All About Teaching and Learning Phonics

[Hifive]

Hi tamarind


Many thanks for your sharing and your blog on teaching children to read.

I have learnt a lot from your sharing.
I’ve started my boy (turning 4 yr old this Dec) on P&J and now he is reading level 6.

Recently, I’ve learnt from his kindy that they will be using P&J as their readers starting from next year. So in order not to use the same reader as his kindy, is there another set of reader (which is as good as P&J) which you will recommend that I can use at home?

[seashell]

tamarind:

For my kids, I usually explain the words to them by acting it out. I am still looking for good English dictionaries for kids, the ones that I have are not extensive enough.

You should look for those with as many pictures so kids can understand better.

You can try online dictionaries first :
http://familyinternet.about.com/od/websites/tp/kidsdictionaries.htm

hi Tamarind,
have you have able to find a good English dictionaries? Can share with me? Thanks.

do you have any idea how do know that a child has master the sound of each letter? thanks again

[tamarind]

Hifive:

Hi tamarind


Many thanks for your sharing and your blog on teaching children to read.

I have learnt a lot from your sharing.
I've started my boy (turning 4 yr old this Dec) on P&J and now he is reading level 6.

Recently, I've learnt from his kindy that they will be using P&J as their readers starting from next year. So in order not to use the same reader as his kindy, is there another set of reader (which is as good as P&J) which you will recommend that I can use at home?

Hifive,
Sorry for the late reply. I returned from China recently and I have been extremely busy.

It's my pleasure to share with other parents.

I think it is not necessary for you to use other readers. I would advise you to read these wonderful children's books :
http://tamarindphonics.blogspot.com/2010/03/picture-books-from-my-home-library.html

I have stated the reading level for each book. For example, reading level 4 means that kids who are reading Peter and Jane level 4 and above should be able to read the book, with some help from parents.

If you really want to use other readers, the Ladybird also have the Tom and Kate series, available at Popular bookstores.

http://books.ladybird.co.uk/static/cs/uk/13/learntoread.html

[tamarind]

seashell:

hi Tamarind,
have you have able to find a good English dictionaries? Can share with me? Thanks.

do you have any idea how do know that a child has master the sound of each letter? thanks again

Hi seashell,
I have a few children's dictionaries, with many pictures. But these are not extensive enough.

I would like to buy something like this :
http://www.amazon.com/Merriam-Webster-Childrens-Dictionary-DK-Publishing/dp/0756637589/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1288345730&sr=8-1

But I cannot find it in Singapore, and shipping from amazon will be too expensive since the book is too heavy.

When a child knows the letter sounds very well, he should be able to say the sound of a letter without any hesitation, and even when you mix up the orders of the letters.

[Hifive]

Hi tamarind


Thanks for your advice! I’ll check out the books mentioned in your blog and the the other readers in Popular.

[pumpkin_pie]

Hi,


I am new here and have been reading this forum with much interest. Im in awe of all the fantastic mummies out there who do so much for their kids. Keep up the great work!

I have recently stopped working as our whole family moved to the States for 2yrs. I wish to start my boy (32mths) on reading the 3-letter words like /m/ at -> mat, but not sure if it is time. He knows all his A-Z; and for their phonetic sounds I would say 90% (still not sure of /n/, /l/, /v/). Should i keep revising the sounds with him till he is 100% sure, or start with the word building already?

[laughingcat]

Yes, you should still continue to revise the sounds until he is ready to read.


This will helps alot in the blending of the words.

[pumpkin_pie]

Thanks! ok I will follow ur advice and keep revising till he is 100% familiar with all the sounds. But then, the bad side is he can get quite bored of this activity as he is a boy who cannot do repetitive stuff, so I always have to keep changing the way I teach him the letter sounds. Sigh…and i am running out of ideas! ha!


On the other hand, how do i know whether he is ready to read? You mean read independently right? What signs will he show? Currently he loves stories but of cos I will be the one reading to him. He must have his books before he naps and sleeps else he will be sad. I have not yet read those Peter and Jane books to him, but rather more like Curious George, Berenstein Bears and Fairy Tales.

[laughingcat]

Hello pumpkin_pie,


If you don't mind, perhaps you can refer to below blog on the method to teaching phonics.
http://tamarindphonics.blogspot.com/

I know what you mean about keep getting different ideas and variety of books in order to teach the child phonics and start reading independently.

Initially my boy is not into Peter & Jane and hence I have great difficulty encouraging my boy to start to blend. But thank goodness I was being introduced to this particular teacher by my boy's kindy. She happens to be a speech therapist too. So it is great!

You just need to be patient and see what befits. Along the way, you need to twitch your method here and there.

[pumpkin_pie]

laughing cat,


Thanks! I have seen Tamarind’s blog and she is awesome! I am ready to start teaching my boy the 3-letter blend, but not sure if heis ready, cos he is not 100% sure of all the 26 phonetic sounds all the time yet. Its like sometimes he will forget /n/, sometimes he can remember. So far, its always abt 5 or less that he will forget. The rest he is good. So I think I will keep revising the individual sounds till he is very very good at it, then start the word blend. I just do not want to confuse him, but yet thinking if I continue revising, I worried he may be bored and I have to think of new ways to bring in the phonics teaching. Im using the letterland cards to teach currently.