4. Videos: See 'y' as a Vowel in the Classroom
‘y’ as a Vowel Skill Explainer
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Antonio Fierro: Let's use the build-a-word strategy, working with open syllables. The word is cry. "Don't make me cry." What's the word? Cry. Let's see how many phonemes are in the word cry ... /c/, /r/, /ī/ ... /c/, /r/, /ī/. There are three phonemes, so we have three lines ... /c/, /r/, /ī/. Which grapheme represents that first phoneme, that /c/? The 'c'. The second phoneme is /r/, which grapheme? Ah, 'r'. And the last phoneme here in the word "cry" is /ī/, but this is a one-syllable word, and at the end of a one-syllable word that long /ī/ sound is usually represented by the letter 'y'. Let's spell that ... cry ... 'c', 'r', 'y'. Cry.
Flash Card Demo: 'y' as a Vowel
Flash cards are an important part of a structured literacy lesson. You can use them to review previously-taught phonics patterns and to introduce new skills. Literacy coach Ashlea Edwards demonstrates how to use the ‘y’ as a vowel flash card with a keyword picture.
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Ashlea Edwards: At the end of a one syllable word 'y' says /ī/. So we would warm up with this flashcard 'y', cry, /ī/. At the end of a two syllable word 'y' says /ē/ like in baby. So we would say, 'y', baby, /ē/.
Teaching 'y' as a Vowel with the Alphabet Queen
Instructional coach Dr. Carla Miller uses a fun, interactive story called "The Alphabet Queen" to teach second graders about ‘y’ as a vowel. She illustrates how the ‘y’ acts sneaky and steals the long ‘i’ at the end of short words like my and by, and then steals the long ‘e’ at the end of multisyllabic words like candy and windy. This story is based on The Alphabet King (opens in new window), an original story by dyslexia therapist Jennings Miller.
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Carla Miller: Okay, friends. So now we know about closed syllables and we know about open syllables. I'm going to tell you a little bit more of the story. There's more to know.
Narrator: Dr. Carla Miller is using the story of the Alphabet Queen to teach her second graders about the different syllable types. In this lesson, she's focusing on how that sneaky letter 'y' can sometimes act as a vowel.
Carla Miller: Sometimes the consonants would get jealous. They were like, look at these vowels. They're in there in their pen doing their thing. I wish I could be in there. There was one consonant in particular that was very jealous. It was why the letter 'y', he was like, I want to say a vowel sound. What he would do when it got late at night, he would sneak in to the fence. When the gate was open, he would go and he would steal the sounds of the vowels. So he would sneak in and he would steal the sound of 'i' at the end of a little word. So when he would do that, he would say, /ī/ at the end of a little word. So this word is what?
Students: My.
Carla Miller: This word is what?
Students: By.
Carla Miller: By. Good. Sometimes though, sometimes the 'y', he would be so bold that he would go in there and also steal the sound of long 'e' at the end of big words. So when we have words like this, my 'y' would say, /ē/. Can you read this for me?
Students: Candy.
Carla Miller: Good. Or at the end of this word, 'y' would also say /ē/. So what word do we have?
Students: Windy.
Carla Miller: Very good. So 'y' is a sneaky thief. He would sneak in and at the end of a little word, what would he say?
Students: /ī/.
Carla Miller: And at the end of a big word, what does he say?
Students: /ē/.
Carla Miller: Very good. Good job, guys.
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 Burgess-Peterson Academy. Reading Is Essential for All People, and Atlanta Public Schools. 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.
Carla Miller: I'm Dr. Carla Miller, and this is Reading Universe.
