What is Digraph in Phonics?

In phonics, a digraph is a combination of two letters that represents a single sound, such as "sh" in "ship" or "ea" in "eat". 

Here's a more detailed explanation:

Definition:

A digraph is a pair of letters that, when combined, produce one distinct sound, rather than the individual sounds of each letter. 

Examples:

Consonant Digraphs: "ch" (as in "chair"), "sh" (as in "ship"), "th" (as in "thin"), "wh" (as in "what"), "ph" (as in "phone"). 

Vowel Digraphs: "ea" (as in "eat"), "oa" (as in "boat"), "ai" (as in "rain"), "oo" (as in "moon"). 

Teaching Digraphs:

Digraphs are typically introduced after students have learned the sounds of individual letters and are ready to understand how letters can combine to make new sounds. 

Difference from Blends:

Digraphs should not be confused with blends, where two letters are together but each letter still makes its own sound (e.g., "bl" in "blue"). 

Digraphs and Syllables:

Digraphs cannot cross syllable boundaries, as they must make one sound.