Sounds of “y” and “i”

When is enough information too much? – Sounds of “y” and “i”.

Some children learn to read almost effortlessly and seemingly intuitively. Others must be taught every step. Still others need a logical explanation for everything. Many are somewhere in the middle. How do I cater for everyone in a single program?

I have tried to keep things as simple and as straight forward as possible in Gilead Success with Phonics. Some things I have chosen to put in the “Parents and teachers” links for those children who want to know the logic behind “exceptions” that they find. Or there is often just a little more detail there to help parents answer children’s questions.

Making these videos has forced me to re-evaluate how I have presented some things, and also prompted me to include some sounds that I had previously left to a later program. One example is the problem of the sounds of “y” and “i”.

In Old and Middle English “y” was often used instead of “i”.

Nowadays, “Y” can sound like /E/, /I/ or /i/, three common sounds of “i”. Also, “i” can sometimes also sound like /y/, the consonant sound of “y”, in words like million and onion (but this is much less common).

The basic premise/memory aid that explains much of the sounds of “y” and “i” is: “I” and “y” are twins. They share the same sounds.

So, I have decided to include a page for “i/i/i/i” accessed via “y/y/y/y” in Level 6. (I have previously discussed the rationale for “y” = /i/ in happy in http://successwithreading.com/level-6-2/. The videos in that link also include spelling words and Phonic Comics for “y”.) There are no spelling words or comics for “i” = /y/ because it is a much less common sound.

I would be very interested in feedback on whether particular children find this helpful. For some, it might just be something to remember is there and come back to later when they need to read or spell words like “million, onion, stallion, rebellious …”

I had previously used y = /i/ in happy, but have decided that y =/E/ is more accurate. I have since discovered that Spalding, which was the only other program that I knew that took this approach, has also abandoned it.

I have just come across an extensive article exploring reasons to use “y” = /i/ in words like baby and happy (http://www.spalding.org/why-doesn-t-spalding-teach-that-y-has-four-sounds-the-long-e-sound-as-the-4th-sound). I had just about decided that I was the only one taking this approach and was feeling a bit lonely.

(Pease note, this video has been updated. The videos in Level 6-2 will be updated within a few days.) Also, if you have bought a previous version of my program, please contact me to arrange an exchange free of charge.

If you have trouble seeing the video, or getting it full screen, try   sounds of “y” and “i

Photo for i/y twins adapted from “Freedom”, Photo by sattva. Stock photo ID: 100309673, www.freedigitalphotos.net