You might be asking why our founder, Yvette Manns, started National Schwa Day... and we believe that the schwa is so important, it desrves it's own day!
We are eagerly counting down the days until language enthusiasts and educators alike come together to recognize the schwa by celebrating National Schwa Day on April 7th! But some of you may be wondering, what is the schwa, and why does it deserve its own day?
What is the Schwa?
Did you know that the schwa is the most common vowel sound in the English language and can replace any vowel in a word with more than one syllable?! The schwa sound resembles a more relaxed version of /ŭ/ or /ĭ/ in place of any vowel with a word that has more than one syllable and is represented in written form by an upside-down, lowercase e, like this ə. We often see it on our Sound Wall right smack-dab in the middle of the Vowel Valley. The schwa is sometimes referred to as a “lazy” sound, but to us, the fact that it can replace any vowel sound in a multisyllabic word seems more like a superpower…almost like it’s not so lazy, after all!
Why Celebrate National Schwa Day?
National Schwa Day is an opportunity to recognize and appreciate this unique aspect of English pronunciation. It's a day to have fun with language and explore the schwa's role in our everyday speech. After all, who wouldn't want to celebrate something that adds a touch of relaxation to our linguistic adventures?
History of National Schwa Day
National Schwa Day is inspired by Yvette Manns, a language and literacy specialist, and the author of "The Not-So-Lazy Schwa." Her book is thoughtfully designed to make learning about the schwa more engaging for young learners. Through a lovable character, the book illustrates the schwa's initially perceived laziness due to its unstressed nature, but it ultimately finds its place when combined with other letter sounds to form multisyllabic words. Additionally, the story touches on themes of belonging and being different from others, making it a valuable addition to any classroom library.
Why April 7th?
April 7th was chosen for National Schwa Day because the word "April" has a schwa in place of the "i," and the word "seven" has a schwa in place of the second "e." This year (2024), National Schwa Day falls on a Sunday, so we recommend celebrating on April 11th instead, since "eleven" also uses a schwa in place of the "e." However, feel free to celebrate on the following Monday or the week prior, whatever works best with your schedule.
How to Celebrate National Schwa Day
To enhance your celebration and support teachers we’ve created a free National Schwa Day Celebration Kit, filled with exciting and engaging activities for both the classroom and home complete with access to a read-aloud video featuring Yvette Manns herself reading "The Not-So-Lazy Schwa," coloring pages, classroom handouts, games, and more! Visit www.NationalSchwaDay.org for more fun ways to celebrate and to download your free kit.
Share Your National Schwa Day Celebration With Us!
We hope you’ll join us in celebrating National Schwa Day! Let's come together in our love for language and the joy of learning as we cheer for the schwa and its linguistic marvels. We're excited to see your creative activities, so please share them with us on social media by tagging @PhonicsReadAlouds and using #NationalSchwaDay.
If you're interested in getting your own copy of "The Not-So-Lazy Schwa," visit our website and sign up for the Phonics Read-Alouds newsletter.