Student Practice Activities with Short Vowels

Students need lots of opportunities to practice short vowel sounds so they can build accuracy and automaticity leading up to fluent reading. They’ll need to practice with both decoding and encoding (reading and spelling) short vowel sounds in isolation, as well as in words, phrases, and sentences, all leading up to contextual reading. Each Reading Universe lesson plan includes activities that give students this important practice.

Before your students begin the practice activities, make sure they understand how to complete them. You can model the activities in a whole-group setting or in a small group.

Then students will be ready to work on the activities independently ... at their seat, at a center, or in a small group. Keep an eye out for students who may need you to step in and scaffold. It's best to have a recording sheet or something that students will turn in so that you can ensure they are completing the activity correctly. Some may need quick, explicit, positive correction. Others may need additional instruction in this area.

Practice Activities

Short 'i' Roll and Read

The purpose of this activity is to offer students additional practice reading words with short ’i’.

Short 'a' Roll and Read

The purpose of this activity is to offer students additional practice reading words with short ’a’.

Elkonin Boxes for Short Vowels

Elkonin boxes, also known as sound boxes, are used to help students build phonological awareness. Each square or box represents a phoneme, or sound. Use this activity to help students practice separating the sounds in words with short vowels like jet.

Read Sheets

Short 'i' Read Sheet with CVC Words

For this activity, students will practice reading words with short ‘i’. Students will have an opportunity to decode words, build accuracy and fluency, and strengthen their vocabulary.

Short 'i' Read Sheet: Words and Sentences

For this activity, students will practice reading words with short ‘i’. This activity helps students decode words, build accuracy and fluency, and strengthen their vocabulary.

More Read Sheets:

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Decodable Texts for Building Fluency

Decodable — A Rip in the Bag

Use this decodable text to give students practice reading closed-syllable words with short 'i'. For example, the letter 'i' in rip represents the short 'i' sound because the vowel is closed in by the consonant 'p'.

Decodable — A Wig in the Pit

Use this decodable text to give students practice in reading closed-syllable words with short 'i'. For example, the letter 'i' in wig represents the short 'i' sound because the vowel is closed in by the consonant 'g'.

Decodables from Whole Phonics

Zac's Pal

This short 'a' decodable text is shared with permission from Whole Phonics (opens in new window) (opens in new window).

Read the Decodable

A Pig and His Wig

This short 'i' decodable text is shared with permission from Whole Phonics (opens in new window) (opens in new window).