We've cleaned nooks and crannies, and rolled back the rugs.
We've polished the silver, and bleached tea-stained mugs.
Sorting out drawers was a chore we once dreaded.
Now our paperwork's filed, neatly labelled or shredded.
These days, we have time for those long-postponed tasks.
We've stitched those old headscarves, and made ourselves masks.
We've dusted down boxes, and what they contain
May have prompted a wander down Memory Lane.
We've weeded and mowed. Now all's tidy al fresco.
And we've mastered the system for shopping at Tesco.
Every cough has brought panic, in case we are ailing.
Our hair has grown long, and our teeth need de-scaling.
We've all been alert, as the rules now require us.
And we pray that there'll soon be an end to the virus.
Baa Baa Pink Sheep is an exciting new book for young children, with a twist at the end.
Monday 18 May 2020
Thursday 14 May 2020
Teaching vowels and split digraphs
We've been attempting to home educate a four year old, which includes introducing new sounds. All the Phase 3 and Phase 4 phonics, involve two or three letters together e.g. "oi", "er", "ow", "oa" or "air". (Phase 4 is, incidentally, mainly blended letters, such as "cl" or "st".)
We eventually got to the more complicated challenge of split digraphs. This is where the vowel sound changes if an "e" is added after an intervening letter. For example, add an "e" to can (to make cane). Or add an "e" to not (to make note) etc. They are expressed as a-e, i-e, o-e, u-e. (e-e does not appear to be covered at this stage, though it does, for example, work with "her" and "here").
This added "silent" e turns the short sounds to long sounds. The long vowel sounds are exactly as would be spoken when reciting the ABC alphabet.
Before these could be learned, the concept of vowels first had to be introduced.
To make all this easier, I came up with a song, to be sung to the tune of "1,2,3,4,5. Once I caught a fish alive..." It seemed to work!
A.E.I.O.U,
These are vowels. We know that's true.
Here's a trick, the best trick yet,
To make vowels sound like the alphabet.
It's easy as can be.
Add a SILENT magic "E".
Practise so you don't forget
How to make vowels long, like the alphabet.
Copyright Maggie Ballinger
We eventually got to the more complicated challenge of split digraphs. This is where the vowel sound changes if an "e" is added after an intervening letter. For example, add an "e" to can (to make cane). Or add an "e" to not (to make note) etc. They are expressed as a-e, i-e, o-e, u-e. (e-e does not appear to be covered at this stage, though it does, for example, work with "her" and "here").
This added "silent" e turns the short sounds to long sounds. The long vowel sounds are exactly as would be spoken when reciting the ABC alphabet.
Before these could be learned, the concept of vowels first had to be introduced.
To make all this easier, I came up with a song, to be sung to the tune of "1,2,3,4,5. Once I caught a fish alive..." It seemed to work!
A.E.I.O.U,
These are vowels. We know that's true.
Here's a trick, the best trick yet,
To make vowels sound like the alphabet.
It's easy as can be.
Add a SILENT magic "E".
Practise so you don't forget
How to make vowels long, like the alphabet.
Copyright Maggie Ballinger
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