3 Phonics Rules Every Teacher Needs to Know

Summary

Key Points

• —English words do not end with the letter 'v'; an 'e' is added to prevent this, as seen in words like 'have'. 0:56
• —While some students may memorize phonics rules, many benefit more from consistent exposure and practice with patterns in reading and spelling words. 2:08
• —Teachers can use these rules to explain spelling patterns and improve students' decoding and spelling abilities, with resources like free posters and courses available to aid instruction. 2:15
• —When 'y' appears at the end of an unstressed syllable in a multi-syllabic word, it usually makes the long 'e' sound, as in 'baby' or 'pony'. 8:05
• —Exceptions exist for the 'y' rule, such as in 'reply', where the 'y' makes a long 'i' sound because the final syllable is stressed. 9:44
• —The letter 'y' at the end of a one-syllable base word or syllable typically makes the long 'i' sound, as in 'cry' or 'sky'. 10:47
• —The 'c' sound at the end of a word or syllable can be spelled with 'ck' after a single short vowel, with 'k' after a consonant or vowel team, or with 'k' followed by a silent 'e' in long vowel words. 11:10
• —Examples of the closed syllable exceptions include 'child' (long 'i') and 'fold' (long 'o'), where 'i' and 'o' are followed by two consonants. 12:08
• —In closed syllables, the letters 'i' or 'o' may make their long vowel sounds if they are followed by two consonants, a phenomenon often referred to as closed syllable exceptions. 12:40