Able A

Into the woods Ti and Mo then went, where off in the distance they could hear someone singing. It was a boy named Able A. He sang of being happy to read and write, and how it caused him to sing. Beautifully he sang out his special sounds: "a-ay-ah, a-ay-ah!"

See music for song

Able A Teaches How to Make Words

There in the woods in his wigwam Able A made some pictures on an animal skin, saying "these pictures mean 'Mo sat on a hat'". He then put writing under it and explained "the letters under the pictures say the same thing, but the letters stand for sounds. So to read words, you have to put all the sounds together. It is called sounding out". The Slowtalker showed them how to say the sounds slowly, and together they read the words.

Able A then started making more pictures on a second animal skin. Together they sounded the words out: "M-o h-a-s a h-a-t." Ti and Mo were very excited now that they understood how to use sounds to read and write words. Soon Ti and Mo were sounding out many words and writing them using the letters they knew. They stayed so long that it grew very late, and Able A invited them to stay the night.

Icky Eye

While Ti and Mo got ready to rest they saw on the wall something with a big eye on it! "Ih, ih! An Eye!!" said Ti.

Able A explained that it is just a harmless caterpillar. He showed them how if they would pet it, the caterpillar would make these funny sounds--"ih, eye"

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phonemic awareness activities

All Ti and Mo stories and activities © 2002 by Andrew T. Andersen