All About Teaching and Learning Phonics

[Happybirdks]

tamarind:

sunset_dae:

Hi Tamarind


I just start to teach my boy how to link the 3 letters together after he had c leap frog factory phonics. He is very familiar with all the letter sounds.

In yr blog u mention, to teach alphabet A lst as in\" AP, AT AND AN\"
I taught him to read out, however im not very sure as in if i show him a card with the word C A P, shld i teach him to read out the alphabet individually, or to teach him to read out C and AP (READ AP TOGETHER).
Pls advise

Thanks!

Hi sunset_dae,

You can first teach \"A-P\" = \"AP\". Sound out A and P separately, then join them and say \"AP\". Teach this a few times to let your boy understand the technique. Then when you teach \"CAP\", teach him to read \"C\" first, then just \"AP\", don't need to separate A and P. This is the same as method used in Montessori and the Leapfrog DVDs.

I usually teach 2 to 3 groups at the same time, for example, \"AN, \"\"AT\" and \"AP\". Then I let my boy arrange the 3 letter word cards in the correct groups, as shown in my blog :
http://tamarindphonics.blogspot.com/2008/08/how-to-teach-phonics.html

Note that in my word cards, the first letter is in red, the second and third letters are in black, this is to help kids separate the word into parts.

Also note that the cards are used for this matching/grouping game, not as flash cards.

Hi Tamarind

My boy understands the sound for 'AP', 'AT', 'AN' etc, but when I introduce the full word as 'CAT' or 'PAN', he is unable to pronounce it as a whole word, instead saying 'C-AT', or 'P-AN' (ke-at, pe-an)!

What to do????

[tamarind]

Happybirdks,

He probably just needs more practice. How old is he ?

It is actually good that he can see CAT as C-AT, he is breaking up the word himself. Just keep repeating C-AT, CAT to him. After many practices it will sink in.

[Happybirdks]

He is coming to 5.


In my panic haste, I put him up with J&E, then realise that I can teach a big part of the course using your method. It's only the advance level where they start teaching ending sounds like 'lk' or more complicated blends like 'oat' or 'eur' etc that I get blur :idea:

But I also read in one of your comments here that it is not necessary to learn to that extent. I will just let the centre do the job now, while I reinforce. Once he can get it, I will probably DIY.

[phankao]

tamarind:

[b]Before the age of 3, most kids will not sit still to listen to mommy read to them. It is not much use for mommy to keep reading books to them, because they don't understand what mommy is reading anyway. If mommy just keep reading on and on, and don't even allow kids to touch the books, then kids may end up thinking that books are so boring.

This is quite a generalisation, isn't it??? My now 16yo loved me reading to her from very young (yeah, baby), and my now 19mo loved sitting attentively having me read book after book after book from the time he was newborn.

[buds]

tamarind:

Before the age of 3, most kids will not sit still to listen to mommy read to them. It is not much use for mommy to keep reading books to them, because they don't understand what mommy is reading anyway. If mommy just keep reading on and on, and don't even allow kids to touch the books, then kids may end up thinking that books are so boring.

Never assume children's minds are empty vessels regardless of their age.
That they do not understand things. Children are smarter than we think.
Especially children of our generation.

Stimulation of any kind, benefits children from as young as babies and i
do know of some who begin reading when the children are still in the
mothers' wombs. Like phankao, i'm another mom who still read to
my girls till today as and when they feel like having one at anytime of the
day when i'm not busy or doing anything important. I would think most
mommies and daddies are pretty hands on with children these days and
are more interactive with story telling and with choices of books for story
telling. I do agree pop up books and activity/interactive board books are
popular with younger children. However, there are children who also know
how to enjoy books with just a lot of pictures and bigger fonts. I did not
ask for my girls to point when i read or when they read. Since i do that
when i read to them, they sorta just automatically picked up the habit as
well. When they could read faster and more independently, the pointing
stopped to enable them to enjoy pleasure reading at their own pace.
They would tell me about their read when they're done. We do have follow
up activities in relevance to the story sometimes using mind mapping, crafts
and sometimes even book reviews. It helps that their school also does the
same.

The children have to submit book reviews on a monthly basis. There is also
show and tell where children get to bring their favourite book to school and
share with their friends why they like a certain book. It is normal for young
children not to understand that many words at a time but it is still useful to
keep reading to them regularly as it is through more exposure to books that
helps children comprehend or make out what the words in the books
eventually mean. Reading with animated voices and actions also excite
children into listening to stories no matter how boring the book might be.

Just my sharings.. :please:

[DC Mummy]

I agree with phankao and buds.


My boy is 3 year old (37 months) and we have exposed reading materials since young. With early exposure on reading, it has cultivated his interest and stimulate his mind in reading stories. Now, my son wants us to read to him everyday (approx. 30 or even longer). On top of that, he has been trained to be focus and able to sit through sessions in his preschool (both chinese and english teachers feedback to me).

At this stage, my son knows letter A-Z (upper and lower case) but not on phonics words blending, thus still not able to read by himself. However, he is able to comprehend the story well when we read to him (visual on story pictures + listening to story wordings). How do we know? Read to him and ask story related questions to counter check if he understands or points correctly.

Every child has different learning style, whether visual or auditory, he will benefit from early reading habit. To us, its never too early to start…

[tamarind]

phankao:

tamarind:

[b]Before the age of 3, most kids will not sit still to listen to mommy read to them. It is not much use for mommy to keep reading books to them, because they don't understand what mommy is reading anyway. If mommy just keep reading on and on, and don't even allow kids to touch the books, then kids may end up thinking that books are so boring.

This is quite a generalisation, isn't it??? My now 16yo loved me reading to her from very young (yeah, baby), and my now 19mo loved sitting attentively having me read book after book after book from the time he was newborn.

Not a generalisation, just my personal observation, based on my boy. Before 3 years old, he cannot sit still to listen to me. I know many other kids like him. In my blog, I gave many suggestions of books that could grab his attention :

http://tamarindphonics.blogspot.com/2009/09/wonderful-books-for-kids-from-birth-to.html

I have also heard one parent that she read the same book 50 times to her child, and he still cannot read the book.

Every child is different, and every child learns in different ways. If a child can learn simply by listening to mommy, then by all means read to him/her.

In my case, my boy cannot learn just by listening to me reading him. His mind will be thinking about a hundred different things, not related to the book. He learns best by reading out loud every word from the page. His progress is amazing by learning to read this way. He is able to read Roald Dahl books after only 1 year plus.

I have just sharing the most effective methods of learning to read with other parents. I definitely agree that parents should read to their kids since birth. But if parents find that no matter how many books they read to the child, he/she is still not reading well by 3 years old, then I would advise them to try other methods.

Also, for a full time working mommy like me, I really don't have the time to read so many books to my kids. So it is important that my kids learn to read as soon as possible. Now they read many books out loud to me instead

Asking the child to read out loud from the book, also stimulates his thinking, and allows him to practice his speech. My boy was not speaking well at 3 years old, now at 5 years 6 months old, he is speaking beautifully, and he talks a lot. Now he reads about 500 to 1000 words to me everyday.

That is why I do not believe that reading to a child is the best way to teach him to read. The best way is for him to read out loud, and to get books with interesting pop-ups that will interest him.

[tamarind]

buds:

I did not ask for my girls to point when i read or when they read. Since i do that when i read to them, they sorta just automatically picked up the habit as well.

I also did not ask my boy to point. I tried but he refused. So I have always been pointing the words to him, and asking him to read out loud. I was doing this until one day, he pushed my finger away.

However, before he was 3 years old, he would not even look at the word when I pointed to him. His eyes were looking else where. He was not able to focus. The best way to capture his attention, was to use the interesting pop-up books, and books that allow him to push or pull something.

My advise is meant for parents with kids like my boy. I totally understand the frustration. My methods are suitable for kids who cannot sit still and cannot focus like my boy.

You and phankao are fortunate to have kids who can pay attention at a very young age.

[tamarind]

DC Mummy,

I do not mean that parents should not read to their kids at all.

What I mean is that reading to the kids is not sufficient. Parents should use interesting books with lots of activities that can attract their attention. And also ask the kid to read out loud as soon as he is old enough.

I would advise you to start asking your boy to read out loud. He will learn to read a lot faster

[autumnbronze]

buds:

Reading with animated voices and actions also excite
children into listening to stories no matter how boring the book might be.

Solli .. side-track a bit ...

This one I gotta agree 101%. That is why DS LOVES me reading to him. Because I 'act' out the story. Sometimes I even use finger puppets.

Gave up getting DH to read to DS. What I have done is get general knowledge books for eg on Diggers etc.. and these are the ones that DH reads to DS.

Anyway, my DS also seems to be more fascinated with pix than the words. I sometimes randomly remind him to focus on the frequently used sight words like 'The' so that he can learn to recognize them.

And yup, he picked up pointing because I do that too, while reading ...