Is this phonics?
I'm looking for advice on teaching phonics--I think.
Here's the situation. Dale's in speech, as you know. His therapist/teacher is wonderful. We had his IEP meeting this week and we came to some conclusions.
1. His language acquisition is above average, which means he's hearing everything (trust me on that) and can put it to use when speaking. Adding "ings" to verbs, vocabulary, pluralization--no problem. It's the clarity with which it comes out that's the problem.
2. Given his language acquisition skills and current age, it's time to start putting some of the responsibility on him in the form of auditory discrimination. We're working on getting him to listen to himself and hear the difference between what comes out of others and what comes out of him.
So I asked last week if starting letters and the sounds they make (is that phonics?) would help, and that got a definite YES from his therapist. We'd already started and I had plans to go in alphabetical order, but changed to work more with his target sounds first.
So today, after teatime but before supper, he comes to me and out of the blue tells me, "Nana tarts wiss B, Mama." Did he say what I think he just said?
"Son, if it starts with that letter, you have to say that sound, you know? It's banana."
"Buh-banana?"
"Yep, buh-nana."
"Banana."
So where do we go from here? I could start here, or Little Angel Readers, or just with one letter a day or a couple a week like we've been doing...
I just feel like we're on the edge of a breakthrough with him. He's been a mystery to me long enough. Any advice?
Labels: kids
4 Comments:
I haven't a clue, but isn't it GREAT when you see that lightbulb go on in their heads? Congratulations!
Advice? Sure -- give us a call. :)
Seriously - Nancy's got some expertise in this (early language was one of her specialties Way Back When).
peace,
I really like this program:
http://donpotter.net/PDF/Word%20Mastery%20-%20Typed.pdf
Written in 1913 and very simple and straightforward. She doesn't go in alphabetical order, but rather the order of sounds that are frequent and easy to make to more infrequent sounds.
It is helpful to read the notes to teachers first, she also has advice on how to get started and implement it.
Mama Says
That's great! I'm so glad he's getting clearer. My own little stubborn one is actually clear as day (F's are even becoming F's instead of S's), but just doesn't want to talk. She will tell you waht she wants, because that is the fastest way to get it. She repeats EVERYTHING I say. She will tell me now when she needs to use the bathroom (brought tears to my eyes when we had that breakthrough), but if you ask what she did a minute ago, or to tell you where she hurts, you get a blank stare. Oh well, it will probably come along in time.
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