101. Ce, ci, ti and si said as sh: conscience, captious

The lesson, step by step

1. The pattern

   Before another vowel, the letters ce, ci, ti and si often make the sound "sh": con-science (con-shence), cap-tious (cap-shus). The i or e is not heard on its own.

2. Read the table aloud

   Read the table aloud together, a column at a time. You say a word, your child says it back while pointing to it. Then your child reads a column alone. Some of the words:

   conscience, captious, factious

   Read the rest of the table on the page the same way.

3. Spell aloud by syllables

   Spell each word a syllable at a time, the way Webster's pupils did: spell the first syllable and say it, spell the next and say it, then say the whole word.

   Sayc, o, n, con; s, c, i, e, n, c, e, science; conscience.

   Do a column this way while looking, then cover it and spell a few from memory.

4. Read the rule

   ce, ci, ti, and si, are sounded as sh.

   Your child finds the "sh" letters in each word of the table and underlines them with a finger.

5. Dictation

   Say each word, use it in a short sentence of your own, and say it again. Your child writes it. Try these: conscience, captious, factious.

   Check together against the book. Any word that came out wrong goes on a card for tomorrow.

6. Review

   Finish with the cards from earlier days: your child reads and spells each one. Put a card away after three right days in a row.