Integrating Phonics: Now I know my ABC's

In just a few weeks, school will begin. Some children are beginning school for the first time. One thing that teachers love for Kindergarten students to understand is the alphabet. Even though children need to recognize the letters of the alphabet for first and second grade reading achievement, children do not need to know all of the letters in any particular order before they begin learning to read or write.
Dorothy Strickland in "Teaching Phonics Today: Word Study Strategies Through the Grades," states, “The best practice is to help children identify letters and numbers in an enjoyable way as they acquire the broader concepts about print and books they will need as a foundation for literacy:
-Focus on letters that have special meaning for children, such as the letters in their own names.
-Teach the alphabet song
-Read alphabet books on a regular basis and make them available for children to look at on their own.
-Make simple picture dictionaries available.
-Help children make an individual alphabet book.

For older children struggling readers, the same general phonics principals apply for teaching older grades. Application is key. You have to model and do things that are age appropriate. When students learn bad reading habits by the 4th grade, modeling is important to reteach.

Of course, if you google ABC books, you get 9,000,000, but here are a few of my favorite.
This is a wonderful transfer to begin to look for letters in the world around you.
What kindergartener, first, or second grader doesn't know the song that goes with this story? I am sure that your child has or will come home with a tree and the letters of his/her name on the side.
Another great transfer to find items that begin with a certain letter each day.
As you focus on a letter of the day, why not eat a fruit or vegetable that begins with that letter?
She has become one of my favorite baby authors. (From The Going to bed board book).


Many of these authors are getting smart and making them into board books as well as regular books. My 2 1/2 year old reads from both. I teach her early on how to handle and treat books. Don't be afraid to start buying paper back books for your toddlers. Read those to them and put them in a magazine holder up high and keep the board books for their "reading time" alone.

Reference: IRA-www.reading.org

Integrating Listening: Audio Books

Raise your hand if you are so tired at the end of the day (or middle for that matter) that when even reading a book to your child is a task in itself?

There are many days when I am so tired, I just want to sit on the couch and do nothing. However, I promised myself and my children that after work, I would give them 30 minutes before I moved on to making dinner, cleaning, and all the other mom/wife duties that call. But my babies want to snuggle, they do not care that 568 children had my attention all day. I am their mommy.

So these sites and audio books have saved me. I allow my children to crawl in my lap, and while there is no discussion, they are close to mommy's heartbeat.....and I can sneak a head rest.

Websites:
MagicKeys

To help with sounds, words, and phrases: ABCfastPhonics

Audio Books:

Integrating the Ph.D: Doctors and books

"July 8: NBC’s Clare Duffy takes a look at a program that encourages reading to even the youngest children and helps doctors and teachers at the same time."

View the video here: Dr's encourage reading

Now, remember, it is important to listen to your doctor. They know what is healthy for you!

Integrating books: Fun Summer Reads for children ages 0-7

Now that the summer is in full swing, boredom has set in. Why not schedule a weekly visit to the library to pick up these fun new stories? I will start with the young, new readers for now. Older kid reads will be coming shortly.

Lovable Lola is back in this imaginative sequel to the best-selling Lola at the Library.
Lola loves to go to the library with her daddy. Every night she reads a new story, and the next day, she acts it out. One day she's a fairy princess, the next day she goes on a trip to Lagos! She becomes a tiger, a farmer, a pilot. . . . what will Lola be next?

Children and adults will love following along with Lola's adventures. Lola Loves Stories celebrates imaginative thinking and the importance of books as a way to inspire young minds.

A little boy has a rhyming, kissing adventure with his family.


This hand picked collection of nursery rhymes was embroidered and sews illustrated, by the author.

3 little dassies cross a desert in S. Africa to build their houses.

Molly and her friends struffle to come up with a birthday gift for their friend, Turtle.


And when your voice gets tired of reading, here are a few books with CDs:



Your library card will be so happy it is busy. Happy Reading!

Integrating cooking: Geometry Snacks

During the summer the kids will eat all kinds of snacks. Pretzels are a popular snack for the kids, so why not turn it into a lesson while eating? With the use of pretzles, cheese, bread, and sometimes even marshmallows or frosting.

To practice geometric terms, you can use the food to practice terms such as “right angle” or “parallel lines.” Each student uses the frosting to adhere the pretzel sticks to the waxed paper to create an example of the geometric term.

While they are not rivieting stories, here are a few books that can also help them understand and have fun with their snack:





And of course, there are many more math books to hel students understand that shapes are all around.