Let's see how much you know about the letters of the alphabet.

The twenty-six letters have names and sounds. Names are handy when we talk about letters (for example, when we recite the alphabet or teach how to alphabetize.) However, sounds are more useful because they help us figure out how to spell and read words. In this FYI section when we want to refer to a letter by its name, we will underline it (example: t) If we are referring to a letter sound, we'll enclose it between two diagonal strokes (example: /t/ as in table.)

The twenty-six letters are divided into two categories, consonants and vowels. Letters which are classified as consonants are produced with some part of the speech mechanism obstructed. Try to say /b/. . .you will find your lips are closed. With /d/ your teeth come together. Experiment with all the consonants and see if you can discover the obstruction. The correct sounds of the consonants are:

/b/...ball

/n/...nail

/c/...comb

/p/...pencil

/d/...dog

/qu/...queen

/f/...fork

/r/...ring

/g/...ghost

/s/...scissors

/h/...hat

/t/...table

/j/...jeep

/v/...violin

/k/...key

/w/...watch

/l/...lemon

/-x/...box

/m/...monkey

/y/...yo-yo

/z/...zipper

Vowels, on the other hand, are open sounds. There is no obstruction to the emission of air. Say the vowel sounds: /a/ as in apple, /e/ as in elephant, /i/ as in igloo, /o/ as in octopus, /u/ as in umbrella. Notice that your mouth is open when you make these sounds. Only the shape of your mouth changes as you move from vowel to vowel. It is easy now to see that we could not speak without vowels. Every word must have at least one vowel sound in order to be uttered. For example, you would find it almost impossible to say "md". With the simple insertion of a vowel, however, you will find it much easier to say. . .mad, mud, mid.

alpha-read makes it simple to impart this information to a very young child. Consonants and vowels are differentiated by a system of color coding - white for consonants, yellow for vowels. As you sound/spell with the kit, it will soon become apparent that every word requires at least one colored (yellow) card. In time these colored cards will become internalized as vowels. This is just one of the unique features included in this highly successful learning kit.

FREE BEGINNING ALPHA-READ SEQUENCE

After teaching each sound, use that sound in combination with those already learned to form as many words as possible. The following list represents the beginning sequence recommended by Alpha-Read:

/a/, /t/	at
	tat*
/m/	am
	mat
	tam*	*Obscure words found in dictionary. For very young children, refer to these as "Martian words".
/s/	sat
	mast
/l/	lam*
	lat*
	last
	slam
	slat	_Underlined letters indicate a need for for duplicate letter card.
/c/	cat
	cam*
	clam
	cast
/d/	sad
	mad
	cad*
	lad
	tad*
/i/	it
	sit
	dim
	slid
	tilt

And Another Free Offer From Alpha-Read:
For an expanded list of short vowel words to use for spelling and reading, send a self-addressed stamped business envelope requesting "More Short Vowel Words" to Alpha-Read, P.O.Box 3971, New Hyde Park, NY 11040

© 2001 Alpha-Read