📖 Reading & talking · Ages 5–6 · about 2 weeks

Reading ow, ou, oi and oy

Goal: Read simple ow, ou, oi and oy words and notice rhymes across different spellings.

For parents: Try ow and ou in the first week, then oi and oy. Say words naturally in your own accent. Teach the cow reading of ow here; its snow reading comes later. Each target pair writes one vowel sound in these examples. Help with familiar surrounding sounds and explain new meanings.

Do together

  1. Read and act

    You need: Paper and a pencil

    Write cow, now and out. Read cow before making its animal sound. Read now and tap the table together now. Model ou in out, then blend the word together and point out of the room. Say each word naturally.

  2. A word for a drawing

    You need: Paper and a pencil

    Draw a coin and a toy. Write coin and toy beside them. Model oi and oy, then blend each word together. Cover the pictures and read again. Explain that coin and toy share a vowel sound, spelt oi in one and oy in the other.

  3. Rhyme bridges

    You need: Paper and a pencil

    Write boy and toy on one line, then boy and coin below. Read together: the first pair rhymes, the second shares a vowel but has different endings. Revisit cow and now and listen for their matching endings. Say each pair naturally.

Talk about it

  • Which letters write the vowel sound in out?
  • How are oi and oy alike in coin and toy?
  • Why do boy and coin have different endings?

Words to use

  • ow
  • ou
  • oi
  • oy
  • cow
  • out
  • coin
  • boy

Play

  • Rhyme Time
    Rhyming
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