A digraph is a term used in phonics to describe two consecutive letters that work together to make one sound. Digraphs can be made up of vowels or consonants, and they are a building block of literacy for any young reader. There are two types of digraphs: consonant digraphs and vowel digraphs. Consonant digraphs are a combination of two consonants that represent one sound, such as "ch" in "chin" or "sh" in "ship". Vowel digraphs are groups of two letters, at least one of which is a vowel, that make a single sound, such as "ea" in "leaf" or "oy" in "boy".
Digraphs are often taught in order, starting with those most commonly appearing in English words. Teachers will point out various digraphs to children as they read books, and children will be given word cards to put into groups according to their digraphs. They will also be given phonic activities that encourage them to write words containing certain digraphs. It is important for children to practice writing words in order to learn the digraphs.
Examples of consonant digraphs include "ch" (as in chin), "sh" (as in ship), "th" (as in think), "ph" (as in phone), "wh" (as in wheel), and "ng" (as in sing). Examples of vowel digraphs include "ai" (as in rain), "ee" (as in see), "oa" (as in boat), "ie" (as in pie), and "ue" (as in blue).
In summary, a digraph is a combination of two letters that work together to make one sound in phonics, and they can be made up of vowels or consonants. There are two types of digraphs: consonant digraphs and vowel digraphs. Consonant digraphs are a combination of two consonants that represent one sound, while vowel digraphs are groups of two letters, at least one of which is a vowel, that make a single sound.