Here's a breakdown:
* Digraph: The word "digraph" itself means "two letters."
* Consonant: Letters that are not vowels (a, e, i, o, u)
* Single Sound: The two consonants together make a single sound that's different from the individual sounds of each letter.
Examples of Consonant Digraphs:
* ch (as in "chair")
* sh (as in "ship")
* th (as in "thin" or "this")
* wh (as in "what")
* ck (as in "duck")
* ph (as in "phone")
* ng (as in "sing")
* tch (as in "catch")
Why are Consonant Digraphs Important?
* Sound Recognition: They help children learn to recognize and pronounce sounds that are not represented by a single letter.
* Spelling: They help children learn to spell words correctly.
* Reading Fluency: Learning digraphs can improve a child's reading fluency by helping them recognize familiar sound patterns.
Remember: Not all combinations of two consonants are digraphs. For example, the "bl" in "blue" does not create a single sound - it's simply two separate sounds.