make a large graphic cutout of a capital “U” with overhanging top bars, and use it as a visual aid and prop for the activity. Use mime and drama to add an element of excitement, creating a story around it.
- Using coloured card, cut out small alphabets “e” and “i”. Punch holes in them and string them so they can ride on the top bars of the graphic “U”.
- Have ready a brightly coloured sketch pens to write with.
Vowel Patterns: Introduce the Basic “U” Sound
Quickly go over the basic “u” sounds learnt in the earlier session. Create excitement with some interesting “u” sounds, then end up with spelling simple words like HUM, GUN. Bring in the exception of PUT. Talk about remembering that there are always exceptions.
Vowel Patterns: Long “U” Sound as in “UE”
Make a longer “u” sound, and ask the child if he or she can think of a word where “u” takes the help of other vowels to make the long “u” sound. Bring in the graphic “U” and play around with the letters. Have ready a small “e” with you, and introduce it into the game if the child does not think of it. Then, with gentle prompts, lead in to words BLUE, GLUE, TRUE. Show how the “u” merges with the “e” to make the long “u” sound.
Discuss that “ew” also makes the “u” sound, as in CHEW, NEW, BREW. Is it a coincidence that the letter is called a “double u”? Play with the thought.
Vowel Patterns: Long “U” Sound as in “UI”
Making more “u” sounds with your mouth, ask the child if she can think of another vowel whose help “u” takes to make the long “u” sound. Play around a bit, and then bring in words like FRUIT and JUICE. Use the blank cards to write out the words, making the sound as you write the words. Discuss the sound, but don’t make the child spell these words right now. Identifying the sound is enough at this stage.
Vowel Patterns: Long “u” Sound in the “VCe Pattern”
Move on to the long “u” sound in words like MUSE, TUNE. Bring in the flash cards which words written on them. Demonstrate what is called the VCe pattern, or Vowel Consonant followed by “e” pattern. Take the card with the word CUT written on it. Explore, along with mouth movements, how the short “u” sound in CUT becomes lengthened when an “e” is added at the end, to become CUTE. This is the pattern where vowel “u”, followed by consonant “t” and then“e”, becomes a long vowel sound - in this case, the long “u” sound. Pick up the card with DUN written on it, add an “e” at the end, and discuss how it becomes DUNE. Explore how the shape of the mouth changes. Write out the word US on another card, then make the child add the “e” to make USE.
Conclude the session by going over the basic sounds again, the short “u” sound with the variant of PUT, the long “u” sound in UNIFORM, the open “u” sound in the suffix “un”, the long “u” sound in “ue”, the long “u” sound in ”ui”, and the long “u” sound in the VCe pattern. To make the recap session more memorable, use your creativity and throw in a bit of mime.
