Montessori Phonics - Introduction To Single Letter Sounds

[buds]

mummy of 2:

Yup, I think it helps him sound out some words, or at least guess the words. Read froma nother topic that a mummy also ask her kids to sound out the last letter in a word. Also trying that out too. His PCF does not offer any phonics enrichment class, but it appears that they cover phonics in the curriculum.

For 3-letter words, children who are guided to do
wordbuilding will naturally sound out all the three
sounds in the letters. And most times, children
who acquire this skill will be able to read any
other phonetic words and word families with
ease (or attempt them) without even having
us teachers to do the blending with them.

Usually once we aid them with the particular
letter combinations for the lesson, they can
already sound the words out in the wordlist
given to them. Wordbuilding also helps very
much with spelling later on when they get
into writing at an older stage. All the letter
sounds they hear & pronounce accurately,
they will be able to put in print as well.

This is why i usually emphasize learning the
tracing & the writing part of learning letter
sounds is as important.

Children have milestones to achieve within their
growing years... Reading comes before writing
is possible but if we trail off with writing aspects
and too focused on the reading aspect, the child
may lose the sensitivity stage where he/she can
best learn to pre-write... and may hence result
in poor writing skills.

Great writing skills can be developed nicely if we
start early and progress periodically. It is a skill
that takes time & effort to perfect.

If one starts too late or later than the sensitivity to
writing stage, the child may not have developed
good writing habits..

Writing legibly and neatly will be an asset especially
when children grow into their primary years.

mummy of 2:

Thanks...will check that out for more ideas

Hope it helped.

[vfong1]

hi buds, my boy is learning how to write 3-letters word like cat, mat, fat… in his school and the teacher focus on good writing skills. He would need to re-do if the words are too big or small or untidy.

[buds]

Your boy is in good hands..

[sphinx]

Hi buds

my boy can read 3 letter words now. All thanks to the ideas given in your thread fun materials in phonics thread. However, he could not write any letters legibly yet except for ‘o’. Will it help him learn how to write if I use the sandpaper letters thingy? Or is there any other method?I am quite worried that he had passed the sensitive period to acquire writing skill.He is now 3 years and 2 months. I admit that I did not work much with him on his writing skills.

Thanks

[buds]

Heyya sphinx, been awhile since i last heard

from you. Great your child has advanced to
3-letter phase now! My personal kudos! :salute:
You're hardworking, aye?

I have written an article on http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?p=62678#62678

For younger children, start with tracing dotted
line books... Slightly older can work free hand
with grids ie. exercise books with boxes... can
be bought at Popular and neighbourhood book
shops... and later on progress to the three-lined
exercise books to work on writing the 3-letter
Phonetic words or simple Phonetic sentences.

Hope this helps!

[sphinx]

Thanks Buds for the advice.


I am around just that I don't post on the forum haha! but I am a silent reader of this forum especially your threads.
Will try that tracing thingy with my son but really difficult cause he can't really hold a pencil properly despite the pencil grips I bought for him. So, I don't need to do the sandpaper letters for him?

Nah!! I'm not that hardworking... but mostly inspired by you and the mummies :salute: here at how much work you guys do with your kids. So I must strive to try to be like all of you.

sphinx

[buds]

sphinx:

Thanks Buds for the advice.

Always here for ya!

sphinx:

I am around just that I don't post on the forum haha! but I am a silent reader of this forum especially your threads.

Ooooohh.. :idea: i see..

sphinx:

Will try that tracing thingy with my son but really difficult cause he can't really hold a pencil properly despite the pencil grips I bought for him.

How old is your son?

Younger children with smaller hands,
can go for those non-toxic crayongs
for a start. Then the tri-grip / jumbo
pencils/colour pencils.

If children are really young and their
fine motor skills are not developed...
getting them to hold a pencil using
pencil grips won't reali work yet lah..

Working at home with mummy can
also help with pincer grip developmt.

Pegging the clothes... stringing beads...
sponge painting... these are only a few
of the activities that mummies can use
to promote a child's pincer grip.

sphinx:

So, I don't need to do the sandpaper letters for him?

Thought i just said you were hardworking.. :lol:
Now you start to slack liao ha?

Sandpaper letters or textured letters also
helps develop fine motor.. note the three
fingers at work during tracing.. the pointer
and the tall man are together during pointing
and the thumb is bent inwards at the knuckle.

sphinx:

Nah!! I'm not that hardworking... but mostly inspired by you and the mummies :salute: here at how much work you guys do with your kids. So I must strive to try to be like all of you.

sphinx

Inspire we shall then...
:celebrate:

[soomum]

buds:

Some grades of sandpaper are textured

enough and not really coarse. We just
want the child to have a sensorial feel
to the letter cards. I will zoom in next
into this part of making your own DIY
cards soon..

i see. will u post this make your DIY cards in this thread too? am thinking if i should wait for you hee

[buds]

Hmmmm... Still thinking. :?


:lol:

[buds]

*NOTE : In all these lessons, letters of the alphabet are not introduced.*



FOR 18MTHS - 3YRS OLD


Introduction To Single Letter Sounds > Lesson 2

Recap : \"Last week, we learnt the sound of this letter.\"

Show sandpaper letter card...

http://www.postimage.org/

\"This letter makes the sound..... ?\"

(Pause..... and wait if there is any
response from the child(ren)?

If not, then continue....
\"This letter makes the sound /c/.\"

You may show the past objects that
have been introduced to the child(ren).
*One at a time.. ie. show in isolation*
\"/c/ as in cap, /c/ as in cat and
/c/ as in crayon.\"

Introduction to the sound /f/

\"Today, we're going to learn a new sound.\"
\"This letter makes the sound /f/.\"

Click here to hear the http://www.starfall.com/n/level-k/letter-f/load.htm?f sound.

This is how I write/trace /f/.

Would you like to try?
Invite child to trace the sandpaper letter.

Tracing of the sandpaper letter also exposes
young children as young as 18 months old to
early print (small caps). The act of tracing itself
indirectly teaches the children to unconsciously
learn that alphabets are written from top to
bottom and from left to right... A future preparation
of reading text as well. ie. The sweeping glance for
reading text is also from left to right. (For English
at least.

Trace the letter again and say to the child... /f/ as
in fan. *As in refers to
>as in the beginning letter sound of... in the
above case, fan.*


http://www.postimage.org/


Sorry, my fan a bit the fancy kind. :lol:
Couldn't find the normal fan when i
need it.. :roll:

\"Would you like to touch the fan?\"
Place emphasis on the sound /f/
when introducing the objects...

Pass the fan to the child. During
this time, you may engage them
in discussion.

For example, do you have a fan?
What colour is it? Do you know
how to make a paper fan? (etc)

As mentioned earlier in Lesson 1,
this small talk stage helps the child
remember the lesson better & also
engage the child in conversation...

Trace the letter again and say to the child...
/f/ as in fish. Show the child
the object and invite him/her to touch it &
talk about fish for abit.. But try to
keep it to a safe time limit to avoid any
distraction away from the lesson proper.


http://www.postimage.org/


Engage in the usual mini discussion and for
this object, you can also introduce the word
fin. Allow child(ren) to touch the fish.
If you have real uncooked fish, you can also
show them the real thing. In our classes, we
even do real fish printing... with cheap fish tt
markets sell darn cheap.

Trace the letter again and say to the
child... /f/ as in flower.


http://www.postimage.org/


\"Do you like flowers?\"
\"Does your mummy grow flowers in her garden?\"
\"How can we grow flowers in a pot?\"

If you have real flowers to show, even better..
If not articificial flowers work fine too.. In my
case, we aren't green thumbed people & neither
do we like artificial flower decorations that collect'
dust, so i had to settle for this sequined flower.. :oops:

End of 1st period.

Do you remember what's the presentation for 2nd period
in the Montessori Method's 3-period lesson? Its the \"show
me\" lesson. Those who remembered, well done!

Place all objects on a mat and ask the child to show/point
to the object that you ask for.

\"Can you show me the flower?\"


http://www.postimage.org/


\"Can you show me the fish?


http://www.postimage.org/


\"Can you show me the fan?


http://www.postimage.org/

Remember to place emphasis on the /f/ sound when
asking the chid(ren) to point/show to the objects that
were introduced.

RECAP :
For Period 2 in the 3-Period Lesson, show
all the three objects you've introduced all
at the same time. In this period, you are
to observe how much of Period 1 has
been retained in your child's mind..

In this period, the child is not required to say
out the names of the objects. He/She is simply
encouraged to point to them upon being prompted.

Also make a mental note that if the child did not get
this 2nd lesson right, you should carry out the lesson
again another time/day. Do not push the child to get
any part of the lesson right. Maintain an encouraging
tone of voice and also choice of words.. As much
as possible, try NOT TO use the word, \"WRONG!\".

Now for the last period in the 3-period lesson...

In this period, the child is now tasked to show that
he/she can verbalize the words introduced and also
the letter sound that begins with the objects shown.

Show each object in isolation in Period 3.
ie. show objects one at a time.

You : Can you tell me what this is...?
Child : fish

You: Can you tell me what this is...?
Child : flower

You: Can you tell me what this is...?
Child : fan

Then, conclude the lesson before putting the stuff away.

Today, we have learnt...
(Simultaneously showing the child the sandpaper letter)

... /f/ as in fan.... /f/ as in fish... and /f/ as in flower.

Tomorrow/On another day, we'll learn more sounds.
I will place this material on this shelf, so you may
work with it when you feel like it. (Show child the plc)
Now, can you help me put the things away and put it
on that shelf... and next, can you help me roll the mat?
Thank you, i appreciate it.

Don't be surprised if you see your child picking up the
mat and the material and working with it on their own..
This is when we know that the child is learning through
repetition.

If your child did not get any of the steps right at any
point of the 3-Period lesson, please do not despair...
Always come back to it again another time..

3-Period Lesson Recap!

1st Period : Introduce letter sound & show objects in
isolation. ie. one at a time.

2nd Period : Display all the objects all at once and ask
child to show you, one at a time..

3rd Period : Ask the child to tell you the names of the
objects that you in isolation.. Then recap all the names
and the letter sound taught for the day.

\"What goes through the hand, goes to the mind...\"
[Dr Maria Montessori]