Monday, October 14, 2013

Feel or Don't Feel?

I have a certain way of introducing the idea of vowels and consonants.  I'm fairly certain it's not research based, but it works for me, and my kids seem to get it.  

I start out with this chart, minus everything below the pictures.


We gradually add letters to each side, depending on whether we can feel them or not.  In other words, if anything moves or touches in our mouths, we can feel them.  (The only one that is tricky is R.)  Once all the letters are on the chart, I ask them what they notice.  Someone typically figures out that the letters we can't feel are called vowels.  That's when I label each side.  

This chart certainly doesn't make or break my readers, but when we then start talking about vowels and consonants in more depth, they have something to link those words too.

15 comments:

  1. So funny we both wrote about vowels today! I like your idea.
    Tammy
    First Grade @ Storybook Cafe
    dtklinger@gmail.com

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  2. Love this! I've never thought about vowels not feeling in your mouth. I always think of consonants as sound stoppers and vowels as singers!
    Jenny

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  3. This is great, Tammy. Reminds me of vowel town in Pathways to Reading. It is all about the position (or positions) of our mouths when we make vowel sounds.

    Crystal
    Teaching Little Miracles

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    1. Crystal, I'm unfamiliar with Pathways to Reading. Sounds interesting.

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  4. That's a very good idea. The McCracken program talks about feeling the letters, too.
    Barbara @
    Grade ONEderful
    Ruby Slippers Blog Designs

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    1. Barb, I've heard you talk about the McCracken program. It sounds very intriguing.

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  5. Great idea and visual tool for the kids! I like this!
    Lori
    Conversations in Literacy

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    1. Lori, thank you. It seems to make sense to them.

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  6. This is such a great idea!! Thank you for sharing! :)

    Rachel
    A-B-Seymour

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    1. Rachel, you're very welcome. I'm glad you think it's worth sharing.

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  7. I have never heard of this so, of course, I had to go through the whole alphabet and try it (I'm sure I wasn't the only one:). It works! Very cool:)
    Lyn

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    1. Lyn, you've made my day. Glad that it worked for you too! :)

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