Ever notice how the letter “r” can completely change the sound of a vowel? That’s the magic of r-controlled vowels at work! When a vowel is followed by an “r,” it doesn’t make its usual sound. Instead, the “r” takes over and creates a brand-new sound.
Mastering these “bossy r” sounds is super important for young readers. Understanding how these combinations work unlocks a whole new level of reading and spelling skills.
In this article, we’ll cover what r-controlled vowels are, the rules they follow, tons of examples, and some fun strategies and activities for teaching them.
What are r-controlled vowels?
In phonics, an r-controlled vowel is one where the ‘r’ fundamentally changes the sound the vowel makes. The ‘r’ takes over and influences the vowel sound.
You may also hear r-controlled vowels referred to as “bossy r” vowels, because the ‘r’ is, essentially, bossing the vowel around.
There are five r-controlled vowel combinations in English:
- ar
- er
- ir
- or
- ur
These combinations of letters create sounds that are unique to English and that students need to learn as they learn to read. It’s worth keeping in mind that the same vowel combination can sound slightly different depending on the word and where it appears in the word.
R-controlled vowel sounds and rules
When a vowel is followed by the letter “r,” the “r” changes the way the vowel is pronounced. This is why they’re called “r-controlled vowels.” Let’s explore some of these sounds.
Exploring the sounds of “ar”
The “ar” combination usually makes the /ar/ sound, as in “car,” “barn,” “guitar,” “star,” and “shark.”
But like with most things in the English language, there are exceptions. Sometimes, “ar” sounds more like /er/, as in the word “caterpillar.”
The /er/ sound: “er,” “ir,” and “ur”
The /er/ sound is most often created by the letter combinations “er,” “ir,” and “ur.” You can hear this sound in words like “teacher,” “bird,” and “fur.”
You’ll often see the “er” combination at the end of comparative adjectives (hotter, colder, smarter) and in words that describe occupations (teacher, writer, painter, driver).
The “ur” and “ir” combinations typically occur in the middle of words.
The “or” sound
The “or” combination usually makes the /or/ sound, as in “fork,” “north,” “cord,” and “torn.”
However, the “or” can also make the /er/ sound, especially when it’s preceded by the letter “w,” as in the word “worm.” This is one of those exceptions that needs to be explicitly taught.
When should teachers introduce R-controlled vowels?
R-controlled vowels are usually taught in first grade. Before introducing them, make sure your students have a good handle on phonemic awareness.
Students should know their CVC words and basic phonics before they start learning about R-controlled vowels.
In general, introduce R-controlled vowels after CVC words are well understood.
Effective strategies for teaching r-controlled vowels
Many kids find it tricky to master the sounds of r-controlled vowels. But with a little creativity, you can help your students master this skill.
Explicit instruction and modeling
Start by explaining how an r changes the sound of a vowel. Give plenty of examples and model the correct pronunciation of words with r-controlled vowels.
Hands-on activities
- Add an r. Start with simple consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words and show how adding an r changes the vowel sound. For example, cap becomes car.
- Word sort. Sort words by their r-controlled vowel sound. Create categories for ar, er, ir, or, and ur.
- Elkonin boxes. Elkonin boxes, also known as sound boxes, are a tool to help students break down and blend the sounds in words.
Multi-sensory approaches
- Phonics in motion. Use kinesthetic motions to help students connect sounds to actions. Develop a motion for each r-controlled vowel sound.
- Read and highlight. Have students highlight the words with r-controlled vowels in a reading passage. This will help them visually identify these words.
Engaging activities and games
There are tons of ways to make learning about r-controlled vowels fun and memorable.
Games and centers
- Board games: Use board games you already have on hand, but adapt them to focus on words with r-controlled vowels.
- Scavenger hunts: Have students hunt around the room for objects or pictures that contain r-controlled vowel sounds.
- Picture/word matching: Have students match pictures of objects with the written words that name them.
- Spin the sound: Make a spinner with different r-controlled vowel sounds on it. Students spin the spinner and then say a word that contains that sound.
Creative activities
- Clay words: Have students form r-controlled vowel words out of modeling clay.
- R-controlled vowel stories: Challenge students to write stories that include as many r-controlled vowel words as possible. For example, “Sir Chirp was the third bird…”
Online resources
Supplement your in-person instruction with online vowel games that give students interactive practice and reinforcement.
Conclusion
Successfully reading and writing words with r-controlled vowels is an important skill for kids to master. Understanding how a vowel’s sound changes when it’s followed by “r” improves both decoding and spelling.
Thankfully, there are lots of ways to teach r-controlled vowels effectively. Explicit instruction, hands-on activities, and fun games can all help students learn to recognize and use “ar,” “er,” “ir,” “or,” and “ur” correctly.
If you’re a teacher or parent of an early reader, I hope you’ll use these techniques to support young learners as they build their literacy skills.