75. Words ending in -tion and -sion: vacation, expansion

The lesson, step by step

1. The pattern

   Three beats, the middle strong: "va-CA-tion", "ex-PAN-sion". The ending -tion (and often -sion) is said "shun". It is one of the most common endings in English, so it is worth learning well.

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:

   plantation, notation, contraction

   rotation, vacation, quotation

   conviction, expansion, dimension

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.

   Sayv, a, va; c, a, ca; t, i, o, n, tion; vacation.

   Saye, x, ex; p, a, n, pan; s, i, o, n, sion; expansion.

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

4. Spot the ending

   Your child reads ten words aloud and taps the table each time they say "shun". Then asks: is it spelled t-i-o-n or s-i-o-n here?

5. Dictation

   Say each word, use it in a short sentence of your own, and say it again. Your child writes it. Try these: plantation, vacation, quotation, conviction, expansion, dimension.

   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.