found that the short vowels predominate in the English language.
The long vowel sounds come next in frequency. When the child has
mastered the letters and combinations representing these two sounds, he
is able to recognize a large majority of the phonetic words in our
language.

Phonetic words follow definite rules of pronunciation. These rules are
not to be formally taught in the first and second years, but pointed out
by examples, so that the visual and auditory image may be associated.

To illustrate: When there are two or more vowels in a word of one
syllable, the first vowel is long, and the last silent, as: came, leaf,
coat, rain.

"When there is one vowel in the word and it is the last, it is long,"
as: me, he, fly.

All vowels are short unless modified by position.

Have the children notice the effect of final "e" upon some of their
short vowel words. These lists will furnish good pronunciation drills.

mat mate bit bite tap tape
pan pane rod rode fad fade
fat fate hat hate mad made
can cane pin pine rat rate
not note rob robe pet Pete
man mane din dine dim dime
cap cape fin fine spin spine
hid hide mop mope kit kite
hop hope plum plume rip ripe
tub tube cub cube
cut cute
tun tune

Call attention to the vowel digraphs in the same way: ea, ai, oa, ay.

deaf seat bean
neat leaves meat
heat peach lean
please eagle clean
eat seam teach
mean stream glean
read squeal wean

While there are exceptions, as in the words "head" and "bread," the
digraph "ea" has the sound of long "e" in nearly three-fourths of the
words in which it occurs and should be so taught. The visual image "ea"
should call up the auditory image of long "e." When the child meets the
exceptions the context must be relied on to aid him.

Likewise in the following list, the new fact to be taught is the digraph
"ai" having the long sound of "a." Blending the initial and final
consonants with this, the pupil pronounces the new list of words without
further aid.

rain chain faith daisy
wait main paint daily
nail brain faint plainly
pail d