Short Vowels: A Quick Introduction

When we begin teaching phonics, we typically start with the five vowel letters and their short sounds. As you know, all words must have a vowel sound, and the short vowel sounds are very common. 

When we introduce short vowels to students, we use keywords to help students remember the short vowel sounds:

• /ă/, apple
• /ĕ/, edge
• /ĭ/, itch
• /ŏ/, octopus
• /ŭ/, up

And you can add motions!

Let's Watch! Reading specialist Morgan Walton, at Stillmeadow Elementary in Stamford, Connecticut, demonstrates each short vowel sound with a motion to match.

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Morgan Walton: These are the motions we use to help students remember the short vowel sounds ... /ă/, apple, /ĕ/, edge, /ĭ/, itch, /ŏ/, octopus, /ŭ?, up.

Practice each sound vowel sound, keyword, and motion. Say,

/ă/, apple

/ĕ/, edge

/ĭ/, itch

/ŏ/, octopus

/ŭ/, up

In our phonics instruction, we explain to students that vowels make their short sounds when they are “closed in by” (followed by) at least one consonant. 

Pull out the short vowel cards that you printed in the previous section. Or download this small set to your desktop. Flip through the cards as you practice saying each short vowel sound, keyword, and motion.

Vowel Flash Cards with Keyword Pictures

Download Flash Cards

Shuffle over to glued sounds on the next page!