10. Resource Hub for Soft 'c' and Soft 'g'

Gina Inzitari: We practiced hard and soft 'c'. Do you remember the two sounds that 'c' can say? Blake, what's one?

Blake: /s/

Gina Inzitari: 'C' can say /s/.

Blake: And /k/.

Gina Inzitari: And /k/! Good job, Blake. Catherine, can you think of a word that has the /k/ sound in it that starts with 'c'?

Catherine: Cat.

Gina Inzitari: Cat! Good job, Catherine.

Narrator: Because the letter 'c' can make two sounds, the hard 'c' sound, /k/, and the soft 'c' sound, /s/, it's important for young readers to know when to use each one. At Stillmeadow Elementary in Stamford, Connecticut, first grade teacher, Gina Inzitari is reviewing with her students how to make the right choice.

Gina Inzitari: 'C' says two sounds. 'C' says, /s/, and 'c' says, /k/. We called it hard 'c' and soft 'c'. Which one is the soft 'c'? What sound?

Student: /s/.

Gina Inzitari: It says /s/, right? When it says /k/ what sound is that?

Students: Hard!

Gina Inzitari: That's the hard one. Good. When does 'c' say the /s/ sound? Anybody remember?

Blake: 'E' or 'i' or 'y'.

Gina Inzitari: Oh my goodness, Blake. Good job!

Narrator: Blake is right. 'C' makes it soft /s/ sound when it's next to an 'e', 'i', and 'y', like in scent, city, and cycle.

Gina Inzitari: And then what about when 'c' says the /k/ sound?

Student: It can spell cake.

Gina Inzitari: Like in cake! What vowels do we remember have the ... when it says the /k/ sound?

Student: 'A'.

Gina Inzitari: 'A' is one.

Blake: 'A', 'e' ...

Student: 'O'.

Gina Inzitari: 'A' and 'o'.

Catherine: 'U'.

Gina Inzitari: And 'u'. Good job, Catherine.

Narrator: You'll hear the hard 'c' when it's followed by the vowels 'a', 'o', 'u', like in cat, cot, and cup, but also when it's followed by a consonant, like in clap or crab.

Gina Inzitari: And any other consonant letters. Right? So if 'c' is next to a 'l' or an 'r', it's going to say /k/ the sound. Okay?

Narrator: Reading Universe is made possible by generous support from Jim and Donna Barksdale, the Hastings/Quillin Fund, an advised fund of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, the AFT, the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation, and anonymous donors. Special thanks to Literacy How, Stillmeadow Elementary School, and Stamford Public Schools in Stamford, Connecticut. If you enjoyed this video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel @RUteaching. Reading Universe is a service of WETA, Washington D.C., the Barksdale Reading Institute, and First Book.

Gina Inzitari: This is Reading Universe.