Letter and Sound recognition is exactly what is sounds like. Know the names of each letter and what its major sound. I only teach the short vowel sounds. (The short vowel sound is the most common...apple, egg, igloo, octopus, umbrella) I like to teach that c has two sounds (/s/ and /k/) because it is so common, but that's my only exception.
First, teach the ABC song. You know, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, but with the letters of the alphabet instead? Sing it clearly so they understand that L M N O and P aren't all one word :)
Read tons of ABC books. Point out the names of the letters. One of our favorites is the Dr. Suess' ABC Book. I like it because it tells the letter names and it shows the upper case and lower case for each letter. We read it so much for a while that I had it memorized and I would recite it to Maggie in the car.
Point out letters in your kid's world. (I can think of one really big golden M right now that all children recognize.) Kids are most interested in their names and the names of those they love. Write their names for them, point out the letters, sound out Mom and Dad as you write them. As you read books, point to the letters that begin important words in their world. "Look, an L, like your name Lauren!"
Don't be afraid to start teaching letter sounds at the same time as letter names. "I see an M! What does M say? Mmmmm...." Again, use the ABC books as an easy way to introduce it. Kids have amazing memories and the ability to pull information out of their brains way faster than we can. (They don't have to try and remember the to do list, the people to call list, and the trying to schedule in a shower for the day into their every day thoughts).
Not all words can be sounded out easily. Any name that has double letters or ends in "ie" breaks the rules already! If they ask, just simply tell them the exception to the rule and move on. "When i and e sit next to each other, they say ee." "Sometimes O likes to say it's name! O!" Don't stress over all the rules now (even English teachers can't remember them all). Remember, this is just giving your kiddo the basics.
Play the "What else starts with...?" game. Start with your child's name. Say, Jason starts with J. /J/, /J/, Jason! What else starts with /J/? Name some words yourself. If they are interested, the will probably ask you to name some more. After a while, they will start naming some of their own. At first, it will probably just be imitation, naming off the words you've named. But that's good! They're interested and their brain is working in the right direction!
Flashcards with letters are great. Don't be a dictator, just bring them out every once in a while and talk about the letters as long as your child is interested. Put them somewhere your child can access them on their own. You'll soon find them sorting through them and naming the letters on their own! You might also find them strewn about your kitchen floor (that's okay too :)
There are tons of DVDs and CDs out there that can help encourage your child to learn their letters. It's not necessary, but if your kid digs it, great. I'm not recommending any in particular (sorry) because the kind used in good schools cost way too much for normal people, and I've just never bought any cheaper ones for home use.
Next: Pre-Reading
Reading Makes Your Child Smarter
ReplyDeleteReading is known to have numerous benefits. It increases your world knowledge, enhances your vocabulary, and works to improve your reading comprehension abilities.
But did you know that reading can actually make you smarter?
In fact, reading not only can make a child smarter, the very act of reading can even help to compensate for modest levels of cognitive ability in children by building their vocabulary and general knowledge! This is a finding reported by researchers Cunningham and Stanovich in a report titled "What Reading Does For the Mind".
The simple fact here is that reading can make your child smarter, and that learning to read early on is directly linked to later success in life.
1) Did you know that your child's vocabulary at 3 years old predicts his or her grade one reading success? [1]
2) Did you know that vocabulary and reading ability in first grade strongly predicts grade 11 outcomes? [2]
3) Did you know that your child's reading skill in grade 3 directly influences high school graduation? Studies have found that children who cannot read proficiently by grade 3 are four times more likely to leave school without a diploma than proficient readers! [3]
>> Give your child the best possible head start. Teach your child to read today. Click here to learn how.
But how do you teach a young child to read, and isn't that the job of the school and teachers?
You can't be more wrong...
With the right tools, knowledge, and techniques, teaching young children to read can be a simple and effective process. I'd like to introduce you to a fantastic reading program called Children Learning Reading, a super effective method for teaching children to read - even children as young as just 2 or 3 years old.
The creators of this program have used it to teach their four children to read before age 3, and by reading, I mean real, phonetic reading.
I can understand if you find that hard to believe... In fact, I had a difficult time believing it myself as well... that is, until I saw the videos they posted documenting the reading progress of the their children - not to mention all the videos other parents have sent in showcasing their children's reading progress after using the Children Learning Program. After learning more about their methods and techniques, it became clear how it's possible to teach young children to read effectively.
It is truly within your ability to teach your child to read in a relatively short period of time spending just 10 to 15 minutes each day.
>> Click here now to watch the videos and start teaching your child to read.
1. Vocabulary Development and Instruction: A Prerequisite for School Learning
Andrew Biemiller, University of Toronto
2. Early reading acquisition and its relation to reading experience and ability 10 years later.
Cunningham AE, Stanovich KE.
3. Double Jeopardy How Third-Grade Reading Skills and Poverty Influence High School Graduation
Donald J. Hernandez, Hunter College and the Graduate Center,
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