I was taught in school that the vowels are A, E, I, O, U, and sometimes Y and W.
Me too also....but WHEN is W a vowel?!?! ???
SUBSTITUTE VOWELS
It is finally time to introduce the substitute vowels. We simply tell the children that Y and W can sometimes be vowels.
When is W a vowel?
When w follows o, and the o says it's name, the w is acting like a vowel (follows double vowel rule above).
In these words: cow, town, brown, etc., w is a consonant.
In these words: tow, low, bowl, etc., w is a vowel. Notice the o is long and the w is silent.
Like the oo words, we don't fuss over the difference, but just practice some words and let the child get used to them.
When is Y a vowel?
Y acts as a vowel when it comes at the end of a word. It follows the double vowel rule in words that end with the following:
Words ending in -ay have the long a sound, such as pay, May, play, etc.
sky
my
thy
