Monday, July 22, 2013

Step Into Reading!


We often think of knowing the names of individual letters as a necessary first step in reading. Did you know that most reading/literacy specialists think phonemic awareness can be just as important, if not more important? That means you should play many sound games with preschoolers. Encourage phonemic awareness with rhyming words. One way to do this is to share silly poems and songs with children.

Read poems like this:

Is a llama an animal you have met?
It has long legs and a neck you can pet.

If people need help, a llama will do
Because this animal will work for you.

Going a long way? It will carry your pack.
A llama walks far with this on its back.

Need a warm coat from llama hair?
Just like a sheep, it is happy to share.

A llama likes grass and carrots to eat.
It chows down plants, but never meat!

A llama is fast when it goes on a run,
And it thinks a swim is a lot of fun.

So look for a llama when you go to the zoo.
It may bat its long eyelashes right at you!

Leave out the italicized words in bold. See if children can get in the rhythm by supplying the, missing word. When you are all done, read the words back:

met/pet
do/you
pack/back
hair/share
eat/meat
run/fun
zoo/you

During the next few days, make up real or silly rhyming words.

Stay tuned for more information about why this is important and more steps in developing phonemic awareness.


Poem by Kathy Hart Smith, Ph.D. Maggie’s Earth Adventures, www.missmaggie.org, Parent company of Maggie’s Big Home

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Encourage Writing!

Did you know children progress through stages of writing? As teachers and family members, we can encourage a child's love of writing by celebrating these stages. Ask children to write grocery lists, make thank you cards, or keep a daily journal. Don't worry about "words" that don't look like words. The lists may contain scribbles, pictures, or even a jumble of letter and numbers. That's great and necessary for writing development!

Your child's writing attempts will likely fit into one of the following stages:



PRAISE! APPLAUD! And most of all, don't worry about a four year-old spelling anything correctly!