Do you have a Kindergarten student? Beginning readers need to learn how to decode short vowel words. If you’d like to prepare your student for reading, begin by saying words slowly: mmmmm-ooooo-mmmm. Then, ask your student, “What am I saying?” Pick about 10 short vowel words per lesson. Once your student 1) knows letter sounds and 2) is able to blend sounds (without text), she may be ready for short vowel books.
Short vowel sounds
Short vowel sounds include:
a_ as in apple (ex. hat, map, man)
e_ as in elephant (ex. met, ten, pet)
i_ as in itch (ex. hit, rip, sit)
o_ as in octopus (ex. hop, lot, pop)
u_ as in umbrella (ex. cup, run, hum)
Beginning readers master short vowels first. Thereafter, kids can begin to learn consonant digraphs and long vowels.
Short vowel game pdf with tulips
Click the link below for a FREE short vowel game:
On the second page of this pdf, there is a bee and a ladybug. You can have your students cut these out. One can be the bee and the other the ladybug. They can move their bug along the board as they read. Here is a visual of the above pdf link:

Short vowel books
Reading Elephant offers systematic phonics books, including short vowel books. For our materials, enter our shop.
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