Our
Classroom Happenings!
Frequently
Asked Questions
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How can
I help my child master letters and sounds?
One way is to make flashcards to drill your child in this area. A more
fun way is to go through a magazine and find pictures of things that begin
with that sound. Make a picture dictionary and help your child write
the words. Another idea is to use shaving creme to let the child
write the letters .
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How can
I help my child with blending?
Choose simple three letter words with a consonant/vowel/consonant pattern,
such as cat, bat, box, dog, pig, hut.... Have the child slowly sound
out each letter. You can further enable them to understand the blending
by writing the letters on individual pieces of paper and by moving the
letters together as your child makes the sound. We also use our fingers
to blend the sounds together. Hold up your left pointer finger for
the initial sound and your right pointer and middle fingers for the other
two sounds. First say them separately; r...at, then move your fingers together
as you say them.It helps if you work in word families. ( at, ig, ut, ox,
it, ag,etc.)
You
could also do this using plastic or magnetic letters.
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My child
is beginning to read. What are the best materials to use to reinforce
what she knows and to build her confidence?
For my beginning readers, I like to use books
with few words and with words that use predictable patterns for blending.
In other words, not a book that will overwhelm the child with too many
words or too many sight words that cannot be blended. I like the
Road to Reading books from Target. There are also some good beginning
readers at Walmart. Of course, you can find plenty of materials at
the public library. Please save and use the paper books we make and send
home from school. When we first do these, many of the children only
chant along with the readers. Hold onto these books until they can
read them! These are also an excellent source of high frequency words.
Use materials other than books. Have them read the directions for
making macaroni and cheese off the box! Watch their confidence soar!
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My child
is progressing well in reading, but his writing skills are very weak. What
can I do?
Reading skills always surpass writing skills. It is a struggle to "create
" the words on paper. Think of it this way; If I give you a puzzle,
you can probably put it together. On the other hand if I tell you
to create a puzzle, that might be a problem. It's the same with words.
They are puzzles that the children are blending together to see the whole
picture. Start slowly by just letting them write words they are familiar
with and can easily blend. They love to write down words like cat,
dog, mom and dad. Have them draw a picture and label it. Then move on to
all sorts of lists. Look around the room and help them to write down
what they see. I've said before that when I was little, I copied the labels
from my mom's food pantry! When your child is ready to move on to sentences,
start simply with things like, I see a ______, I can _______, I like_______.
With practice and confidence your child will be writing!
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How can
I help my child with math skills?
Count everything! Help your child practice writing numbers.
This takes time and practice. Don't be discouraged if several of
the numbers are backwards. This is typical.Start asking your child things
that helps them to create math sentences.
If
there are two birds in the tree and one more comes to join them; how many
birds will be in the tree? If I give you four pieces of candy and
then I give you two more; how many pieces will you have altogether?
It helps if you have something to represent the items. Craft sticks
are great. Other ideas are buttons, beans, pieces of pasta.....That
way the child can see how the amount gets smaller or bigger. Of course
you can do the same thing for subtraction. If there are three birds
in the tree and one flies away; how many are left?
Play board games where your child has to count spaces or objects.These
reinforce many math skills.
Introduce your child to money by counting pennies. It's a great help
if your child at least knows the names of the coins. You can practice
counting to 100 with pennies. Practice counting by 5's with nickles
and practice counting by 10's with dimes.
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My friend's
child is the same age as mine and he is reading. Why isn't my child
reading?
First of all when children are young, we shouldn't label them so much by
their age as by their stage. No two children grow in exactly the
same way or at the same pace. As long as your child is being given what
he needs to learn at his particular stage; I wouldn't worry. I have had
students break all the "rules" I have had the youngest boy in my
class surpass older girls. I have had the oldest child lag behind
younger children. Each child is unique. They come with different experiences
and abilities. It is not a one size fits all.Remember that baby book
that told you when your child was supposed to walk, talk, and sleep through
the night? Remember how you laughed and put that book away when you had
your second child? It's the same with reading. Most children
will read when they are ready to read and you can't push it anymore than
you could have pushed them to walk at six months of age.Relax and enjoy
your child at each stage. They grow all too fast. Before you
know it they will be reading a driver's manual and you'll wonder why you
ever wanted them to learn to read!
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