Phonics Vowels—Short Vowels, Long Vowels, Two Vowels

Phonics Vowels teaches users vowel sounds and simple spelling using pictures, letter sounds, and prompting. When first launching the app, users can either register by entering their name and selecting an avatar or engage the content as a guest. From the home screen, users then tap the “Start” button and select the type of vowels they wish to engage, which includes: a, e, i, o, u, short vowels, long vowels, two vowels, and combinations. When presenting practice sets of words, Phonics Vowels shows a blank, two letters that form the ending of a word, an image that represents a word, and a bank of letters. Phonics Vowels then pronounces the two letters and the image. To respond to the prompt, users must slide the letter from the bank so that it combines with the other two letters to complete the word. If users are correct, they advance to the next word. If incorrect, they must try again. Additional features of Phonics Vowels includes a “Report” option that shows users’ progress, a “Hint” button that further sounds out the words and provides additional visuals as users attempt to answer the question, and a “Capital” option that allows users to toggle between upper- and lowercase letters.

Instructional Ideas

1. Teachers can have students spell 10 words correctly using this app. To monitor their progress, teachers can tap the “Report” button.
2. After students engage this app and begin learning the different words, teachers can assess whether this skill transferred. To do so, teachers can write a set of two or three letters of the word and ask students to spell words with the set, either on paper or orally. Teachers will need to pronounce the words phonetically to support students. For example, teachers can put “__ent” of the word and ask them: (1) Which letter would spell the word bent? (2) Which letter would spell the word sent? (3) Which letter would spell the word vent? If students answer correctly, teachers can progress to more challenging words, such as invent, consent, and spent.
3. To support students’ spelling development, teachers can first build their familiarity with spelling simple words using this app. When ready, teachers can show students an image and then say the word that represents the image without pronouncing it phonetically. Next, they can require students to spell the word on a piece of paper.

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