I have just been reading about the schwa sound elsewhere, so this is very timely and helpful! And your answers, Robin, to the questions in the comments are so thorough and helpful, too! I have a couple questions, why are words spelled with the letter “u” considered to have the schwa sound? Why wouldn’t it just be considered the short u sound? (as in “support”)?

My second question is: Is it correct that the schwa sound can also say the short i sound? Like in beverage (sounds like bev-ridge) or leverage?

Thanks for all the tips! I will use them with my 7th grader!! I think I’m realizing the schwa sound may be one of the chief causes of her spelling mistakes. Just this week she spelled “among” umong. Now I know how to explain that. Thanks!

As a former educator and current child advocate I refer parents and teachers to your website all the time. This is so useful to me professionally and personally. I have always been a terrific reader yet my spelling still is less than stellar. In grad school I would have to write using only words I could spell! Love this!

This is a very helpful explanation. I have always taught words such as Wednesday, parliament, government and different etc by stressing each syllable with its correct vowel sound. In fact, when I’m writing those words, I find myself mouthing each syllable quite unconsciously to ensure the correct spelling.

This is very helpful…thank you!

Not sure why you don’t teach the proper annunciation of the words? I asked my 8th grader to read the words on top and she does not use the “uh” sound.

Hi! I’m wondering if these words doctor, factor, director ummm is the letter T change to D sound?

Thank you all of these will help each child.

Hum this must be a area way to say cabin. I have heard it said cab(uh)n but as a nyer we say cabin. Very well. So at least one word I can look forward to my kid getting easy. As often we have to do the alternative way. Or penance for spelling. Like drink and train. Then she says it make to sense that’s not even a word I know. Even when I say it both ways. There for I still after months have to tell h strt both for her to spell it right.

Hi! God evening. May I ask your permission to have a copy of this? Because this would be a great help in my report. Thank you so much! :)

What about the -ed in past tense words like lifted and wanted? Would the E be a schwa there, or an /i/ sound?

I love these tips! Thanks.

Ha – first time I’ve heard about the schwa since school. I’m booking marking this too for when we get to it. We’re currently doing AAR1 and AAR2 and love the program!

The “schwa” was a difficult concept for my son last year. Thanks for the tips on how to teach it. I look forward to trying All About Spelling this year.

Thank you, Marie, for your informative post about the “schwa” sounds in spelling words. The charts and article are informative and very applicable for my boys, 6 & 8 years.
Jackie

I read the “schwa” article. It is fascinating! No wonder we have so much trouble with these types of words. It makes so much sense now. Can’t wait to try both the reading & writing curriculums.

Thank you so much for clarifying this for me from a teaching perspective. I love receiving emails from your group!

Love AAR and AAS! Best tips and teaching advice out there! :)

I love that you recognize and teach the word and concept of “schwa”! Too often it is overlooked at the term is not explained. I am looking forward to using AAS with my daughter this fall.

Have you tackled helping students (especially those who can’t really hear accent) predict where the accent will fall? Nancy K. Lewkowicz has studied this and is predicting accent by the suffix. However, I’m having a hard time figuring out how to “add it in” (as opposed to doing her program separately later).

Very helpful explanation and teaching techniques! My children (AAS5 and AAS3) struggle with the schwa sound. Initially, my son did not like for me to “pronounce for spelling” and my daughter was irritated when she sounded out reading words that didn’t sound “real.” Over the last year, they have found both pronouncing for spelling and reading like a word to be invaluable.
To add to my children’s dilemma with those lazy schwa syllables disappearing from our pronunciation, we also live in the southern US. The short vowel e is often pronounced with a short vowel i sound. For example, “get” is pronounced “git.” During AAS1, my son was furious that I kept pronouncing “g-e-t” despite his declarations that the word is “g-i-t!” Tears were involved. Finally, my husband and I coined the tongue-in-cheek acronym SAD for Southern Accent Disorder and apologized for passing it on to him. We explained he must learn the proper way to spell and ‘pronounce for spelling’ in order for people outside the South to understand him. Since then, his attitude has been better, almost proud of the disconnect between his pronunciation and the proper spelling. :)