What exactly is the schwa sound, and why is it such an important part of the English language? Yvette Manns, author of the Phonics Read-Alouds series and founder of National Schwa Day, joins me to dive deep into everything schwa—what it is, how it functions in words, and why teaching it explicitly is a game-changer for reading and spelling instruction. We also chat about the official National Schwa Day, how teachers can celebrate, and fun, engaging strategies to help students understand this “not-so-lazy” vowel sound!

Key Takeaways:

• What is the Schwa Sound?
• Why Teaching Schwa Matters
• How to Teach Schwa Effectively
• Celebrating National Schwa Day!

Resources Mentioned:

1. FREE National Schwa Day Educator Toolkit (FREE 43-page resource!)  - Download the toolkit and celebrate National Schwa Day on April 7th!
2. National Schwa Day Website: https://nationalschwaday.org/
3. The Not-So-Lazy-Schwa Book written by Yvette Manns
4. Phonics Read-Alouds Series Website – PhonicsReadAlouds.com
5. Phonics Read-Alouds Series on Amazon
6. The Viral 44 Phonemes Video featuring Yvette Manns – Watch on YouTube
7. Slant System Passages
8. From Speech to Print - Dr. Louisa Moats
9. See Yvette & I present at the Science of Reading Mini-Con Conference - July 10th, 2025 in Racine, WI!

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Connect with Yvette Manns:

• Website: https://www.yvettemanns.com/
• Instagram: @phonicsreadalouds
• Facebook: Phonics Read-Aloud
• TikTok :@PhonicsReadAlouds
• Email: [email protected]

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Interested in Learning More about Morphology?

• Take our Course: Mastering Morphology: Foundations for Every Educator