Phonics Sayings to Help Your Child Decode

When you are reading with your child you may want to help your young reader decode words using sayings we use in class to support phonics development.

1. Magic silent E makes the vowel say its name.

• Example: cap becomes cape

2. When two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking.

• Examples: wait, boat, treat

3. OW and OU pinch each other and say “Ow!”

• Examples: house, power

4. ER growls at the end of a word.

• Examples: teacher, soccer

5. Q and U are best friends. Wherever Q goes, U must follow.

• Examples: queen, quick

6. C and K are best friends sometimes too. When you hear K at the end of a word it takes both of them to do the job.

• Examples: duck, pick

7. R is bossy when it comes right after a vowel and then it takes charge of the sound.

• Examples: bark, world

8. L blends and R blends simply blend the two sounds like a mixer when you’re making cake.

• Examples: slip, flap, cry, drop, green

9. You make a magic cake with consonant diagraphs – two letters that blend to make a sound that completely changes.

• Examples: ch – chip sh – ship th – them wh - whisper