Multisensory Monday: The Y Rule Flow Chart

The Three Great Spelling Rules (The 1-1-1 Doubling Rule, the Magic-E Rule, and the Y Rule) present difficulty to many students, often requiring additional practice sessions to truly master these rules. Teaching each rule in a multisensory manner is of critical importance. Teachers may use games, chants, and other manipulatives to help students develop automaticity with these advanced spelling concepts.

Make it Multisensory

To help students learn and master the Y Rule, here is an activity that older students seem to enjoy. This activity is similar to a flow chart.

The teacher dictates a word, such as “cry” and asks the student to add a suffix to it. For our example word, let’s add the suffix -ed.

Using the chart, the student begins with question 1: Do you want to add a suffix?

To change “cry” to “cried”, we need to add a suffix, so the student lifts the flap with “yes” on it and follows the directions.

The student next answers question 2: Is the suffix -ing?

In our example word, we are adding -ed, so the answer is “no”. The student lifts the “no” flap and follows the directions.

The student answers the third question: Does your base word end in Y?

Again, the student answers the “yes” or “no” question and follows the directions. For “cry”, the student lifts the “yes” flap and follows the directions under the flap.

The student continues to the final question: Is there a vowel before the Y?

In our word “cry”, there is a consonant before the Y, so the student lifts the “no” flap.

To add the suffix -ed to the base word “cry”, the student changes the Y to an I and adds the suffix. “Cry” changes to “cried”.

Using this flow chart helps students to solidify their understanding of the Y Rule. Be sure to use words that do not require changing the Y to an I (words that add the suffix -ing, such as “crying”, and words that have a vowel before the Y, such as “play” or “toy”).

If you are ready to make your own chart, here is how to label your flaps.

Question 1:  Do you want to add a suffix?

Yes flap = Continue to #2.

No flap = The rule does not apply.

 

Question 2: Is that suffix -ing?

Yes flap = The rule does not apply.

No flap = Continue to #3.

 

Question 3: Does your base word end in Y?

Yes flap = Continue to #4.

No flap = The rule does not apply.

 

Question 4: Is there a vowel before the Y?

Yes flap = The rule does not apply.

No flap = Change the Y to and I then add the suffix.

 

Written by Tammi Brandon, M.Ed., CDP

Tammi Brandon is a Master Instructor and Education Consultant with Brainspring Educator Academy.

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