Initial Teaching Alphabet

See Initial Teaching Alphabet in Wikipedia.

Here we represent i.t.a. symbols using similar (or not so similar) Unicode characters.
For the correct symbols see Initial\_Teaching\_Alphabet\_ITA\_chart.svg in Wikipedia, or the chart in this reference.
If you see spaces or squares instead of "⍺", "ϵϵ", "ຜ", and "ⵢ" see Initial Teaching Alphabet (restricted character set). A version that uses images for some of the characters is Initial Teaching Alphabet (images).
You can install the Pitmanita font and see the correct i.t.a. symbols in Initial Teaching Alphabet (Pitmanita).

## Example

Example using the i.t.a. alphabet
File:Ita example.png

Example using the Unicode adaptation invented in this wiki
tradiʃhonally wun ov ɟhe fiяst t⍺sks ov ɟhe infant scຜl woⵢ tω tϵϵĉh ĉhildren tω rϵϵd.
it iⵢ still, kwîet rîetly, a mæjor preoccûepæʃhon, sins rϵϵdiŋ iⵢ a kϵϵ tω muĉh ov ɟhe leяning ɟhat will cum læteя.

## Alternative versions

i.t.a. has alternative versions. For example *i.t.a. Correspondence Course* prefers "ks" for "x", and other references prefer "cs" (possibly because the transition form "cs" to "x" will be easier). In this article we use the recommendations of *i.t.a. Correspondence Course*.

## Consonants

Double consonants mean exactly the same as single consonants. The same is valid for "ck", "tĉh", "dj", "dʒ" and "яr".

## Vowels

### Non-rhotic vowels

**cute** is a new lexical set, with the sequence /juː/.

**goose** is a new lexical set, with /uː/ not preceded by /j/.

GOOSE = **goose** + **cute**

### Rhotic vowels

In this section there are many digraphs and trigraphs which are indicated with asterisks.

(\*) Digraph or trigraph

(\*\*)

* Exceptionally "or" and "orr" are not digraphs/trigraphs.

* General American and other American dialects, in these four words: sorry, sorrœ, borrœ, tomorrœ.
* Received pronunciation: in words like torrid, forest, forein (including sorry, sorrœ, borrœ, tomorrœ). See Pronunciation exercises: \ɒrV\ vs \ɔːrV\.

* ωr is a digraph only in dialects where tourist and guru have different initial vowels.

* Exceptionally ôur is not a digraph in dôury (t.o. "dowry").

* îer is not a digraph in words like spîeral, vîerus.

**cure** is a new lexical set, with the sequence /jʊə/.

**poor** is a new lexical set, with /ʊə/ not preceded by /j/.

CURE = **poor** + **cure**

### Non-rhotic vowels followed by /r/

In these cases the vowel sounds with its normal sound, at least in Received Pronunciation. In General American there are exceptions for a, o and u (Mary-marry-merry merger, ɒr-ɔːr merger, and hurry-furry merger). These exceptions must be considered digraphs or trigraphs.

## r vs я

In i.t.a. in Received Pronunciation я and r (and яr and rr) are silent unless they are followed by a vowel. Below we can see all valid combinations of a vowel followed by r or я.

## Suffixes

Words ending in "-ure" in traditional orthography are spelled with "-ûer" in i.t.a.

Words ending in "-ion" in traditional orthography drop the "i". Other suffixes keep it.

 treʒûer
 speʃhial

## Uppercase letters

Uppercase letters are simply bigger versions of the lowercase ones. However, since most letters look bold when made big (with <big>big>x</big></big>), in some cases it is preferable to use standard uppercase.

## The BATH lexical set

The "half-hook a" is an "a" with a big loop and a small hook, which for the lack of a Unicode character, we represent as ⍺. This letter was added to i.t.a to account for the BATH lexical set, which is pronounced /ɑː,*BrE* æ*AmE*/.

⍺ is used in print in words like b⍺ţh or ⍺sk. Children and teachers are supposed to write bɑţh, ɑsk or baţh, ask according to their accent.

### BATH in American i.t.a.

The [American] Initial Teaching Alphabet Foundation doesn't use the i.t.a. symbol "⍺". This means that their books are not useful in the UK or Australia (which doesn't matter, because i.t.a currently is used only in the United States) and also, that some American children will have problems.

## The CLOTH lexical set

i.t.a. added ⍺ to be compatible across accents.

A similar situation happens with the CLOTH lexical set, pronounced /ɒ,*BrE* ɔː*AmE*/. The lack of special character is not problematic for several reasons:

* Apparently there are no minimal pairs between CLOTH and LOT.
* Words pronounced with /ɒ/ in Received Pronunciation and /ɔː/ in the United States can be divided in more than one set. Below we put some examples taken from Oxford Learner's Advanced Dictionary.

* /ɔː/: belong, cloth, cost, cough, cross, dog, froth, gone, moth, soft, song, strong, wrong
* /ɔː, ɑː/: across, albatross, alcohol, along, boss, catalogue, coffee, donkey, floss, fog, frog, furlong, loft, log, long, loss, lost, oblong, off, offer, office, often, quarrel, toss, warranty
* /ɑː, ɔː/: broth, chocolate, diphthong, golf, gong, on, onset, ostrich, resolve, solve, squash, upon, wash
* /ɒ/ as an innovation in Received Pronunciation:

* /ɒ*BrE*, ɔː*AmE*/: austerity, Australia, Austria, cauliflower, because, sausage
* /ɔː,*BrE* ɒ*BrE*, ɔː*AmE*/: auction, hydraulic, salt

We don't want to add five new letters for these five sets.
* In the United States the Cot-caught merger is very common, and in that accent LOT and CLOTH are pronounced with the same vowel, /ɑː/.
* All or almost all the words in the different CLOTH sets are spelled with "o" in t.o. and also with "o" in i.t.a.

The only problem generated by the lack of CLOTH vowel is the /ɒrV-ɔːrV/ split. The i.t.a. sequence "or" as in "forest" is o+r in Received Pronunciation and âu+r or a clipped version of œ+r in General American. Therefore, the children being taught i.t.a. in American English must know an exception, which is that "or" actually sounds "âur" or "œr " (with the exception of "sorry", "sorrœ", "borrœ", and "tomorrœ", which have a regular pronunciation).

An alternative would be to have another letter (e.g. "ø" to spell "førest"). In this case "or" could be used for "sorry". We even could use "ø" for all of the CLOTH lexical set (assuming we can agree on one).

### CLOTH in current American i.t.a.

The [American] Initial Teaching Alphabet Foundation uses "o" for octopus and ɑ for ostrich. Since ostrich is in the CLOTH lexical set it seems the current i.t.a. Foundation decided to make their materials adapted for a subset of the American population.

## The FORCE lexical set

i.t.a. can manage the FORCE lexical set very easily: "fœrs", "stœry", "fœr", "ov cœrs". However in "Winny ɟhe magpie" we see the spelling "story". Similarly, in the cover of "Storiⵢ about jϵϵⵢus ɟhe helpeя" we see "Storiⵢ " instead of "Stœriⵢ".
In *indian tຜ fϵϵt and his hors* "of course" is spelled "ov cors" instead of "ov cœrs".

### FORCE in current American i.t.a.

The [American] Initial Teaching Alphabet Foundation shows a student that uses "œr" for the FORCE lexical set, as suggested above.

## National spellings

If i.t.a. were used in just one country (as it is now, because it is used only in the United States) it could be adapted to the local pronunciation. For a global alphabet this is absurd, because i.t.a. was modified (adding "⍺") specially to accommodate for different accents.

The following national adaptations could be done. However accents are not uniform in all of the same country, so there is some risk of alienating even a minority of the local population.

### Variant words

Some words don't follow a pattern, just like currently we have "carburettor" and "carburetor" (cɑrburettor and cɑrburætor in i.t.a).
The following words either have different spellings in Received Pronunciation and General American, or a compromise spelling must be selected. See also American vocabulary vs. British vocabulary § Variant words.

(\*)Since in i.t.a. "or" sounds /ɔː(r)/, there is no independent to represent /ɒr/. Here we propose "orr" and "o·r". A better solution would be that "oя" sounds /ɔː(r)/. In that hypothetical case we would have the following table.

 territry | territoяy | territory

## Redundant symbols

Several symbols are redundant, and the one preferred is the most similar to traditional spelling.

### Homophones

Homophones
 chilly | ĉhilly
 their, there | ɟhær | they're | ɟhæ'r(\*)

(\*) speculation. Maybe they're is spelled ɟhær in i.t.a.

## Contextual or ambiguous symbols

Several symbols have a different meaning depending on the context

* i

Stressed it is /ɪ/: kit
Unstressed it is /i/ or /ɪ/ (the happY vowel): taxi, matϵϵrial
It can be /j/: opinion
* y

Before a vowel it is /j/: yes, biyond
Stressed it is /ɪ/: myţh
Unstressed it is /i/ or /ɪ/ (the happY vowel): copy, polynœmial
Note that "polyandrous" (t.o.) either is ambiguous (polyandros = /pɒliːˈændrəs/ or /pɒlˈjændrəs/) or it must be written "poliandros").

In the following cases V is any vowel.

* arV, arrV

In General American "a" is /æ/ and "arr" and "ar" are /eə/, as in "carry", "charity"
* erV, errV

In General American "e" is /e/ and "err" and "er" are /eə/, as in "cherry", "very"
* irV, irrV

In General American "i" is /ɪ/ and "irr" and "ir" can be /ɪə/, as in "mirror", "spirit"
* orV

Normally it is /ɔː/: glory
It can be /ɒ,*BrE* ɔː*AmE*/: forist
* orrV

Normally it is /ɒ,*BrE* ɔː*AmE*/: corridor, torrid
It can be /ɒ,*BrE* ɑː*AmE*/ in these four words: sorry, sorrœ, borrow, tomorrœ
It is /ɔː/ in -ing forms: abhorriŋ (this word probably was never printed in i.t.a.)
* urV, urrV

In General American "u" is /ʌ/ and "ʌrr" and "ur" are /ɜː/, as in "hurry", "curij".
### Heteronyms

Unfortunately there are heteronyms in i.t.a. because the stress is not represented.

## Number of symbols

It is usually said that i.t.a. has 45 symbols, 24 letters of the alphabet and several special symbols and ligatures:

* 24 letters of the alphabet: a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, r, s, t, u, v, w, y, z
* 8 special symbols: ⍺, ɑ, ω, ຜ, ŋ, я, ⵢ, ʒ
* 13 ligatures: æ, ϵϵ, îe, œ, ûe, âu, ôi, ôu, ĉh, ʃh, ţh, ɟh, ŵh

In addition i.t.a. has several digraphs and trigraphs

* Several vowels followed by the symbol я ("r" with left tail)
* The combinations dj, dʒ, ck, яr and tĉh
* The double letters of traditional orthography: bb, cc, dd, ff, gg, ll, mm, nn, pp, rr, ss, ⵢⵢ, tt, zz
* Double letters used very seldom in traditional orthography: kk, vv

The "e" of "teяm" /ɜː/ is different from the "e" of "ĉheriʃh" /e/. This means that "eя" must be considered a digraph, and not two symbols. The same is valid for iя and uя. In the spirit of i.t.a. these digraphs could have been ligatures, and the "tail" that is part of the я symbol easily blends with the previous letter. However, since я was added later to i.t.a., probably it was thought it would be easier to ad one symbol instead of three ligatures.

Similarly the "o" of "north" /ɔː/ is different from the "o" of lot /ɒ,*BrE* ɑː*AmE*/, and the "o" of forest /ɒ,*BrE* ɔː*AmE*/. Therefore "or" should be considered a digraph.
Since "or" is a digraph, we need to explicitly say that in Received Pronunciation "orr" is normally /ɒr/, as in "torrid". This means that "orr" is a trigraph.

* 12 rhotic digraphs and trigraphs: eя, iя, or, orr, uя, ωr, yя, ær, ϵϵr, îer, ûer, ôur

In the case of "ɑr" and "âur" (start, dinosâur) the vowel sound is the same as "ɑ" and "âu" (fɑɟheя, dâuteя), and therefore it is not necessary to consider these as digraphs.

Additionally, children may use "œr" when i.t.a. prefers "or".

### Conclusion

i.t.a. has 61 symbols, digraphs and trigraphs

* 24 letters of the alphabet
* 8 special symbols
* 13 ligatures
* 12 rhotic digraphs and trigraphs
* 5 consonantal digraphs and trigraphs

The total is 76 if we add the double letters (78 with "kk" and "vv"). And we didn't count, œr, the optional digraph for children.

## Number of sounds

Sometimes it is said that i.t.a has 44 symbols for 44 sounds. This count excludes the half-hook a (⍺).

The following sections show the sounds supported by i.t.a.

### Consonants

(\*) /ʍ/ is normally merged with /w/

i.t.a. supports 25 consonants, but /ʍ/ is not present in most English dialects.

### Vowels in Received Pronunciation

The total number is 21, but we must subtract /juː/ and /jʊə/, because /j/ is a separate symbol, already counted as a consonant.

### Vowels in General American

The total number is 19, but we must subtract /(j)uː/ and /(j)ʊr/, because /j/ is a separate symbol, already counted as a consonant.

### Conclusion

i.t.a. supports 25 consonants, 21 British vowels and ⍺, a vowel for compatibility. In total i.t.a. supports 47 sounds, and it does not have a special symbol for /ə/.

## Comma gets a cûer

### Standard i.t.a. spelling

Well, hϵϵr’ⵢ a story for yຜ: Sara perry woⵢ a veterinary nuяs hຜ had bϵϵn wuяkiŋ dæly at an œld zຜ in a deⵢeяted district ov ɟhe territory, sœ ʃhϵϵ woⵢ very happy tω stɑrt a nûe job at a sûepeяb prîevit practis in norţh Skwær nϵϵr ɟhe dûek Strϵϵt tôueя. ɟhat æria woⵢ muĉh nϵϵreя for heя and mor tω heя lîekiŋ. ϵϵven sœ, on heя fiяst morniŋ, ʃhϵϵ felt stresst. ʃhϵϵ ate a bœl ov porridʒ, ĉheckt heяself in ɟhe mirror and woʃht heя fæs in a hurry. ɟhen ʃhϵϵ pωt on a plæn yelœ dress and a flϵϵs jacket, pickt up heя kit and heded for wuяk.

ŵhen ʃhϵϵ got ɟhær, ɟhær woⵢ a wωman wiɟh a gຜs wætiŋ for heя. ɟhe wωman gæv Sara an offiʃhial letteя from ɟhe vet. ɟhe letteя implîed ɟhat ɟhi animal cωd bi suffeяiŋ from a rær form ov fωt and môuţh diⵢϵϵⵢ, ŵhiĉh woⵢ suяprîeⵢiŋ, becoⵢ normally yຜ wωd œnly ekspect tω sϵϵ it in a dog or a gœt. Sara woⵢ sentimental, sœ ɟhis mæd heя fϵϵl sorry for ɟhe bûetiful biяd.

befor loŋ, ɟhat itĉhy gຜs began tω strut arôund ɟhi offis lîek a lຜnatic, ŵhiĉh mæd an unsanitary mess. ɟhe gຜs’ⵢ œneя, mæry harrison, kept câuliŋ, “Comma, Comma”, ŵhiĉh Sara ţhâut woⵢ an odd ĉhôis for a næm. Comma woⵢ stroŋ and hûej, sœ it wωd tæk sum fors tω trap heя, but Sara had a different îedϵϵa. fiяst ʃhϵϵ trîed jently strœkiŋ ɟhe gຜs’ⵢ lœeя back wiɟh heя pɑm, ɟhen siŋiŋ a tûen tω heя. fîenally, ʃhϵϵ administeяd ϵϵţheя. Heя efforts weя not fûetile. In nœ tîem, ɟhe gຜs began tω tîer, sœ Sara woⵢ æbl tω hœld ontω Comma and giv heя a relaksiŋ b⍺ţh.

Wuns Sara had manijd tω bæɟh ɟhe gຜs, ʃhϵϵ wîept heя off wiɟh a cloţh and læd heя on heя rîet sîed. ɟhen Sara confiяmd ɟhe vet’s dîeagnœsis. âulmœst immϵϵdiatly, ʃhϵϵ remembeяd an effectiv trϵϵtment ɟhat rekwîerd heя tω meʒuя ôut a lot ov medisin. Sara wornd ɟhat ɟhis cors ov trϵϵtment mîet bi ekspensiv-ϵϵɟheя fîev or siks tîemⵢ ɟhe cost ov penisilin. îe c⍺n’t imajin pæiŋ sœ muĉh, but mrs. harrison-a millyonær lâuyeя-ţhâut it woⵢ a fær prîes for a cûer.

*Comma gets a cûer* and derivativ wuяks mæ bi ûeⵢd frϵϵly for eny puяpos wiɟhôut speʃhial peяmiʃhion provîeded ɟhe preⵢent sentens and ɟhe follœiŋ copirîet nœtificæʃhon accumpany ɟhe passij in print, if rϵϵprodûest in print, and in âudiœ format in ɟhe cæs ov a sôund recordiŋ: Copyright 2000 Douglas N. Honorof, Jill McCullough & Barbara Somerville. {âul rîets reⵢeяvd.

### i.t.a. with a Received Pronunciation accent

In i.t.a. children can spell according to their accent. Here we show a text the way it could look if produced by a child who speaks with a Received Pronunciation accent (or, equivalently, with Estuary English accent).

Wel, hϵϵr’z a stâury fâur ûe: Sareя pery woz a vetrinery nuяs hຜ had bϵϵn wuяkiŋ dæly at an œld zຜ in a dizuяtid distrikt ov ɟhe teretry, sœ ʃhϵϵ woz very hapy tω stɑt a nûe job at a sûepuяb prîevit praktis in nâuţh Skwær nϵϵr ɟhe dûek Strϵϵt tôueя. ɟhat ærϵϵeя woz muĉh nϵϵreя fâur huя and mâur tω huя lîekiŋ. ϵϵven sœ, on huя fuяst mâuniŋ, ʃhϵϵ felt stresst. ʃhϵϵ et a bœl ov porij, ĉheckt huяself in ɟhe mireя and woʃht huя fæs in a hury. ɟhen ʃhϵϵ pωt on a plæn yelœ dres and a flϵϵs jakit, pikt up huя kit and hedid fâur wuяk.

Wen ʃhϵϵ got ɟhær, ɟhær woz a wωmen wiɟh a gຜs wætiŋ fâur huя. ɟhe wωmen gæv Sareя an efiʃhel leteя from ɟhe vet. ɟhe leteя implîed ɟhat ɟhi animel cωd bi sufeяiŋ from a rær fâum ov fωt and môuţh dizϵϵz, wiĉh woz seяprîeziŋ, bicoz nâumely ûe wωd œnly ikspekt tω sϵϵ it in a dog or a gœt. Sareя woz sentimentel, sœ ɟhis mæd huя fϵϵl sory fâur ɟhe bûetifel buяd.

befâur loŋ, ɟhat itĉhy gຜs bigan tω strut arôund ɟhi ofis lîek a lຜnetik, wiĉh mæd an unsanetry mes. ɟhe gຜs’z œneя, mæry harisen, kept câuliŋ, “Comeя, Comeя”, wiĉh Sareя ţhâut woz an od ĉhôis fâur a næm. Comeя woz stroŋ and hûej, sœ it wωd tæk sum fâus tω trap huя, but Sareя had a difrent îedϵϵeя. fuяst ʃhϵϵ trîed jentely strœkiŋ ɟhe gຜs’z lœeя bak wiɟh huя pɑm, ɟhen siŋiŋ a tûen tω huя. fîenely, ʃhϵϵ edministeяd ϵϵţheя. Huя efets wuя not fûetîel. In nœ tîem, ɟhe gຜs bigan tω tîer, sœ Sareя woz æbel tω hœld ontω Comeя and giv huя a rilaksiŋ bɑţh.

Wuns Sareя had manijd tω bæɟh ɟhe gຜs, ʃhϵϵ wîept huя of wiɟh a cloţh and læd huя on huя rîet sîed. ɟhen Sareя confuяmd ɟhe vet’s dîeagnœsis. âulmœst imϵϵdϵϵetly, ʃhϵϵ rimembeяd an ifectiv trϵϵtment ɟhat rikwîerd huя tω meʒuя ôut a lot ov medsen. Sareя wornd ɟhat ɟhis câus ov trϵϵtment mîet bi ikspensiv-ϵϵɟheя fîev or siks tîemz ɟhe cost ov penisilin. îe cɑn’t imajin pæiŋ sœ muĉh, but mrs. harisen-a milûenær lâuyeя-ţhâut it woz a fær prîes fâur a cûer.

*Comeя gets a cûer* and dirivativ wuяks mæ bi ûezd frϵϵly fâur eny puяpes wiɟhôut speʃhel peяmiʃhen prevîedid ɟhe prezent sentens and ɟhe folœiŋ copirîet nœtificæʃhen ecumpeny ɟhe pasij in print, if rϵϵpredûest in print, and in âudϵϵœ fâumat in ɟhe cæs ov a sôund ricâudiŋ: Copyright 2000 Douglas N. Honorof, Jill McCullough & Barbara Somerville. âul rîets rizuяvd.

### i.t.a. with a General American accent

Here we show a text the way it could look if produced by a child who speaks with a General American accent.

Wel, hϵϵr’z a story for ûe: Sara pæry wuz a veterenæry nuяs hຜ had bin wuяkiŋ dæly at an œld zຜ in a dizuяtid distrikt uv ɟhe tæretory, sœ ʃhϵϵ wuz væry hapy tω stɑrt a nûe job at a sûepuяb prîevit praktis in norţh Skwær nϵϵr ɟhe dûek Strϵϵt tôueя. ɟhat ærϵϵa wuz muĉh nϵϵreя for huя and mor tω huя lîekiŋ. ϵϵven sœ, on huя fuяst morniŋ, ʃhϵϵ felt stresst. ʃhϵϵ æt a bœl uv porij, ĉheckt huяself in ɟhe mϵϵreя and woʃht huя fæs in a huяy. ɟhen ʃhϵϵ pωt on a plæn yelœ dres and a flϵϵs jakit, pikt up huя kit and hedid for wuяk.

Wen ʃhϵϵ got ɟhær, ɟhær wuz a wωmen wiɟh a gຜs wætiŋ for huя. ɟhe wωmen gæv Sara an efiʃhel leteя frum ɟhe vet. ɟhe leteя implîed ɟhat ɟhi animel cωd bi sufeяiŋ frum a rær form uv fωt and môuţh dizϵϵz, wiĉh wuz seяprîeziŋ, bicâuz normely ûe wωd œnly ikspekt tω sϵϵ it in a dâug or a gœt. Sara wuz sentimentel, sœ ɟhis mæd huя fϵϵl sɑry for ɟhe bûetifel buяd.

befor loŋ, ɟhat itĉhy gຜs bigan tω strut arôund ɟhi âufis lîek a lຜnetik, wiĉh mæd an unsanetæry mes. ɟhe gຜs’z œneя, mæry harisen, kept câuliŋ, “Coma, Coma”, wiĉh Sara ţhâut wuz an od ĉhôis for a næm. Coma wuz strâuŋ and hûej, sœ it wωd tæk sum fors tω trap huя, but Sara had a difrent îedϵϵa. fuяst ʃhϵϵ trîed jentely strœkiŋ ɟhe gຜs’z lœeя bak wiɟh huя pom, ɟhen siŋiŋ a tûen tω huя. fîenely, ʃhϵϵ edministeяd ϵϵţheя. Huя efeяts wuя not fûetel. In nœ tîem, ɟhe gຜs bigan tω tîer, sœ Sara wuz æbel tω hœld ontω Coma and giv huя a rilaksiŋ baţh.

Wuns Sara had manijd tω bæɟh ɟhe gຜs, ʃhϵϵ wîept huя âuf wiɟh a clâuţh and læd huя on huя rîet sîed. ɟhen Sara confuяmd ɟhe vet’s dîeagnœsis. âulmœst imϵϵdϵϵetly, ʃhϵϵ rimembeяd an ifectiv trϵϵtment ɟhat rikwîerd huя tω meʒuя ôut a lot uv medesen. Sara wornd ɟhat ɟhis cors uv trϵϵtment mîet bi ikspensiv-ϵϵɟheя fîev or siks tîemz ɟhe câust uv penisilin. îe can’t imajin pæiŋ sœ muĉh, but mrs. harisen-a milûenær lâuyeя-ţhâut it wuz a fær prîes for a cûer.

*Coma gets a cûer* and dirivativ wuяks mæ bi ûezd frϵϵly for eny puяpes wiɟhôut speʃhel peяmiʃhen prevîedid ɟhe prezent sentens and ɟhe folœiŋ copϵϵrîet nœtificæʃhen ecumpeny ɟhe pasij in print, if rϵϵpredûest in print, and in âudϵϵœ format in ɟhe cæs uv a sôund ricordiŋ: Copyright 2000 Douglas N. Honorof, Jill McCullough & Barbara Somerville. âul rîets rizuяvd.

### Original version

“ɟhis feɟheя will not lie doun!” cried Winny ɟhe magpie tω heя frend Sylvia, ɟhe robin.
“I hav tried tω keep it flat.”
just ɟhen Winny spîed a spottid cat.
ɟhe cat was scratĉhing its toe-nælⵢ on a garden hœ.
Winny nûe ɟhis cat was heя foe.
but Winny cried, “ɟhe cat c⍺n’t creep up to ɟhis soft nest ov dried twigⵢ!"

fîend and copy from ɟhe story
was

wuяdⵢ with **ie** or **oe** in ɟhem

næm and copy ɟhe pictûerⵢ
hav yຜ seen a magpie? rîet abôut it.

### Regularized version

“ɟhis feɟheя will not lîe doun!” crîed Winny ɟhe magpîe tω heя frend Sylvia, ɟhe robin.
“îe hav trîed tω kϵϵp it flat.”
just ɟhen Winny spîed a spotted cat.
ɟhe cat woⵢ scratĉhing its tœ-nælⵢ on a gɑrden hœ.
Winny nûe ɟhis cat woⵢ heя foe.
but Winny crîed, “ɟhe cat c⍺n’t crϵϵp up to ɟhis soft nest ov drîed twigⵢ!"

fîend and copy from ɟhe story
woⵢ

wuяdⵢ with **îe** or **œ** in ɟhem

næm and copy ɟhe pictûerⵢ
hav yຜ sϵϵn a magpie? rîet abôut it.

## References

i.t.a. Correspondence Course, Instructional Course for Teachers on the Initial Teaching Alphabet, 1966. Available in ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), i.t.a. Correspondence Course, Instructional Course for Teachers on the Initial Teaching Alphabet.

1. ↑ Lars Törnqvist, Pitman’s Initial Teaching Alphabet, Pitman’s Initial Teaching Alphabet alphabet chart.
2. ↑ *i.t.a. Correspondence Course*, p. 52 of the PDF, p. 59 of the document.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 *The principles of spelling in i.t.a.*, page dj dʒ. Posted by InitialTeachingAlphabet in Facebook. The principles of spelling in i.t.a. dj dʒ. This is the same reference as *i.t.a. Correspondence Course*, page 52 of the PDF, page 59 in the document.
4. ↑ *The principles of spelling in i.t.a.*, page r я. Posted by InitialTeachingAlphabet in Facebook. The principles of spelling in i.t.a. r я. This is the same reference as *i.t.a. Correspondence Course*, page 51 of the PDF, page 58 in the document.
5. ↑ '*i.t.a. Correspondence Course*, p. 51 of the PDF, item (7).
6. ↑ '*i.t.a. Correspondence Course*, p. 53 of the PDF, item (16).
7. ↑ *i.t.a. Correspondence Course,* p. 42.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 [American] Initial Teaching Alphabet Foundation, The i.t.a. Chart.
9. ↑ Wikipedia, Pronunciation of English ⟨a⟩ § TRAP-BATH split - North American accents.
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Winnie the magpie, Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, available in Gallery.
11. ↑ The Wee Web, Ladybird ITA Books
12. ↑ *{{{I}}}ndian tຜ fϵϵt and his hors*. Posted by InitialTeachingAlphabet in Facebook. *{{{I}}}ndian tຜ fϵϵt and his hors*, page 15.
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 YouTube, Introduction to the Initial Teaching Alphabet(i.t.a.), @9 min 2 sec. Linked from What is i.t.a.? in i.t.a. Foundation website.

## External links

* Encyclopedia.com, Initial Teaching Alphabet, 1998.
* BBC News, Educashunal lunacie or wizdom?, 5 September 2001.
* Eye Magazine, The Initial Teaching Alphabet, Spring 2005.
* Initial Teaching Alphabet Foundation
* Christopher Jolly, *Remedial teaching of reading: a trial with reformed spellings*, in Spelcon 2008 - The Cost of English Spelling.
* workbωk tω accompany bωk 5. Cover and two pages available in imgur, How I learned to read or why I can't spell!
* Wordtree, Synthetic phonics and ITA.