A, E, I, O, and YOU! Building Vowel Power for Stronger Phonics Instruction

The Oakland Literacy Coalition welcomes Celestina Lee, a first-grade teacher and reading specialist, to guide a learning session about vowels. When we think of vowels, we often picture just five little letters—but the English language actually contains over a dozen distinct vowel sounds, and many of them can be spelled in ten or more different ways! No wonder they’re one of the biggest challenges for early readers and for the teachers guiding them.

In this engaging and interactive session, we’ll unpack why vowels are truly the MVPs of decoding. You’ll leave with deeper knowledge about different vowel types and their role in proficient word recognition, practical strategies for promoting vowel flexibility and the truth about that “and sometimes Y” business!