Two-Spirit

Chapter 11

I grab the book I need off of my shelf, I've been using my old primers to teach Amadah to read.

They are books used to teach children how to read so I thought them to be a good start and I prove to be right.

Today I will be teaching her the vowels and consonants. In only two weeks time she is able to recall the alphabet and the sounds of the letters. I've also taught her how to write the letters with a quill, she writes them to help her remember.

I've let her keep The New England Primer to practice and everyday she brings it back to our spot. Next I will give her the one I hold now, The American Primer. I only have this one because si wanted to see how it differed from The New England Primer.

I leave and journey through the woods. When I get to our spot I find her sitting by the stream looking down at the book.

I smile as I greet her and she returns it.

"Have you still not heard from your parents?" She asks as I approach.

"No, but it's only a matter of time." I sit beside her. It is Monday making it three weeks since I've stopped attending church.

"I brung a different book for you to keep for practice. You will bring this from now on." I say.

She smiles. "Thank you." She sets the book in her lap aside.

I hum as I sit beside her and open the book before putting it on her lap.

The first page shows the alphabet in order and then it shows it out of order.

I point to the out of order list. "Name those and the sounds they make."

She nods and calls out each one and it's sound. I point to the vowel list and explain them to her, having her repeat what I've said.

"Splendid. Each vowel makes two sounds, one long and the other short." I tell her A's sounds and tell a few words that have each.

"Try naming a word with a long A vowel sound." I sit across from her and dip the quill in ink.

"Axe?" She asks.

I shake my head. "That's short. Remember the long vowel sounds the same as the letter itself. Like apron or gate. The A sounds like A."

"Oh, such as Able?"

I smile as I nod and write it down making sure she can't see. I will teach her to read them. That isn't how I was taught but she is more knowledgeable than a child. It should only take a few months before she's able to read a children's book. "Indeed, another?"

She nods and looks off in thought. "Day?"

I nod with a smile and write it. "Now try short vowel sounds like axe or jab."

"Apple?"

I nod for her to name another as I write it down.

"Back." She says as her next word.

We do that with every vowel and she guesses a word with the right sound for most. She struggled with Y the most but it helps that the book I brought has examples of many words for each vowel and it's sounds.

Next I have her say all the consonants in the book and explain the possible sounds. Our lessons last for hours and it's usually near night time when we're finished but today I won't do that because there is a high possibility my parents will be around this week.

Once she's done I show her what I've written. "I wrote down all the words you've said. When I point at a word I want you to sound it out." I point at the first one she said. "It has a long vowel sound." I say as to help her.