Curly the Purple Turtle

There are 5 /er/ sounds in the English language

er in her, ir in first, ur in nurse, wor in works and ear in early. I have chosen to create a video only about the /ur/ words.

This video creates strong associations between each written word and a memorable visual image. Seeing the word alongside its corresponding image helps strengthen the connection between the word’s meaning, pronunciation and orthographic (spelling) representation.

Students are then encouraged to actively retrieve as many words as possible and record them on a mind map, providing valuable retrieval practice rather than passive recognition. The visual associations provide additional memory cues that students can draw upon when attempting to recall and spell these words independently. The activity also provides an engaging opportunity to expand vocabulary by explicitly introducing less familiar words such as curfew and burden.