A Memory Tool

            Note to Parents, Tutors and Coaches:   Read the rational behind the Pancakes and Waffles learning strategy aloud to your student(s). The goal is to provide your student(s) with visual analogies that prompt them to use the correct vowel sounds.  After learning both long and short vowel sounds, students are able to flexibly switch back and forth to practice discrimination.  Use the prompts:  One vowel and two?  Pancake or waffle?  Long or short? Use these prompts interchangeably as the cue to vocalize the correct vowel sound.  Visual analogies like these help students to store reading strategies in long term memory.    Rapid naming timed drills provide the student with the needed visual and auditory discrimination skills to retain the sounds and use them automatically as they decode words. The ultimate goal is for students to recognize words automatically without having to decode (sound-by-sound).  

Read aloud:  (RATIONAL)

Why Pancakes and Waffles? 

A Funny Name for Words!!!!! 

This is a story about a MEMORY TOOL

 

The key to reading many words (from the

beginning sound to the end)

Is knowing the sound that comes in between.

That middle sound is your FRIEND!

 

That vowel in the middle is the real key

It gives the most important clue, you need.

 

There are some tricks that help us learn sounds. 

Sometimes we call these rules. 

A rule that I can show you,

Gives you an important clue!

It is a nice way to remember vowel sounds

I call it a memory tool.     

 

Have you ever cooked a pancake?  Flipped it over and watched it brown?

 It cooks on just one side at a time. 

It’s done! Eat it and swallow it right down!  

 

NOW, have you ever watched some one cook a waffle with an old waffle maker?

 If it is done right, you’ll want to say:
”that waffle maker’s quite a baker! 

 

The waffle maker will pour the batter

Onto a very hot pan. 

The pan’s got a lid that closes down tight

You may want to turn on a fan!!!

 

“Waffles take a little longer too cook” says the waffle maker man. 

But both waffle sides will come out brown together,

no flipping them over

 like pancakes in a pan. 

 

Pancakes cook on just one side,

Waffles cook on two

Now are you are ready for the reading rule?

It will be your memory tool.

 

Learn the reading rule that I want you to know

Start with the pancake and waffle stories below.

Then practice the drills and

 Watch your reading skills grow!

 

READ:

   pop, mop, tack

   pope, mope, cake 

Can you see the difference that the number of vowels can make?

 

Pancakes cook on one side at a time and waffles cook on two.

You can look at many words and ask: Does it have one vowel or two? 

If the word has just one vowel:  IT IS A PANCAKE word

WAFFLE words (you must have guessed it).  Yes, waffle words have two!

 

Vowels

This is a story about a rule. 

The rule will help you read. 

It teaches the long and short vowel sounds

For now, it is the only rule you need!!!!!!

 

Do you know what vowels are? Look for a, e, i, o, and u. 

Count them now in each word you see:        b   a  t                    b  a  i  t  

Is there one vowel there or two? 

 

Pancake words have just one vowel

Waffles just have two

To understand the rule I’ll ask you-

“Is there one vowel there or two? 

 

I could say:  Is it a pancake word or waffle?

And you would look to see.

Decide if it is long or short then say the sound for me!

 Here is an example:  to give me the vowel sound in bee, see, and tree

You would simply just say (aloud):   “eeeeeeeeeeeee”!

 

You might find pancake words like: cat, sat, rat, and mat,

Bit, pit, and fit.

Pet, met, pot, hot,

Set, cot, and mitt.   

 

The sounds in the middle are all short sounds

Go ahead and say the sounds out loud.

Say the sound, o, in pot, and a, in pat,

Make up some more and then be proud!

 

Say the ee, in see, or the o, in pole,

Say the a, in cake, and the a in snake

The i in trike and the u, in mule

Now you can see why I am teaching this rule!!!!

 

Do you get the difference yet?

Try to count the vowels in a word, and quickly decide the sound!!!

Try sorting some words into pancake or waffle piles

ABOUT 900 of them WILL BE FOUND!

 

Pot, mot, not, dot,

Nit, wit, tree

Oops I slipped in a waffle word there

Can you spot it for me?

 

Now do you want to be a faster reader?  You have to practice words out loud.

  Read rows and rows of pancakes and waffles

Then you should be really proud.

 

Can you read 50 words? In 60 seconds or less?

That is just 1-to-2 seconds per word

That might be your best!

 

So  look and decide: 

“Is it one vowel or two?”

Follow the long and short vowel sound rule.

Say the sound out loud to your helpers and coach

Or, if you are stuck just have them say the sound for you!

 

Just think:  Is this a pancake or is it a waffle word?

That will be your clue to the rule.

Does it make the long or short vowel sound? 

This is your memory tool.   

 

 

Pancakes have just one vowel

And Waffles have just two

 

Is there one or two vowels there?

 Give the vowel sound rule. 

Say all the sounds in the word and blend

You’ll think it is really cool.

But better yet, you will find, you are reading more quickly at school.