THE SHVA Explanation

I explain the Shva as the stop sign vowel, that it ends a syllable and the vertical dots are the stop sign.  I tell them that when the syllable stands alone and the vowel is the Shva (the only consonant and vowel in the syllable), then we sound it like in the word: l’cha, b’racha, uvlecht’cha. -Risa

…when two sh’va-im are next to each other, the first one is definitely a stop sign and then 2nd one needs to be pronounced – Devorah

Pronounce it when:
It’s under the first letter
It’s the 2nd one of 2 in a row (uv-shoch-b’cha)
It’s under a letter that‘s repeated (rom’mu)

Don’t pronounce it when:
It’s under the last letter
It’s in the middle (with some exceptions including the rules above, but generally, if it’s in the middle, don’t pronounce it.)

(When it is pronounced in the middle, I often teach it as a baby or mini shva, barely pronounced.) – Paula

And when the consonant holds a dagesh  – Diana

“When 2 sh’va’s go walking, the 2nd one does the talking.” – Ilana through Julie Newman

I use an analogy of a door.  If a word begins with a sh’va, it has to be a sh’va na (an open, or moving sh’va – pronounced.)  When you end a word, the door is closed.  When you begin a word, you have to open the door.  – Kathy