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Tips and Techniques

As volunteers, we always take our assignments from our assigned teachers. Here are some tips and techniques to provide some context regarding those assignments.

CONCEPT

 TIPS and TECHNIQUES

 Phonics

the ability to learn the individual sounds in spoken language and map those sounds to specific written letters. Letterland is used to help with phonics instruction.
What is Phonics? Why Is It Important for My Child to Read?
Who's Who in Letterland? | Letterland Phonics
Letterland Alphabet Character Introduction Compilation | Letters A to Z

  Phonemic Awareness

The ability to recognize and manipulate each sound in a word. 
  Phonological Awareness for 1st Grade | NC DPI

Tricky Words

which don't follow phonetic rules.
 Mix and Fix
  • Give student/s magnetic letters to make sight words/tricky word.  Show the word in case students need a reference.
  • After student/s make the word, have them say the word.
  • Next, have student/s mix up the letters and remake the word.
How to video: (10) Video | Facebook

 CVC Words

Three-letter words following the pattern:

 consonant, vowel, consonant

ex.  cat, pet, dip, not, cut

How to video:   Change a Letter, Change the Word (REL Southeast)
Tools:
  • A Magnetic Letter Tray

  • Dry Erase Board with 2 Markers and an Eraser

  • CVC Kit in the library materials box


Digraphs

Two letters that make one sound.

Ex.   th, ch, sh, wh, ph



Blends

Consonants that stand together in a word and each consonant make its own sound.

Ex:  bl, cl, fl, gl, pl, sl, br, cr, fr, gr, tr, pr, sp, st, sm, sn, sk ,sc


  • Blend Kit in the library materials box

Let's Learn Blending with Consonant Blends

 Toolbox

●Magnetic Letter Tray
●Dry Erase Board with 2 Markers and an Eraser
   

There are 4 kits:

  1. CVC (consonant, vowel, consonant)
  2. Digraphs (two letters for 1 sound, th)
  3. Blends (two letters and you hear both letters, bl)
  4. Magic e (kite, silent e makes the i say its name)


In each kit are a series of instructions on what letters to remove from the magnet tray and what words the student is to make with those letters.

This activity teaches students how to monitor for a visual and auditory match.  The sounds the student hears in a word match the letters they see!

It also teaches left to right visual scanning across a word 

video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0PPFjjO_W4


ACTIVITY BINDERS - KINDERGARTEN, 1ST & 2ND GRADES

There are multiple activities in each, complete with instructions.  More activities will be added as the year progresses.

For instance, an activity called Secret CVC Words can be for both 1st and 2nd grades. The student looks at the image and determines the first letter of that object. 

Gum, so g, elephant so e, tongue so t.  The CVC word is get.

An example for Kindergarten is Beginning Sounds.  The student will look at the picture and match magnetic letters from the tray to the appropriate picture representing that beginning sound. There are additional activities detailed in the directions.

In all cases, the goal is to have fun with your students as they learn new skills!