Short Vowel Key Words

Each short vowel has a key word to help us remember its sound: a for apple, e for egg, i for itch, o for octopus, u for up.

Let's learn

1. Say the five vowels and their key words with an action for each.
2. Say a word like map and ask which vowel sound is in the middle.
3. Sort picture cards into five groups by vowel sound.
4. Review often: vowels are the part of words most often misread.

Watch out for

• Saying the vowel’s name instead of its short sound. In map, a says /a/, not “ay”.

Make it fit your reader

• Easier: Focus on two vowels that sound different, like a and o.
• Harder: Read a list of mixed CVC words and say the vowel in each.

Practice activity

• Vowel actions: do the actions for a, e, i, o, u as fast as you can in order, then out of order.
• Picture sort: sort ten pictures or toys by the vowel sound in their names.