Today is rung 4 of 9 on this topic
Vowel teams and r-controlled vowels
Can do: Reads ai, ee, oa, igh, ou, oi and ar, or, er, ir, ur without hesitating.
Why it matters
These patterns cover most of the words that trip a Grade 2 reader. Once they are automatic, the child can read almost any book written for their age.
What it looks like when it's wobbly
Sounds both vowels separately — "bo-at" — or guesses the word from the first letter and the picture.
⏱️ Two-minute check
Write: rain, boat, night, coin, bird, storm, further. "Read these."
Solid looks like: Six of seven, without a long pause on the vowel pattern.
The full activity for this topic · 10 minutes
Team Sort
- 1Write two headings — ai and ay — and read a mixed list of words together.
- 2They sort each word under the right heading and underline the team.
- 3Say the rule they notice themselves: ay is usually at the end, ai in the middle.
- 4Dictate three words for them to spell using the pattern.
- 5Hunt the pattern in tonight's book and tally how many turn up.
If it's too hard
One pattern at a time, five words, all in the same position.
If it's too easy
Sort patterns that make the same sound — ai, ay, a-e — which is the real spelling problem.
Say this
"Two vowels together usually make one sound. Cover one and see what's left."