This is the schwa icon. 

As spoken English has become more rapid over the centuries, the pronunciation of some vowels, changed into a quick and relaxed sound. This modified sound is called a schwa and we typically hear it in unstressed, or unaccepted syllables.

The schwa is a substitute vowel sound and not a single sound. The exact sound of the schwa depends on the phonemes before and after, the word’s use, and the speaker. The schwa sound is softer, shorter, and more relaxed, most often sounding like variations of a short  /ŭ/ or /ĭ/.

When we decode multisyllable words with schwas, the schwas typically become more obvious as we blend the vowels more quickly into spoken words. 

However when we have to encode or spell with schwas, it can be more difficult. We have to figure out the correct vowel spelling for the schwa sound, which is not obvious when the word is spoken naturally. 

If we can’t determine how to spell the vowel from patterns, prefixes, or suffixes,  then we can work with over-articulation to help our decoding and encoding memory by using “Say to Spell.”

For example, we could “Say to Spell” “drag-on” for “dragon”  or  “mag-i-cal” for “magical”.

If unsure how to say or spell a schwa sound, check your answer, look it up, or ask your Instructor for help.