Irregular Vowel 
"ea"

 Phonics 99A

ea

"ea" has two sounds.
It can sound like long e.
It can sound like short e.

deal
each
mean

long ea

ahead
breath
feather

short ea

seal (long)

head (short)

Say the word.  Bracket the long (ea).

1.  b(ea)ns

2.  ice cream

3.  meal

4.  lean

5.  dream

6.  veal

7.  teach

8.  steam

9.  steal