In order to teach our language effectively, we need to make sure we use our language intentionally.

I have heard and seen over and over again in curriculums and even other teachers say this:


Every word has a vowel.

or

Every word needs a vowel.

The need for a word to have a vowel is true. However, in saying it this way we are really telling students that every word needs to have an A, E, I, O or U. And that is not true.

Early on in kindergarten, or even Pre-K for some students, they meet and learn the words – my or by.

If we are teaching every word has a vowel, then based on that phrase these words aren’t words. They don’t have a vowel. They don’t have an A, E, I, O or U.

We know the difference however we have students in front of us who don’t.

Yet if we simply add one word to the saying, it changes the game.

Look at that! By using this saying, my and by are back to being words.

I know it seems nitpicky but I can guarantee there are students in your class who think a word must have an A, E, I, O, or U.

By changing the saying to every word needs a vowel sound- we open to the door to down the road teaching how y can act as a vowel, how w joins o and a to make vowel sounds. It prevents us from having to unteach and then reteach when our job as teachers is hard enough. Why add more work to it?