learned in Lessons 15 through 28 in Blumenfeld’s Alpha-Phonics: Short vowels: ĕ, ĭ, ŏ, ŭ; Consonant Digraphs: ph, th When the learner has trouble with a word, have him or her spell it aloud and then read it. Spelling the word forces the reader to look at the letters in their proper sequence and is usually enough to evoke a correct reading.