What is the Schwa Sound?

The schwa sound is the most common vowel sound in the English language. It is typically found in the unstressed syllables of a word. It sounds like the short “U” (uh) or short “I” (ih) when spoken. For this reason, the schwa sound is also known as the “lazy sound.” It is called this because people do not open their mouths wide enough when speaking it. 

Schwa Sound and the Stress Factor

The schwa sound is very reliant on where someone places stress in a word. This is especially true for people with different dialects. In the English language, the “stressed” part of a word is typically where the most emphasis and sound are placed when it's spoken. On the other hand, the “unstressed” part of a word is where the least amount of emphasis and volume are placed when a word is said aloud. Thus, the schwa sound tends to fall on the “unstressed” parts of words because it requires little to no emphasis or effort to say when spoken. 

Spotting Schwa in Words

A good way for instructors to teach their students to identify the stressed and unstressed sounds in words is to have the students say various sentences aloud and clap their hands or stomp their feet at each syllable they find themselves putting stress on. The schwa sound can typically be found when the student does not stomp their feet at the unstressed syllables in words. 

The schwa sound also is typically located in words wherever the vowel letters (A, E, I, O, U, Y) are found. While it can be difficult to find, there are a couple of principles instructors may use as they teach their students. Schwa sounds tend to be found at the beginning and ends of multisyllable words such as: Again, among, along, about, data, and Alaska. They can also be found before the letter L in other words, such as: Camel, pencil, and formal. Following are additional examples of schwa words: 

• Adapt, ago, alarm, alone
• Effect, event 
• Occur, offend
• Upon

When to Introduce Schwa Sound in Teaching Curriculum

Instructors should begin teaching about the schwa sound when students are first learning to read and speak two-syllable words, like the previous examples. This is around the same time they’ll begin learning stressed and unstressed syllables in words and how they are spoken. As Hannah Irion-Frake, literacy coach and reading interventionist, put it, "It's helpful to introduce schwa to students when you start working with more multisyllabic words, usually by second grade. Since schwa shows up often in the unaccented syllables of multisyllabic words, it's a helpful tool for both reading and spelling longer words."

It is recommended that the concept of stressed syllables at the sentence level be introduced prior to teaching the schwa sound. Once students can grasp the concept of stressed and unstressed syllables, they can be taught about schwa sounds and how to identify schwa words. 

Step-By-Step Guide to Teaching the Schwa Sound

In teaching the schwa sound at a syllable level, the same principle applies to teaching it at a sentence level. Students can practice identifying schwa sounds at a syllable level by breaking the words down and tapping their legs as they say a word. Another strategy for identifying the schwa sound in words is to replace the schwa sound for a vowel sound in different words. If saying the words with the schwa sounds in place of the vowels sounds normal, the schwa sound has likely been found. 

Continuing on, to represent schwa syllables in spelling, students can take their pen and place a stress mark over the stressed areas of the word. This exercise allows them to pinpoint where the schwa sound is since it is typically located at unstressed sections of words. Another method to aid students as they learn about schwa words is placing a vowel chart at the front of the class. This organizes words into categories based on the vowel letters or sounds they begin with, such as A for "again" and "Alaska," E for "event," and so on.

Hands-On Activities for Teaching the Schwa Sound

Much like any new concept, repeated exposure serves as a great method for solidifying concepts. While learning the schwa sound initially can be confusing, the more students are exposed to it, the quicker they will be able to identify it. This leads to the next discussion, which involves activities that can be done in the classroom for continued education and reinforcement of this concept. These activities include: 

• Word sorts: Have students complete word sorts where they must identify words with schwa sounds versus words without schwa sounds. They can also sort schwa words according to their vowel representation. 
• Find the schwa: Have students highlight the schwa sound or letter in different words and submit the sheet for review. 
• Schwa wall: Create a “schwa wall” with words displayed and grouped according to their vowel representation as a reference point. 

Connecting the Schwa Sound With Reading Skills

Understanding and mastering the schwa sound is very beneficial for students because it aids in promoting improved reading and spelling skills. Furthermore, understanding the schwa sound helps students learn about the nuances of sounds and letters and how they affect words in the English language. 

The schwa sound is a major component of decoding—that’s why Voyager Sopris Learning® has a variety of evidence-based reading solutions designed to break down decoding. Voyager Passport^® is a K–5 reading intervention that delves deeply into the science of reading and includes explicit instruction in decoding, which can better enforce teachings about schwa sounds. LANGUAGE! Live^®, a 5–12 intensive reading intervention also provides science of reading-based instruction including lessons specifically focused on identifying and practicing schwa sounds.

The Importance of the Schwa Sound

The schwa sound is a critical element of the English language. It is important that students become proficient at understanding and identifying this common vowel sound. As discussed, there are a number of teaching strategies that can be implemented to enhance student understanding of the schwa sound such as sound walls and word sorts. Voyager Sopris Learning’s solutions Voyager Passport and LANGUAGE! Live provide evidence-based instruction for teachers seeking to efficiently and effectively equip their students in this.