What is the usefulness of the schwa sound in reading?
We have already crossed the threshold stating that Discover Intensive Phonics can be taught effectively regardless of the initial sound used for consonants in isolation. BUT I must make one final comment regarding the usefulness of the “schwa” element when teaching the hearing-impaired. Every sound has two parts: frequency (or pitch) and intensity (or loudness). Thinking of a piano is a great way to understand frequency. The notes on the left side of the piano are low-frequency, or low-pitch, notes. The notes on the right side are high-frequency, or high-pitch, notes. Other examples of low-frequency sounds are a bass drum, thunder, or a deep male voice. Examples of high-frequency sounds are a shrill whistle, squeal, or high female voice. Frequency is measured in hertz (Hz). A low-frequency sound is about 500 Hz and lower. A high-frequency sound is about 2,000 Hz and higher. Now let’s talk a bit about intensity, or loudness. If a sound is loud, it has a high intensity. If a sound is sof
