An educational toolkit for teaching phonics, consisting of a book, posters and musical CD, all of which provides for multiple options and inputs for learning, including: visual-icons, auditory and kinesthetic motor skill manipulations, as well as a variety of dramatic and emotive cuing-systems designed to target the affective learning domain. This "backdoor-approach" to phonemic skill acquisition is based on current neural research on Learning & the Brain--specifically how our brains actually learn best!The Secret Stories® primary purpose is to equip beginning (or struggling, upper grade) readers and writers, as well as their instructors, with the tools necessary to easily and effectively crack the secret reading and writing codes that lie beyond the alphabet, and effectively out of reach for so many learners! It is not a phonics program! Rather, it simply provides the missing pieces learners need to solve the complex reading puzzle--one that some might never solve otherwise! The Secrets(tm) are sure to become one of the most valuable, well-used, and constantly relied-upon teaching tools in your instructional repertoire!

The first step to mastering the vowel sounds is to understand the difference between both short and long vowels. Long vowels are the easiest of the two for students to learn because they have the same sound as their name. For example, the long o sounds like the o in the word ocean, and the long a sounds like the a in the word acorn. Short vowels tend to be more challenging for students to understand because they sound very similar to one another. For example, the short i in the word big sounds very similar to the short e in the word beg, and the short o in the word cop sounds similar to the short u in the word cup. Children need to be able to recognize and produce these sounds before they are able to learn the rules for reading and spelling them. Short Vowels: For older kids, short vowels are often written in a pronunciation dictionary as having a curved symbol above them. Here are a few examples of a short vowel: bun, bop, bed, bin, bat. Long Vowels: Long vowels have a straight line above them. Here are a few examples of a long vowel: face, even, lie, toe, use. This set of materials contains two sets of cards with each set containing 8 combinations of short and long vowel words for a total of 16 sets. Using real pictures each item is clearly identified so children can begin seeing the difference between short and long vowel words: can/cane, mat/mate, tub/tube and more. Total of 64 cards. Printed on thick plastic, cut and all corners rounded.

Spectrum(R) Long Vowels for grade 1 provides focused practice in long vowel sounds. Grade-specific activities will help your child learn to recognize, read, and write long vowel sounds, as well as to identify words with rhyming vowel sounds. The Spectrum series offers early learning workbooks that help your child thrive in today’s standards-based classroom. Spectrum Long Vowels uses phonics to build reading readiness. This resource provides focused instruction and a systematic approach to skill development for concept mastery. Spectrum is your child’s path to academic success. This best-selling workbook series provides quality educational activities that meet your child’s needs for learning achievement. These comprehensive workbooks address essential skills in reading, language arts, math, and science. Students in prekindergarten to grade 8 will find lessons and exercises that help them progress through increasingly difficult subject matter. Complete answer keys, content reviews, and assessments help students track their progress and locate areas for improvement. No matter your child’s academic need, Spectrum is with you every step of the way.

Why THIS alphabet book? Because reading is only 'as simple as ABC' when the alphabet is taught and learnt correctly. Would it surprise you to know that many ABC books get it wrong? Troubled by the increasing number of children struggling with reading, writing and spelling, Sue Carolane (B.App.Sc. Speech Pathology), a professional with over thirty years of practice in early childhood literacy, tackles the problem at its core: the sounds made by each letter of the alphabet. With an easy-to-follow guide for the adult coach and full colour pictures of a cheeky alpaca family to engage your child, this book ensures education AND enjoyment when learning the names and sounds of the letters of the alphabet. 'Aa is for Alpacas' gives you and your child everything you need to lay the foundations of good literacy correctly - strong from the start - allowing your child to move on with confidence to the building blocks that come next: reading and writing.

In this silly Bright and Early Book classic by Dr. Seuss, a young boy goes exploring in his house and finds an array of fun characters! Are you certain there’s a Jertain in the curtain? Or have you ever had a feeling there’s a Geeling on the ceiling? From the pesky Nooth Grush on a tooth brush to a sleepy Zelf up on the shelf, There’s a Wocket in My Pocket will have young readers eager to explore their homes and the wonders of rhyming and wordplay. Combining brief and funny stories, easy words, catchy rhythm, and lively illustrations, Bright and Early Books are an ideal way to introduce the joys of reading to children.

"The alphabet has 26 letters. Five of them are vowels: a-e-i-o-u. They can make long and short sounds. The short vowels can be used to build many simple words. Readers learn what these short vowels can do."--

Pete needs to choose a book to read. Will it be about Jack and his beans or a princess who can't sleep? Read with Pete before he goes to sleep!

Samuel L. Seal explains how the vowels interact to produce their short or long sounds.

Did you know that energy comes from the food you eat? From the sun and wind? From fuel and heat? You get energy every time you eat. You transfer energy to other things every time you play baseball. In this book, you can find out all the ways you and everyone on earth need energy to make things happen.