Can you read the following? (hint: book) Wun Ghoti, Tough Ghoti, Ried Ghoti, Bloo Ghoti. For those that need more of a hint, it says: One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. (Note the following sounds: laugh, women, vacation, through, friend.) Yes, compared to the highly confusing English language, the written Hebrew language has relatively few rules and exceptions. However, even those few must be systematically and thoroughly taught, or it can throw a child off. It should not be left to “intuition” or guesswork.
This section focuses on the 10 Specialty Rules. Each Specialty Rule comes along with a chant that teaches the rule, a game to reinforce it, and an eight page booklet that explains the Rule (using a cute comic story), gives practice pages, and multi-sensory activities to understand, review and retain the Rule. (An Ashkenaz and Sefard version is provided, where applicable.) See bottom of page for an all-in-one reference page.
1. "Aha" Rule
The letters Aleph, Hei, and Ayin are heard at the end of the word if they have a nekudah (e.g. רָקִיעַ). However, the Aleph, Hei (and *Ayin) are NOT pronounced when they are at the end of the word and have NO nekudah. (*Ayin technically does make a sound, but some teach that it is quiet.) To introduce this rule, “Aha” mnemonic is taught, representing these silent end letters. Then follow up with a “Draw-A-Ziggawat” Game (played like “hangman”), a pocket sized “Learning Ladder” and a full size “Chant Card.”
2. Mapik Hei
A Mapik Hei (הּ), found at the end of a word, is pronounced as a consonant “hhh” rather than a vowel. For a fun practice, there is a spin, climb and read “Mountain Climb” game. The “Learning Ladder’ pocket card contains the rule name, chant, stick figure illustration, mini-group practice words, find and circle… all summarized on this index sized card for a quick drill review. The “Chant Card” is a full size page depicting the rule with a chant, illustrated motions, and keyword.
3. Pasach Genuvah
Typically when a letter is under a nekudah, we read “top to bottom”, pronouncing the letter first and then the nekudah. However, at the end of a word, a Patach is pronounced first when under a Ches or under a Mapik Hei (e.g. נֺחַ is pronounced “No-ach” not “No-cha'”.) Practice reading words with the “Patach Genuvah Switcharoo game.” For quick drill there is an indexed size “Learning Ladder” card and a full page “Chant Card” which is great for classroom review.
4. "Avi" Rule
The letters Aleph, Vav, and Yud are heard in the middle of the word if they have a nekudah (e.g. יַיִן). However, these “Avi” (אוי) letters are NOT pronounced when they are in the middle of a word and have NO nekudah. (e.g. בָּנֶיךָ is pronounced “ba-ne-cha”, not “ba-ney-cha”) Play the “Tic-Tac-No” Game as a fun way to practice the rule, claiming your squares by marking each word’s “Avi” letter with and X or O. Don’t forget the “Learning Ladder” and “Chant Card” to add to your review collection.
5. Tricky Yud
Tricky Yud may be small, but he has the power to change a nekudah even bigger than him! Run around the bases as a fun way to practice the words, add the learning ladder to your collection, and don’t forget the chant with motions for the rhyming keywords.
6. Hiding Vav (cholam)
It is sometimes hard to spot a vav when it is followed by a cholam chasser (since it looks like a cholam malei), but after you learn the “binocular” trick you’ll become a pro at finding that “Hiding Vav.” The rule is that if the letter before has a “binocular” (i.e. a nekudah) then it can spot that Hiding Vav! Use the material below to learn this rule in a fun, memorable way.
7. Hiding Vav (dagesh)
This “Hiding Vav” with a dagesh dot inside, may get confused with a shuruk – but not by our binocular experts! Just look to see if the letter before has a binocular and then it can spot that “Hiding Vav!” (If there is no nekudah then it is a regular shuruk.) Chant this rule with the illustrate chant card, and practice these words in the “Hiding Vav Othello” game and Learning Ladder.
8. Double Bubble Dot
“Double Bubble” is when you find the cholam dot combined with the dot of the shin/sin letter. (It is a printer’s elective, with some making two distinct dots and others opting to combine.) Learn about this 2-in-1 dot, and reinforce the rule through the activities and games below.
9. Two Headed Shin/Sin
Don’t get scared, it only looks like a Two-Headed-Shin (or Sin), but it’s really a cholam friend joining in! Learn to partner up each letter with its nekudah to identify if it is a cholam-shin or sin-cholam, using the “showtime clown” clue to know the letter, and the practice activities to get better and better!
All-in-One Rules Ruler
Here is a “cheat-sheet” with the letter sets, vowels, specialty and sh’va rules, all on one page with child friendly illustrations, keywords, and mini-chants. Great for warm up reviews, quick drills, and as a reading reference sheet.
