Phonics Principle 1
This is the first short vowel princple.
When a vowel is followed by a single consonant the vowel will be short. Example words: run, sit, cup, it, top, hen, stop, flat, wrap, etc.
The student should 'walk' across the bottom of the word from left to right. For marking purposes, put a dot under every vowel. Then go above the word from right to left (backwards). Above the single consonant that sits just before the vowel when going right to left, put an 'x'. This consonant makes the vowel short. Above the vowel, you then need to put a short vowel symbol called a 'breve' which, looks like a smiley mouth. PLEASE SEE THE TWO EXAMPLES BELOW
Just so you know....this first phonics principle forms what is known as a closed syllable. When a vowel is trapped within a syllable by a consonant that comes directly after it, then that syllable is closed.
Now read the word according to your vowel markings. Remember, when you finally get to multisyllabic words, EVERY SINGLE SYLLABLE must have ONE vowel SOUND. Reiterate that concept right now while you are working with just one-syllable words!
x x
run chop = Phonics Principle 1
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FYI: Phonics Principle one forms closed syllables. The pattern of most colsed syllable words is called CVC, which stands for "consonant, vowel, consonant." This is good to know in case you want to use the Internets to find additional words for practice, and because most sites offering information about decoding and syllables will call it CVC, or closed syllable.
Click this link for a list of CVC words that you can practice phonics principle 1 with: