Fun Materials, Books & Games For Phonics!

[buds]

sean wife:

Hi buds,


I have a pair of 26 months twins and although they know most of their letter sounds, I find it difficult to progress them to simple blending. Do you think there is a minimum physical age when kids are ready to move to blending.

Hi too, sean wife.

I think you are going too fast.

Knowing \"most\" letter sounds does not seem to me that they really DO know all the letter sounds. Yes, it can be difficult to progress when the single letter sounds aren't concretely embedded in them. Knowing letter sounds alone is not enough. Do they know which letter corresponds to which sounds? If you have objects beginning with the single letter sounds that they have learnt, would they know how to match to the letter? It is as important to ensure children know how to associate sound with letter.

As i have mentioned before, i do not encourage teaching letter sounds over introduction to alphabets. Introducing children to alphabets should come first... at least in my book. Followed by knowing how each letter is formed ie. top to bottom and left to right (reading sweep-glance)... then continuation to letter sounds. If you go by this order, once they know how to do blending, you can simultaneously run through simple phonetic words' spelling activities with them. Pre-writing exercises are important to help children develop their finger muscles, pincer grip and also preparation to tidy handwriting.

Maturity plays some part of it as well, if not enrichment centres can teach all children Phonics of any age and not conform to a certain age-group to start lessons. Teach children age-appropriately so one can monitor their progress and development gradually and know when to move up one level or even a few levels when the children seem to be on the right track or beyond.

If you really insist on introducing blending, go with wordbuilding exercises first, so that the children are encouraged to listen to sounds in words. I think i posted something on this sometime back in this thread > http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=906&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=135 for a brief account on pre-blending phase. ie. word building.

sean wife:

For now, I have been trying to play sight word games with them, but it’s not easy too, as their attention span is pretty short and a new game (e.g. playing peekaboo) which keeps them engaged for a few days doesn’t seem to work a few days later…. Any tips for me?? I have been doing the activities somewhat like you have described in the thread on introducing letter sounds to 3-yrs old, but other than that, most other materials and games you have introduced seem more suited for older kids??

This is a good game too. But again the effectiveness will not be 100% due to age-appropriateness. That's why they cannot be engaged more than the desired amount of time we prefer. Children at these age need more hands-on to get their hands busy so as to also indirectly train their attention span. If you're keen on language games, play mystery bag game and i spy games ( provide binoculars or make your own with toilet roll, coloured paper and cellophane )..... and you can also consider getting audio CDs with rhymes. Rhyming books, rhyming games and rhyming songs are catchy ( since they rhyme : have same ending sounds ) and will also help children acquire the listening skills needed for word building when they are ready.

Click the blue link for > http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4143&highlight=wrong+method

sean wife:

They are currently in LSH and saw your post on the other thread on your visit to the school. What do you think of their curriculum? From what I understand, they start to teach letter sound only in N2, is that the norm in CC or most start at N1?

I did not manage to ask extensively with regards to the curriculum cause the administrator does not know enough to explain to me and principal was extremely busy with other visiting parents.

sean wife:

Many thanks for your advice….

You're welcome. I just hope you don't mind my honest opinions.

[sean wife]

Hi buds,


Many thanks for your valuable advice. I will certainly try out the games which you have suggested...hope to learn more from you soon. :lol:

[buds]

sean wife:

Hi buds,


Many thanks for your valuable advice. I will certainly try out the games which you have suggested...hope to learn more from you soon. :lol:

I'm happy that you took it positively. Thanks.

[sphinx]

Hi buds

its me again...my son is now at 4b of pj now...I will revise the sight words introduced in the book by sticking it on the wall... He is not in any phonics programme... I teach him at home using tamarind's method and your fun materials that you shared in the phonics thread thanks to both of you,he can read 3 letter words now and also the the blends... I thought since he is progressing quite good.. I could just go ahead with the silent 'e' words since those words also appear in p&j. However I think I kinda confuse him now when i introduce the complex phonics to him.so I am not sure whether to go ahead or hang on first... I probably need to do more activities to reinforce what I taught him before progressing further...he just gets utterly confuse in a silent 'e ' word and after reading such words, he will go ahead and sound the vowel like in a silent 'e' word when he is reading a 3 letter word.

He is now 3 years 3 months.
Thanks

[buds]

sphinx:

Hi buds

Hi to you, my friend!

sphinx:

its me again...

Happy to see you again! :celebrate:

sphinx:

my son is now at 4b of pj now...I will revise the sight words introduced in the book by sticking it on the wall...

Wow, fantastic progress!
And kudos to you for being so hands-on with him.

sphinx:

He is not in any phonics programme...

:salute:

sphinx:

I teach him at home using tamarind's method and your fun materials that you shared in the phonics thread thanks to both of you,he can read 3 letter words now and also the the blends... I thought since he is progressing quite good..

Good? I think he's doing very well indeed.
Is he able to read the book with your assistance or can he already read independently now?

sphinx:

....... I could just go ahead with the silent 'e' words since those words also appear in p&j. However I think I kinda confuse him now when i introduce the complex phonics to him.

Yes, i can imagine he will be confused.
It's a different rule altogether... his age also plays a part, now that you have shared with me his age.

sphinx:

so I am not sure whether to go ahead or hang on first...

I dunno about others but my suggestion would be to hang on.

sphinx:

I probably need to do more activities to reinforce what I taught him before progressing further...he just gets utterly confuse in a silent 'e ' word and after reading such words, he will go ahead and sound the vowel like in a silent 'e' word when he is reading a 3 letter word.

My take on it is simply to resume teaching silent /e/ words as sight words for now. You're doing fine.

sphinx:

He is now 3 years 3 months.
Thanks

You guys are doing good. My personal kudos to your perseverance and your undying passion + patience. You're welcome to come back here anytime.

[sphinx]

Hi Buds


Thanks for your suggestions... I agree with you, i should just stick to teaching him the silent 'e' word as sight words. At what age do you think I should resume the complex vowel rule...I think I cause enough damage to his brain already by getting too excited
:stupid: and causing him to be so confused.

He can read on his own but I have to hold on to his pointer and point it to each word and move along with him. If I let go his pointer, he will skip a few words and a few lines...think i must work on his motor skills...his motor skills aren't that good...he still don't really like tracing despite the nice alphabet mat I got him

I must say kudos to you cause I am very motivated by you at how you work with your 2 girls. If I did not come across this forum and read your thread and tamarind's, I don't think I have any idea on how to teach my son how to read.

Thanks again buds and i love your ideas...please throw in more ideas..I'm waiting to try

[buds]

sphinx:

Hi Buds


Thanks for your suggestions... I agree with you, i should just stick to teaching him the silent 'e' word as sight words. At what age do you think I should resume the complex vowel rule...I think I cause enough damage to his brain already by getting too excited :stupid: and causing him to be so confused.

It's normal for parents to be excited when their children start reading.. hehee... :lol:

As for the vowel rule, mebbe when he has done all his blends and also the long vowels which by then he should be about 4yrs thereabouts, he would grasp the concept better. Btw, which Phonics methodology is his school using? Or are you yourself adapting / inclined to any of the different reading methods available in the market?

sphinx:

He can read on his own but I have to hold on to his pointer and point it to each word and move along with him. If I let go his pointer, he will skip a few words and a few lines...think i must work on his motor skills...his motor skills aren't that good...he still don't really like tracing despite the nice alphabet mat I got him

It's ok to start out like that, sphinx. Using the pointer is to make emphasis on reading each word in every sentence, especially important for young and early readers they can easily skip a word or two when they first start. Their attention can stray easily. I definitely know how you feel about that. My DD2 used to be like that. Once she heard a cat mewing outside, and she got distracted liao. Our neighbour above dragged a chair and she looked up, going... what's that... what's that... :roll:

Yes, motor skills are important and definitely better to introduce while they're younger. It will help with handwriting later on too. You can do cutting activities, painting or simple origami to work the motor skills. Clothes folding is a good activity too! :lol:

Using a short plastic ruler or dark coloured cardboard can also help define the reading line when your son can already work the finger pointer independently.

sphinx:

I must say kudos to you cause I am very motivated by you at how you work with your 2 girls. If I did not come across this forum and read your thread and tamarind's, I don't think I have any idea on how to teach my son how to read.

I'm happy to be your source of motivation. That's one of the reasons why i share my experiences in this forum. As an educator it wud seem easy for me to work the play and play with the work... but for other parents it may seem challenging. It's ok to outsource but if as parents we know how to WORK IT, it'll definitely help our children with their home reinforcements and also assist in escalating their learning interests.

Children have milestones to achieve in their growing years. And it would be good if we try to help our children achieve them within their sensitive periods, where they are sensitive to learning it best.

sphinx:

Thanks again buds and i love your ideas...please throw in more ideas..I'm waiting to try

Okie, more ideas coming for you! :celebrate:
See you here again soon, ya!

[sphinx]

Hey Buds

Its me again…was away and could not check the forum.One question. I have no idea how to include quotes in my post…hahah…very non-IT me…

Yeah I think I have to slow down with him a bit…Kind of gotten a little excited for a while there and went overboard with him…thanks for your motivation and advice…
my son is so like your DD2…his eyes will roll everywhere but the book and now that a page in 4a is pretty long, so now its pretty difficult just to let him finish a page.

I did not use any methadology though. Should I use any one of them?what do you reckon?

I haven’t tried origami with him though…I will try that…those simple ones…

thanks buds for the ideas…love them.

[buds]

sphinx:

Hey Buds. Its me again..was away and could not check the forum.One question. I have no idea how to include quotes in my post..hahah...very non-IT me...

Just click quote darling. You can find the button/icon at the top
right hand corner of the posts.

Just make sure for the sentence that you wanna do individually,
it has to start with, for example > [ quote=\"sphinx\" ] and
end with a simple > [ /quote ].

sphinx:

Yeah I think I have to slow down with him a bit...Kind of gotten a little excited for a while there and went overboard with him..

Naaah, i dun think so. Think you're trying what you can.
Sometimes when we do not know what is age appropriate
to teach a child at his/her age; and it turns out that the child
wasn't ready..... parents can get very frustrated if there isn't
tangible results at the least after the effort. It's understandable.
It is also ok to teach a child slightly way ahead but as long as the
said child is observed to be able to receive it positively and has the
ability to understand its concepts & the works. When it's too far off, it
is like asking an infant to start walking before turning/crawling...

sphinx:

thanks for your motivation and advice...

You're always welcome. :hugs:

sphinx:

my son is so like your DD2...his eyes will roll everywhere but the book and now that a page in 4a is pretty long, so now its pretty difficult just to let him finish a page.

Still is. :x And she likes to say she's very tired when she has only read like only a page!

sphinx:

I did not use any methadology though. Should I use any one of them?what do you reckon?

Not really, you dun have to. A method is like a learning style that one
adopts which can be conducted in phases or levels, so one knows to start
from basic to advance or from easy to difficult and at an age appropriate
level. I like many Phonics teaching styles and each are unique and work
in their own manner. Makes learning interesting, especially if one were to
start working with children at a very early age like 18 months.

sphinx:

I haven't tried origami with him though...I will try that...those simple ones...

Though mine aren't boys, we love to do those variety of paper
aeroplanes when we first started and there are also paper boats
that you can do with him. For starters, you dun have to use those
small origami papers. Children with smaller fingers can fold better
with bigger paper pieces. Just not too hard like vanguard, normal
A4 papers would suffice. Give him stickers or stamps to decorate
the origami stuff. Patterned paper punchers can also make lovely
decorations.

sphinx:

thanks buds for the ideas...love them.

I love sharing them! :celebrate:

[spring]

buds:

Hi buds,


As i have mentioned before, i do not encourage teaching letter sounds over introduction to alphabets. Introducing children to alphabets should come first... at least in my book. Followed by knowing how each letter is formed ie. top to bottom and left to right (reading sweep-glance)... then continuation to letter sounds. If you go by this order, once they know how to do blending, you can simultaneously run through simple phonetic words' spelling activities with them. Pre-writing exercises are important to help children develop their finger muscles, pincer grip and also preparation to tidy handwriting.

Hi buds....

Its me. I have again learnt many ideas from you on this thread. :celebrate:
My dd is 26 months, I have a few questions in regards to the reply to sean wife. You mention tat introducing of alphabet shd come 1st (im in this phase now), followed byhow each letter is formed, so do you mean tat you suggest a child to learn to pre-writing of e alphabets before learning each single letter sound? Recently i have bought a tracing alphabet book with picture to colour and stickers to paste for her, I ask her to pick out e sticker tat match e picture e.g.aeroplane, and let her stick on e square box, followed by saying e word aaaaeroplane to her, followed by doodling on e aeroplane. Next we move on to tracing e letter 'a', i use my hand to hold her hand to guide her, but i think she is nt v interested in e tracing part, and v interested in the pasting part. But, obviously e main motive is e tracing of e letter :stupid:

Can you give me some ideas on how to make pre-writing more interesting? I have also browse thru your montessori thread in regards to the sand paper finger tracing, wld like to try this method also, will be waiting for you on how to diy e material ya...

Also glad to found your post on the \"My Phonics Friend\" which can be borrow fr e library, I will definitely check this out, save money... :lol: I think it is quite similar to e letterland ABC book isn't it?