Pratimas

Literacy
Wheel
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2003
www.esl.resources.com

Pratimas
Literacy Wheel
Short Vowels
a e i o u

RESOURCES

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ESL

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Pratima
Singh

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INTRODUCTION
Pratimas Literacy Wheel and workbook is for teachers who want to be more effective in
helping beginner students learn English. It is intended to develop recognition of the
alphabet, help students learn new vocabulary, and build an understanding and use the
new vocabulary. Each workbook comes with 10 wheels. Additional wheels can be ordered.
Below are some helpful suggestions to keep in mind while using the wheel and the workbook. Please note blank templates of many of the activities are included in the appendix.
The Wheel
The literacy wheel develops spelling and reading skills for three-letter words. The
teacher dictates a word from wheel work, students repeat the word and make that
word by aligning the three wheels to spell the word. This helps the students to understand the position of a vowel in the word.
Illustrations
A picture is worth a thousand words. Anyone learning a new language can attest to
this. Each target vocabulary word has been illustrated to facilitate quick and easy learning by the students. I encourage teachers to photocopy and enlarge the pictures to
make flash cards to teach the target vocabulary. Divide the class into groups of four
and give a set of flash cards to each group. The flash cards are kept face down.
Students take turns picking one card and dictating the word, the other students make
the word on their wheel.
Match the Word to the Picture
Students identify, read, match, write and spell the sight vocabulary.
Words in Context
Students read the sentences in context and identify the word, match the word to
the picture and write the word below the picture. Teachers could read the sentences to
the class, making this a listening exercise.
Word Search
Illustrations are used as clues. The word search puzzles are useful to help
students recall, recognize letter patterns, and provide practise spelling the new vocabulary words.
Bingo
There are 16 bingo cards. The teacher uses the pictures/vocabulary sheet as a
master sheet to call out the words. For a more challenging bingo, the teacher can use
each word in a sentence. The teacher may choose to have the students work in pairs or
small groups.

Go Fish
Make four copies of deck one and deck two and cut on the lines. Divide the class
into groups of three or four students. Play with one deck at a time. Each deck has 48
cards. Deal five cards per player, the rest of the deck is placed face down in the centre.
The object of the game is to make as many sets of four matching cards as possible. The
first player to the dealers left goes first. He/she asks any other player, Do you have
any_______cards? If he/she has any he/she gives the card saying, Yes I have. If
he/she doesnt have any he/she answers Go Fish. The player must take the top card
from the deck. If he/she gets the card asked for he/she goes again. The turn ends
when he/she is unsuccessful in getting the card he/she asked for. As soon as a player
has a set of four he/she lays down the set. If he/she doesnt have any cards left he/she
picks up one card from the deck and continues. The player to get the most sets wins the
game.
Concentration
Photocopy the pages and cut along the lines. Place the picture cards and words
face down separately on the table. Divide the students in groups of four or five. One
student picks one card from each set, if it matches, she/he keeps them, if it doesnt
she/he puts them back in the same place. Each student takes a turn to pick cards. The
one who gets the most matching cards is the winner.
Dominoes
Play in groups of four. Each player gets seven pieces. The player with the blank
double box goes first, then take turns clockwise. She/he puts his/her piece in the centre of the table. Each student takes a turn playing one piece. Each piece must match the
end of a piece that does not join another other. If a player cant go she/he passes. The
player to play all their pieces first wins. If the game reaches a point at which no one can
play, the player(s) with the fewest pieces left wins.
Tic Tac Spell
Fill in the missing letter(s). A correct spelling scores a square. Try to get three in
a row. Play in pairs or teams of two with one extra person to check the answers against
the sheet on page 45. For an added challenge use the word in a sentence.
Fill in the Blanks
The pictures are there, but the short vowel is missing from the words. Complete
the word by listening to the teacher read the words and adding the vowel.
Check the appendix for blank game templates. Use the illustrations, the templates
and the wheel to make your own games and activities. Wheels go round and round, there
is no end to learning. Have fun.
Pratima Singh

Contents
The English Alphabet 1

The Short a 2
Target Vocabulary
ban
mad

bag
man

bar
map

bat
mat

cab
pan

can
pat

jam
rap

cap
rat

cat
sat

dad
tag

men
web

met
wet

net
yes

kin
wig

lip
win

Flashcards 3
Match the Word to the Picture 4-5
Words in Context 6-7
Word Find 8-9
Bingo 10-13

The Short e 14
Target Vocabulary
bed
peg

bet
pen

fed
pet

hem
red

hen
sex

jet
ten

leg
vet

Flashcards 15
Match the Word to the Picture 16-17
Words in Context 18-19
Word Find 20-21
Concentration 22-23

The Short i 24
Target Vocabulary
bib
lit

bit
mix

dig
pig

fin
rib

him
rim

hip
rip

hit
six

kid
tin

Flashcards 25
Match the Word to the Picture 26-27

dam
tap

gas
van

Words in Context 28-29

Word Find 30-31
Go Fish 32-33

The Short o 34
Target Vocabulary
box
log

cod cog
mom mop

dog
pop

dot
pot

fog
rob

hog
rod

hot
sob

job
sod

jog
top

fun
sum

fur
sun

Flashcards 35
Match the Word to the Picture 36-37
Words in Context 38-39
Word Find 40-41
Dominoes 42-43

The Short u 44
Target Vocabulary
bud
hug

bug
hum

bum
hut

bun
jug

bus
mug

cup
nut

cut
rug

dug
run

Flashcards 45
Match the Word to the Picture 46-47
Words in Context 48-49
Word Find 50-51
Tic Tac Spell 52-53

Review 54
Fill in the Blanks 54-59
Listen and Write 60-64
Change One Letter 65-66

Appendix 67

gum
tub

gun
tug

The English Alphabet

The English alphabet has 26 letters.
Listen and repeat the letters after the teacher.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M
N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

a b c d e f g h i j k l m
n o p q r s t u v w x y z
There are two kinds of letters in the English alphabet.
Vowels

A E I O U
Consonants

B C D F G H J K L M N
P Q R S T V W X Y Z
The Short Vowel Rule
(1) The word has only one vowel.
(2) The word ends in a consonant.
For example: bag, hen, rip, pot and mub.
Pratimas Literacy Wheel 2003
www.eslresources.com

The Short Vowel a

In the first exercise the following letters will be used.
First
b

Middle
a
Last
b

Wheel Work
Introduce the target vocabulary found on the facing page by
reading the word aloud as the students listen and make the word
on the wheel.
The Short a

ban

bag

bar

bat

cab

can

jam

cap

cat

dad

dam

gas

mad

man

map

mat

pan

pat

rap

rat

sat

tag

tap

van

Pratimas Literacy Wheel 2003

www.eslresources.com

bag

ban

bar

bat

cab

can

cap

cat

dad

dam

gas

jam

mad

man

map

mat

pan

pat

rap

rat

sat

tag

tap

van

Pratimas Literacy Wheel 2003

www.eslresources.com

Match the Word to the Picture

Then write the word under the picture.

ban
bag
__________________
__________________

bar
bat
__________________

__________________

cab
can
__________________

__________________

jam
cap

__________________

__________________

cat
__________________

dad
__________________

dam

__________________

gas

__________________

Pratimas Literacy Wheel 2003

www.eslresources.com

Match the Word to the Picture

Then write the word under the picture.

mad
man
__________________
__________________

map
mat
__________________

__________________

pan
pat
__________________

__________________

rap

__________________

rat

__________________

sat
__________________

tag
__________________

tap

__________________

Pratimas Literacy Wheel 2003

www.eslresources.com

van

__________________

Words in Context
With a partner, read the sentences aloud. Write the word in bold under the correct
picture.

1. The food is in the can.

2. My car needs gas.

__________________
__________________

3. There is a smoking ban in the school.

4. I am eating a candy bar.

can
__________________

5. I need a bat to play baseball.

6. I took a cab to school.

__________________
__________________

7. The dam is big.

8. The food is in the bag.

__________________

__________________

9. I wear a cap.
10. I have a cat.

__________________

__________________

11. That is my dad.

12. They like to eat jam.

__________________
__________________

Pratimas Literacy Wheel 2003

www.eslresources.com