What is Vowel Clustering? By Elaine Clanton Harpine, Ph. D. Vowel clustering is a teaching method that works with struggling or failing students—all ages. Vowel clustering even works with special need students or students learning English as a second language. Vowel clustering teaches words by sounds rather than by rules. Vowel clustering directly connects letters and sounds—no pictures. Students learn to identify letter sounds by matching letters to sounds or sound clusters.
You might be asking, is there proof that vowel clustering works? Yes, my research is published, but let me share a few success stories: • •A student diagnosed with ADHD and failing in reading moved up two grade levels in one year.
With vowel clustering, there are no rules to memorize, and students are never allowed to guess at a word. Vowel clustering teaches spelling, handwriting, oral reading fluency, comprehension, and story writing. Vowel clustering has been tested and proven to work with struggling, at-risk, and failing students for over 20 years. One student, who failed for nine years, learned to read in 3 ½ years using vowel clustering. I have even had struggling students move up four grade levels in one year using vowel clustering. These were students who had failed multiple years in schools that taught whole language, balanced literacy, and phonics.
•A student diagnosed with dyslexia and whose parents tried everything, including expensive private one-on-one tutoring in phonics, learned to read, and moved up to beginning chapter books in one year. •
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Teachers Making a Difference | Issue 17 , December 2023
•Six children who entered the program reading at the (pre-K) level ended the year reading at the 2nd grade reading level. Only one child in the group was a first grader.
