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Mrs. Brabbs' Reading Class

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In Reading, we have been busy learning about the Tiger Syllabication Pattern.  In this Vowel/Consonant Vowel pattern, the first syllable is an open syllable and the vowel is long. 
 
The second syllable can be one of three ways.  It can be another open syllable as in baby, a closed syllable with a short vowel, as in defend, or it can have a magic e syllable with a long vowel, as in recite.  This can be a difficult syllabication pattern to learn, but the students have been working hard on reading and spelling words following this pattern. 
 
Thank you for all you do at home to help your child thrive!  I am so proud of the growth they are making in Reading!!
  
It has been an exciting time in Mrs. Brabbs' Reading Class!
 
We made it to Level 2 in the GRACEPOINT Orton-Gillingham Scope and Sequence!  We celebrated by having cupcakes and watching a video of the middle schoolers saying and completing the motions for the Level 2 Morphology.  The students love using the Morphology to find the meanings of new words and they have already learned 11 new prefixes!
 
The first skill we learned in Level 2, is the Open Syllable.  In this syllable type, the vowel is open and therefore long because there isn't a consonant to close it down and make the vowel short.  It also doesn't have a magic e to make the vowel long.
Examples: be, so , hi, she, bro.
 
After studying the Open Syllable, we went back and reviewed the VCCCV pattern, suffix -s, and suffix -es, as we are still having some difficulty with these challenging words.  Especially, we need to remember to chop off the suffix and spell or read just the base word and then add the suffix.
Examples:  extremes, complexes, ostriches, subtracts, districts
 
Next, we were able to learn how y can become a vowel and when it is at the end of a one syllable word, the y says i.  It is an Open Syllable because the y becomes a long i and doesn't have a consonant to close it down.
Examples:  try, fly, by, my, why, spy, pry, shy, spry
 
I look forward to meeting with you next week at Parent-Teacher Conferences and getting to talk about your child's reading progress in depth!

VCCCV Syllabication 

To read words with a vowel, consonant, consonant, consonant, vowel pattern, it is important to know how to divide the word by keeping the blends or digraphs together.   

Example:  subtract    

In this word, the blend tr remains together, so the word is divided and read as sub/tract. 

Example:  athlete

In this word, the digraph th remains together, so the word is divided and read as ath/lete.

 

This is not an easy skill, but the students have been doing a wonderful job syllabicating, dividing, and reading these difficult words.  Thanks so much for practicing with your students at home, as it makes such a difference!

 

In Reading, we have been studying the welded sounds of -ng and -nk.  These welded sounds are easier learned chunked together, rather than separating the sounds of the consonants and vowels into individual sounds.   
 
It is important to learn the keywords to correctly pronounce the welded sounds.  The keywords for -ng, include fang for -ang, ring for -ing, song for -ong, and lung for -ung.  
 
The keywords for -nk, include bank for -ank, pink for -ink, honk for -onk, and junk for -unk.  Please note that there is not a welded sound for -eng or -enk.  
 
If you ever have any questions or want to learn more, please feel free to contact me anytime!
Our reading group has been anxiously awaiting the arrival of Gentle Cindy and they were thrilled when she came to visit and we were able to learn how Gentle Cindy has a soft c and says /s/ when followed by an e, i, or y.  Examples include:  rice, mice, lace, entice, cite, cent, and cells.  
 
Before we begin to learn about Gentle Cindy and the soft g says /j/ when followed by an e, i, or y, we will review the short vowel rule of -dge says /j/ to make sure we have it in our minds.  We will also be reviewing suffix -s and continue with our soft c learning!
In Reading, we have moved onto VCCVe (Reptile) Words!  The students were very excited to include the new rule in our rule book.  In the picture, Sienna and Sadie are busy showing off how to do syllabication for VCCVe words!
 
Like the Vowel-Consonant-Consonant-Vowel (Rabbit) pattern, the Reptile words have two syllables and are divided between the consonants.  The first syllable is closed and has a short vowel.  However, in the Vowel-Consonant-Consonant-Vowel-Magic e (Reptile) words, the second syllable is a magic e syllable and the vowel is long.  Example words include:  exhale, bedtime, pancake, baptize, compute, and stampede.
 
I am so thankful for this wonderful reading group and the progress all four are making!  Please make sure to have your child reading in the blue folder and practicing their red words over break.
 
Happy Thanksgiving!
Showing off our Morphology skills with Dr. Morphology at Word Chat Wednesday!
 
What an honor it was to be the first students from the Lower School to be picked to be "Professionals" with Dr. Morphology!  Our reading group did such an awesome job that we were then videotaped by Ms. Lashley and Ms. Strack to show off how we use Morphology in our Association drills, for Parent U!
 
In class, we were able to move onto Vowel Consonant Consonant Vowel (VCCV) words.  We learned that when we see this "Rabbit" pattern, we divide the word into two syllables by breaking apart the consonants.  The students were so excited to be reading two syllable words!
 
We then did a new thing at GP, and after learning a new skill, we circled back to review some skills that have been giving us some difficulty.  We have been reviewing the Floss Closed Syllable Rule (one syllable, one short vowel, ending in f, l, s, or z= double the last letter.)  We are also reviewing -ck (one syllable, one short vowel ending in the /k/ sound= -ck).  We also went back to review Magic e and the long vowel sound it makes.  This is particularly important because very often the students have trouble distinguishing between the -ck or -ke.  If it is -ck, the vowel is short.  In -ke, the vowel is long and says it's name because of the power of the Magic e!
 
If your ever have any questions or need further clarification, please send me a text, call, email, or respond to the blog.  I promise to get back to you, asap!
 
 
Happy Fall Break!
 
We have been busy studying the Wild Old Word, Rule Breaker Words, with the patterns -ost (host), -ind (kind), -old (gold), -ild (child), and -olt (colt).  Please have your child explain to you that these words are rule breakers because they have a long vowel sound, but are in a closed syllable and should have a short vowel.  
 
I hope everyone has a wonderful Fall Break!  Please try to stay consistent with reading the stories and passages in the blue folder and practicing the red words.  The consistency and fluency practice make such a difference in your child becoming a better reader!
 
 
This is the face of success during Dictation on Friday!  The students did a wonderful job listening for the three sounds of the letter u and marking the vowels with a breve for the short vowel sound, a macron for the u consonant e says "u,"  or an umlaut for u consonant e, says "oo."  Not easy at all!
 
Tomorrow, we will move onto the Wild Old Words.  These words are rule breakers because they should have a short vowel in a closed syllable, but instead the vowel is long.  The first Wild Old Word pattern, we will learn is -ost.  There are only three words in this pattern:  post, host, and most. 
 
I am looking forward to learning more about these Wild Old Words with my wonderful reading group! 
 
 
Jewel Box in OG Reading Group!  
 
What a wonderful start to the school year we have had in our Reading Group!  We started the school year off by reviewing Magic e: a consonant e, e consonant e, i consonant e, and o consonant e.  
 
Then, we moved on to a new skill:  u consonant e.  Our group was so excited to be learning a new skill!  They have done a great job with u consonant e, even though it is more complicated than the other Magic e combinations.  In the other ones, the Magic e simply gives the vowel the power to say its name.  Another words, a consonant e, says "a," as in safe, e consonant e, says "e," as in Pete, i consonant e, says "i," as in pine, and o consonant e, says "o," as in home.  However, u consonant e can say its name, as in u consonant e, mule, "u", but it can also say, "oo," as in rule.    
 
Please keep on reading the stories in the blue folder and practicing their red words on a daily basis.  It makes such a difference!
 
If you have any questions or concerns, please respond to this blog, email, or text me.  Thank you!