Part 1 of many many many!
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Ok, so this is going to be a long series that I’m choosing to start sharing now because it’s the season of school starting and also because I actually am teaching my 5 year old son how to read.
So how am I qualified to teach him? Well I’m his mom, and all of you are your kids’ moms too, and if you’re reading this, that means that you are fully capable of teaching your child to read too!
Jokes aside, I am a therapist and have worked with lots of different children throughout my schooling and clinical work. What I’ve discovered is that children from ages 0-7 have this innate love and desire for learning.
They want to be taught, there minds are like sponges just waiting to soak up any and all of the intriguing information around them.
This is what Maria Montessori discovered and it’s what all of her teachings and materials are based off of. Observing children’s innate love for learning and observing children where they’re at in development to understand where to focus on in your teachings.
I have done the Montessori method with my children from birth so throughout the years, they have been exposed to letter activities and materials that the average child may not have been exposed to. I will be dividing this “curriculum” into several parts.
And it’s based off of Montessori’s method as well as several other curriculums I have read and feel have the ability to teach the child how to read in a way that encourages a love of reading as well.
We are dividing this process into several parts, the first part being letter recognition and phoneme awareness. This is something you will be teaching and working on with your child from when they’re tiny little babies until they reach the next stage of letter sounds and activities which isn’t until age 4 or 5 usually.
This part is important to understand, since we ware trying to lay a foundation for a love of reading and a deeper understanding for language.
You can do this method with any language, the logistics remain the same. I will be linking materials, books and any activities that I have used to help along this process.
Level 1: Teaching Phoneme Awareness (sounds that letters make)
To pass this level, your child needs to know the sounds that each letter makes, including long e (eeeeeeee) and long a (ayeeee) and those kinds of sounds. It doesn’t matter if your child knows the ABC song or the names of the letters, that won’t help him read. He needs to know the sounds they make.
If you’re child is not a baby, and you’re not sure if they understand the sounds each letter makes then give them one of the activities listed below and observe them. Simply see if they understand or get the concept so you can gauge what level to begin with.
It’s a good idea to start at this first step with any child and then go forward as fast or as slow through the levels as they need.
How to help your child learn and associate letters with sounds:
Materials Needed:
Have a bin or basket filled with alphabet that are three dimensional shapes. And have it always accessible to the child. This way the child can feel the way each letter bends and turns in their hands. As they pick up each letter you can say the sound it makes.
Don’t worry about activities just yet, just exploring the letters and their shapes is enough for this age. A poster or two that’s always hanging on the wall and sandpaper letters is helpful as well. And then lastly for this level, books introducing letter shapes and their sounds
3D letters you can use and it’s best to have a variety that you can switch between because kids get bored quickly:
Toys:
These letters should be designated for language learning and not to be used as building toys or anything else. When your child is more familiar with the letters, you can start trying out some of the activities I have linked below and see how that goes.
Remember, be patient with your child, they are learning something new and it’s challenging! Each child will go at their own pace as well. Try not to compare two different children.
Books for Learning Letter Sounds:
These books introduce letters and their sounds. When you read them to your child, try to focus on reading the sound of the letter out loud and not the letter name.
You can also get a book that is in line with your child’s interests. This will help your child engage with the learning aspect as well.
My First Learning Library (an all around fave)
Have the materials available for your child at all times in a designated spot or basket. Once your child can associate the letters with their sounds they are ready for the next step. Until then, just be patient and explore all the different activity ideas below to encourage the connection!
Activity Ideas:
Matching actual letter shapes to letter cards. Adding a sensory base to hide the letters first can also be a fun twist.
Sticker letter match, first to the letters and then to pictures of things that have the same sound.
Games or puzzles that incorporate letter-sound learning like this game and this puzzle are great!
Forming letters with sticks, shapes, pasta, magnetic tiles or play dough mats.
Flash cards with realistic photos beneath the letters. The key is the realistic photos so the child can make the letter-sound connection with objects that are in his environment. This set is also amazing.
Have actual objects that start with two different sounds in a tray. Have two little baskets labeled with the two different letters so they can sort the objects by sound. I get most of my language objects from here and here. Oh and also here and here.
This game comes with language objects that begin with each letter so you don’t have to go out and find language objects yourself!
This one from learning resources is also a good choice but the objects are smaller and less detailed.
Lining up the abcs on the floor or a mat, then going around the house and finding things that begin with each letter.
ABC sound cans or bags where the bag contains items that begin with the letter that the bag is labeled with.
Anytime you’re with your child or reading a book together you can point out items and exaggerate the sound it begins with.
Point out letters everywhere, on the grape juice bottle, labels in the grocery store, your shopping list, clothes, anything! Letters are everywhere!
Depending on the age and motivation level of your child, worksheets can work great as well.
I hope this helps you kick your child’s reading journey off to a fabulous start!
Until next time,
Libby!
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