Confusing Combinations & Origins!
The teaching of phonics sounds/spellings can be largely categorized into a simple code and a complex code. The simple code is fairly simple and straightforward where one letter represents just one sound. For example, letter B makes the /b/ sound. The complex code is where letter(s) can make multiple sounds, and multiple spellings making the same sound. For example: CH makes the /ch/, /sh/, and /k/ sounds (chop, chef, school). The /sh/ sound has multiple spellings including "sh", "ch", "ti", "ci", and "si/ssi". (Note: slashes / / denote the sound made.) - /sh/ – "sh", "ch", "ti", "ci", "si/ssi" (shop, chef, potion, special, vision, mission). Complicated huh? - There are many other examples, but I won’t list them all here. Let's talk about the /sh/ sound and it’s different spellings here. I teach the spellings that have higher frequency of occurrence in words. For the /sh/ sound, I would start teaching the "SH" spelling. If I have an older G1 or G2 student, and if I’m comfortable with their ability/progress, then I may make them aware that "CH" can also make the /sh/ sound, and sometimes – not often – I will introduce the additional spellings of "ti", "ci", and "ssi". I find it much better to wait until a student has a solid grasp of the "SH" spelling for the /sh/ sound before introducing the others, and I also find it easier to teach the additional spellings to students as they come across them during reading sessions. The nice thing about the "ti", "ci", and "si/ssi" spellings is that you’ll notice that they tend to have similar endings. I’ll give some examples below: ti - potion - motion - portion - action - cautious - nutritious - ambitious - partial - substantial - ancient - potential The "ti" spelling for the /sh/ sound typically end with: - tion - tious - tial ci - artificial - facial - social - magician - technician - physician - delicious - spacious - precious The "ci" spelling for the /sh/ sound typically end with: