![\"Activities,](\"https:\/\/aroundthekampfire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/how-to-teach-R-controlled-vowels-in-2nd-grade-1024x576.jpg\")
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What are r-controlled vowels?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Any vowel becomes an r-controlled vowel when it is directly followed by the letter r. The resulting letter combination causes the vowel to make a different sound than typically expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, the letter o usually makes a short o sound (as in the word hop<\/em>) or a long o sound (as in the word lone<\/em>). However, when o is followed directly by r, the sound it makes is not its typical short or long sound\u2013it is an entirely new sound, controlled by the letter r. You can see this in the words short<\/em>, fork<\/em>, corn<\/em>, and torch<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The r-controlled vowels include the ar<\/em><\/strong>, er<\/em><\/strong>, ir<\/em><\/strong>, or<\/em><\/strong>, and ur<\/em><\/strong> letter combinations. While there are 5 r-controlled vowels, there are only 3 r-controlled vowel sounds to learn. This is because er, ir, and ur all make the same sound: \/er\/ as in her<\/em>, dirt<\/em>, and fur<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When I teach my R-Controlled Vowels phonics unit<\/a><\/strong>, I explicitly teach the phonics rule to my students using a teaching PowerPoint. I explain the rule as the Bossy R rule, which always helps my students remember that the r \u201cbosses\u201d the vowel to make a new sound. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I use posters with visuals to help students remember the sounds that r-controlled vowels make, and I also include several different examples of r-controlled vowels on each poster. These posters are displayed in my classroom for students to refer back to. <\/p>\n\n\n\n After introducing the phonics rule at the start of my r-controlled vowels unit, we spend the week practicing with this skill through a simple daily phonics routine<\/strong><\/a> that incorporates a variety of activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These r-controlled vowel activities will help your students practice this phonics skill and learn to apply this knowledge to their own reading and writing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A portion of my interactive teaching slides for r-controlled vowels includes practice games to help students stay engaged during minilessons and apply their learning. Each day of the week, we do a different phonics game as part of our weekly phonics routine. The games address different phonemic awareness skills necessary to read r-controlled vowels fluently and spell them accurately.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWords with r-controlled vowels<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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How I teach r-controlled vowels<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
R-Controlled Vowels Activities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Interactive Practice Games<\/h3>\n\n\n\n