English Classes

2 - Alternative vowels

If your students or your class have frequent uncertainties in the written representation of alternative vowels, you can refer to the following materials:

Module 2 - Alternative vowels
Materials 2 - Alternative vowels


Possible causes

  1. Limited auditory perception of long vowels.

  2. Insecurity in mastering the various spellings of digraphs.

Typical errors in this category

Vowel omission
try (tray) = 1 error (alternative vowels)

Wrong vowel
lite (light) = 1 error (alternative vowels)
beech (beach) = 1 error (alternative vowels)
thid (third) = 1 error (alternative vowels) + 1 error (consonants)

Extra vowel
deleate (delete) = 1 error (alternative vowels)

Mixed errors
beleef (believe) = 1 error (alternative vowels) + 1 error (consonants) + for e 1 error (vowels) + 1 error (suffixes & endings)

Didactical information

Many vowels that sound the same are represented with different letter combinations. It is a multifaceted undertaking to understand, learn, and be able to apply this securely.

For a good start to the exercises and as a program for the class, Module 7 on "Alternative Vowels” in the Guidebook is recommended. There, preliminary exercises and step-by-step exercise suggestions with carefully developed materials for discovering, understanding, and practicing complex vowel spelling are available.

As a preliminary exercise, we also recommend the pre-course "Rhythm" and Module 2 and 3 of the Guidebook on vowel spelling in general.

The exercise series we have prepared for your training encompass a wide range of vowel spelling topics. These exercises cover not only the vowels a, e, i, o, u in simple phonetic contexts but also in various phonetic environments such as the spelling of long vowels, digraphs and vowel+r.

Following that, the program prepared by SYSPELL not only provides diverse exercises but also a gradual deepening of the understanding of the rules. The exercise series are available as downloadable PDF documents.

They are scaled and developed in a progressive manner so that children can work with the materials autonomously. Keep track of the children's progress.

Please convey to the children that you expect a clean and tidy work process and appreciate neat handwriting! Legible handwriting is a basic requirement for children to be able to review their own work!