Phonetic Reading A Practical Approach to Teaching Phonetic Reading

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BACKGROUND

This book is an adaptation of the Montessori Beginning Reading Manual (MWEI) whose

authors Margaret Homfray and Phoebe Child were Dr Maria Montessori’s first two disciples

in England. It is dedicated to the pre-school teachers and teacher trainers with whom my

Montessori colleagues and I have had the honour and pleasure of sharing this unique

Montessori Beginning Reading System.

From experience, we know that a book like this is invaluable and will be welcomed as a

quick pick-up reference to refresh the participants’ memory of the training they have

undergone at our English Language Workshops. The participants’ positive response and

enthusiasm made our workshops a resounding success and their written feedback confirmed

the need for such a book to guide and sustain them on the road to bringing literacy in

English to the children of Malaysia. We hope that even the most uninitiated will find this

book easy to digest and the Beginning Reading System easy to implement.

The benefits of the Montessori Method have long been the domain of a select group of

people – those who were able to afford the training and the children who have had the

privilege of attending Montessori Pre-Schools. The public at large only have a vague

knowledge that a Montessori Preschool education is good but exclusive to the rich and

beyond the reach of the masses. In pedagogic circles, the Montessori Method maybe

regarded as obsolete but many parents and governments still recognise its success as an

effective approach to beginning reading in Early Childhood Education. Hence this book is a

start to demystify the Montessori System and making it accessible to all. With a hope and a

prayer, we are confident that this book will pave the way for future training and publication in

the remaining Montessori curriculum areas namely Practical Life, Sensorial Education,

Beginning Mathematics and Cultural Subjects.

Mrs Liew Sau Pheng

Note to the Reader

In this book, for the purposes of simplification, the teacher is referred to as “she”, while the

child is referred to as “he”.

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CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1:INTRODUCTION TO PHONETIC READING ........................................ 3

CHAPTER 2: PRE-READING ACTIVITIES ................................................................ 4

CHAPTER 3: GEOMETRIC INSETS FOR DESIGN ................................................. 12

CHAPTER 4: SANDPAPER LETTERS………………………………………………….17

CHAPTER 5: WRITING……………………………………………………………………22

CHAPTER 6: LARGE MOVABLE ALPHABET………………………………………….24

CHAPTER 7: PHONETIC READING – LEVEL 1 - Pink Scheme ……………..........31

CHAPTER 8: SIGHT WORDS ................................................................................. 42

CHAPTER 9: PHONETIC READING –LEVEL 2 - Blue Scheme .............................. 44

CHAPTER 10: ADVANCED PHONETIC READING METERIALS…………………...52

Appendices

1)PINK SCHEME - Three-letter or shorter phonetic words ....................................... 61

2)BLUE SCHEME - Four-letter or longer phonetic words ......................................... 62

3)Un-phonetic Letters or Phonograms ..................................................................... 63

4)Silent Letters ..................................................................................................... 65

5)Simple Irregularities .............................................................................................. 65

6)Compound Words ................................................................................................. 66

7)Sight Words - The 100 Most Frequent Words by Edwards and Summers ............. 67

8)Making Picture Cards for Pink and Blue Schemes ................................................ 68

9)Making Word Cards for Pink and Blue Schemes ................................................... 68

10)Making Big Picture Cards for Pink and Blue Schemes ........................................ 69

11)Making Silent Reading Cards for Pink and Blue Schemes .................................. 70

12)Making Word Lists for Pink and Blue Schemes ................................................... 71

Reference list……………………………………………………………………………….72

Panel of writers…………………………………………………………………………… 73

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CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION TO PHONETIC READING

Montessori Beginning Reading System is a fail-proof way of helping children learn the

sounds of the English Alphabet, first by writing then by reading. The first piece of apparatus

in this system– the Geometric Insets for Design - introduces the child to all the lines and

curves of the 26 letters of the English Alphabet through a variety of enjoyable exercises

which are aimed at giving him pencil control and eye-hand coordination.

Following this, the child is presented with the Sandpaper Letters and is taught the phonetic

sound of each letter using the 3-period lesson. First he hears the sound of the letters and

traces them with the first two fingers of his dominant hand (i.e. feels the way the letter is

written). He is able to discriminate between two contrasting sounds correctly. This is the

acclaimed multi-sensory approach to reading: the child hears the sound, sees its

representation in the form of a letter, feels the correct way it is written with his fingers and

articulates the sounds. In this way a good motor pattern for handwriting is developed. In

contrast, a child taught by the “Look and Say” method is limited to the words that he has

been specifically taught. He depends on his memory to recall these words. With this

phonetic approach the child is able to sound out or decode any new word he confronts. This

approach is by far simpler and more effective, as 80% of the time, letters use the phonetic

sounds. Therefore with this knowledge the child has a better head start.

Unlike the traditional approach, the Montessori System teaches the phonetic sounds of the

letters before introducing the names of the letters so as not to confuse the child. He learns

to associate one sound with one letter and that sound does not change. If the sound

changes, the letter becomes non-phonetic. This often happens because some letters can

represent more than one sound. Other sounds that are less frequently used than the

phonetic sounds are also taught later as phonograms or as sight words. It is best for

children to learn one thing at a time. The names of the letters can be taught later. This is

the same with capital letters. In addition the child learns to listen for the same sound in

different parts of a word and not just at the beginning. With intensive practise using the

Large Movable Alphabet, the child goes into word building with the sounds and soon

becomes aware of the sequence of sounds in words.

Reading in English always involves an interplay of skills and experiences, none of which can

be neglected! Therefore a child is moved further into the reading process with the help of

objects and picture cards, and finally matching them with the word cards. Thus he makes

the breakthrough to literacy and begins to read phonetically, enjoying each step of the

journey. From sounding out letters to reading words, from words to phrases, phrases to

short sentences and then longer ones, the child graduates to reading story books all by

himself!

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CHAPTER 2

PRE-READING ACTIVITIES

INTRODUCTION TO PRE-READING ACTIVITIES

Children like repetition, therefore we have chosen pre-reading activities such as songs, chants, games and stories that contain repetitions in terms of spoken English to make their learning an enjoyable experience!

PURPOSE OF PRE-READING ACTIVITIES

As most of our Malaysian children do not have the exposure to spoken English at a young age, it is essential that pre-reading activities are introduced before starting them on the Phonetic Reading System. The pre-reading activities enable the child to hear the spoken language through songs, chants, games and stories. And because children find the English expressions enjoyable, they love to repeat them, thus making the learning effective.

SONGS Creating the environment for singing The whole class is involved in the singing. The singing is usually carried out in a large open

space with the children standing in a circle. The songs are accompanied by interesting

actions and gestures that the child sees and follows. The children will eventually memorize

the songs and be able to sing by themselves.

Presentation

The teacher invites the children to stand in a circle and tells them to listen while she sings.

Then she teaches them the song line by line together with the action. Finally everyone will

sing together.

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Examples of songs Where is Thumbkin? Where is Thumbkin, where is Thumbkin? Here I am, Here I am, How are you this morning? Very well, I thank you Run Away, Run Away Where is Pointer, where is Pointer? Here I am, Here I am, How are you this morning? Very well, I thank you Run Away, Run Away Where is Tall Man, where is Tall Man? Here I am, Here I am, How are you this morning? Very well, I thank you Run Away, Run Away Where is Ring Man, Where is Ring Man? Here I am, Here I am, How are you this morning? Very well, I thank you Run Away, Run Away Where is Pinky, Where is Pinky? Here I am, Here I am, How are you this morning? Very well, I thank you Run Away, Run Away The Wheels on the Bus The wheels on the bus go round and round, Round and round; round and round. The wheels on the bus go round and round, All day long The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish swish, swish, swish; swish, swish, swish The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish All day long The horn on the bus goes beep, beep, beep beep, beep, beep; beep, beep, beep The horn on the bus goes beep, beep, beep All day long

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The people on the bus go up and down up and down; up and down The people on the bus go up and down All day long The babies on the bus go weh, weh, weh weh, weh, weh; weh, weh, weh The babies on the bus go weh, weh, weh All day long The mommies on the bus go shhh, shhh, shhh shhh, shhh, shhh; shhh, shhh, shhh The mommies on the bus go shhh, shhh, shhh All day long Head And Shoulders Knees And Toes Head and shoulders knees and toes (knees and toes) Head and shoulders knees and toes (knees and toes) Eyes and ears and mouth and nose Head and shoulders knees and toes (knees and toes) I’m A Little Teapot I’m a little teapot, short and stout Here is my handle And here is my spout When the water’s boiling Hear me SHOUT! Tip me over and pour me out Tip me over and pour me out Leo the Lion Leo the Lion Is the King of the Jungle And he loves to roar and roar ROAR!!! Leo the Lion When he roars is a warning That you better run and hide ROAR!!

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Hokey Cokey You put your right hand in You put your right hand out You put your right hand in And you shake it all about You do the Hokey Cokey And you turn around That’s what it’s all about (clap, clap) You put your left hand in You put your left hand out You put your left hand in And you shake it all about You do the Hokey Cokey And you turn around That’s what it’s all about (clap, clap) Ooo… The Hokey Cokey Mmm… The Hokey Cokey Ooo… The Hokey Cokey Knees bent Arms stretched Rah! Rah! Rah! You put your right foot in You put your right foot out You put your right foot in And you shake it all about You do the Hokey Cokey And you turn around That’s what it’s all about (clap, clap) You put your left foot in You put your left foot out You put your left foot in And you shake it all about You do the Hokey Cokey And you turn around That’s what it’s all about (clap, clap) Ooo… The Hokey Cokey Mmm… The Hokey Cokey Ooo… The Hokey Cokey Knees bent Arms stretched Rah! Rah! Rah! You put your whole self in You put your whole self out You put your whole self in And you shake it all about You do the Hokey Cokey

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And you turn around That’s what it’s all about (clap, clap) You do the Hokey Cokey And you turn around That’s what it’s all about (clap, clap) You put your left foot in You put your left foot out You put your left foot in And you shake it all about You do the Hokey Cokey And you turn around That’s what it’s all about (clap, clap) Ooo… The Hokey Cokey Mmm… The Hokey Cokey Ooo… The Hokey Cokey Knees bent Arms stretched Rah! Rah! Rah! You put your whole self in You put your whole self out You put your whole self in And you shake it all about You do the Hokey Cokey And you turn around That’s what it’s all about (clap, clap)

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CHANTS

Creating the environment for chanting

The whole class is involved in the chanting. The chanting is usually carried out in a large open space with the children standing in a circle. The chants are accompanied by interesting actions and gestures that the child may learn and follow. The children will eventually memorize the chants and be able to chant by themselves.

Presentation

The teacher invites the children to stand in a circle and tells them to listen while she chants. Then she will teach them the chant line by line together with the action. Finally everyone will chant together.

Example of chants Three Little Monkeys Three little monkeys were jumping on the bed One fell off and bumped his head His mommy called the doctor and the doctor said, “No more jumping on the bed!” Two little monkeys were jumping on the bed One fell off and bumped his head His mommy called the doctor and the doctor said, “Do keep those monkeys off that bed!” One little monkey was jumping on the bed he fell off and bumped his head His mommy called the doctor and the doctor said, “Well that’s what you get for jumping on the bed!”

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GAMES

Creating the environment for games

The whole class is involved in the game. The game is usually carried out in a large open space with the children standing in a circle. The teacher takes on the main role and assigns names or numbers to each player. She takes on the main role and starts the game. Once the children have understood the rules they conduct the games themselves.

Example of games The Prince of Paris The teacher invites the children to volunteer themselves. She needs six or seven children to take part in the game. Then she will run through the game with the children, getting them to repeat after her. Finally the game will start and everyone gets a turn.

Round 1 No. 1 : The Prince of Paris has lost his hat. Have you found it No. 4 sir? No. 4 : (Jumps up) What sir, I sir? No. 1 : Yes sir, you sir! No. 4 : No sir, not I, sir! No. 1 : Who then, sir? No. 4 : No. 7, sir. Round 2 No. 7 : (Jumps up) What sir, I sir? No. 4 : Yes sir, you sir! No. 7 : No sir, not I, sir! No. 4 : Who then, sir? No. 7 : No. 1, sir. Round 3 No. 1 : (Jumps up) What sir, I sir? No. 7 : Yes sir, you sir! No. 1 : No sir, not I, sir! No. 7 : Who then, sir? No. 1 : No. 2, sir. No. 2 : (Jumps up) What sir, I sir? And the game continues on until everyone has had a turn. The teacher brings the game to a close by getting the last child to say: Yes sir, I found it sir!

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STORIES

Creating the environment for story telling

The story is usually read to the whole class. The teacher reads the story to the whole class in a lively manner at a pace which the children can follow. After reading to the children for a while, the teacher will involve them in the reading because the story session should be interactive and participatory.

Presentation

The teacher stands in front of the class and tells the children, “Today I am going to tell you an interesting story about <name of story>”. Then she starts to read the story and reads the story slowly with expression. When she comes to the spoken parts, she will invite the children to repeat the lines with her. This continues until the end of the story. As the children become more and more familiar with the story, they will take over the story telling.

Examples of stories A few example of stories that can be used are “Chicken Licken”, “The House That Jack Built”, “Billy Goat Gruff”, and “The Enormous Turnip”.

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CHAPTER 3

GEOMETRIC INSETS FOR DESIGN

INTRODUCTION TO THE GEOMETRIC INSETS FOR DESIGN In the Montessori approach, the child learns to write before he learns to read. The child is given 10 geometrical shapes either in metal or in plastic, and he uses these to learn to write the 26 letters of the alphabet. The frames are in pink and the insets are in blue and the paper that the child uses are squares of coloured paper cut to fit the size of the frames. Boxes of 48 to 60 different coloured pencils are given so that the child is exposed to a wide range of colours, making the exercises enjoyable. Note: The Geometric Insets shown below on Fig 3.1 come in two parts, i.e. the blue insets and the pink frames. Exercises 3, 6 & 7 allow the child to use both blue insets and pink frames, while Exercises 1, 2 ,4 and 5 uses only the pink frames.

Fig 3.1

Geometric Insets for Design

Fig 3.2 Fig 3.3

Inset Paper Coloured Pencils

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Curved Shapes Circle Ellipse Oval Curvilinear Triangle Quatrefoil

(Fig 3.4)

Lined shapes

Square Rectangle Triangle

Trapezoid Pentagon

(Fig 3.5)

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PURPOSE OF THE GEOMETRIC INSETS FOR DESIGN This apparatus prepares the hand for writing by helping the child acquire eye-hand coordination and pencil control through an enjoyable exercise. It also introduces the child to artwork and colour schemes as well as gives him an understanding of geometric designs and symmetry, thus laying the foundation for mathematics. Presentation Exercise 1: Single Shape

The teacher asks the child to choose one shape from the insets and two contrasting coloured pencils e.g. red and blue together with a piece of inset paper. She invites the child to join her and says, “Today I am going to show you how to work with the Insets for Design. Watch me carefully.”She shows the child how to use the frame to trace the shape onto the paper anti-clockwise, without lifting the pencil off the paper. The teacher draws parallel lines that go from left to right from one end of the shape to the other. She draws the lines so close together that no paper can be seen between the lines. Halfway through, she invites the child to do the same, asking “Would you like to try?”. Once the child understands what he should do, the teacher leaves him to work alone. He can choose his own coloured paper and pencils and any frame to practise the exercise. Exercise 2: Symmetry

The aim of this exercise is to show the child how to make a symmetrical design. The teacher chooses a frame (e.g. the rectangle) and draws it on the inset paper. She then turns the frame 90 degrees and draws a second rectangle. The child looks at the resulting design which is now a square with four rectangular arms. The design can be filled in with any colour scheme the child desires, but it is better that he does not use the same colour for the two adjacent sections of the design. The child can take any shape to use in this way.

Fig 3.7

Fig3.6

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Exercise 3: Double Outline

The teacher asks a child to choose a frame together with its inset, as well as coloured paper and two contrasting coloured pencils. She tells the child to draw the frame in one colour and then shows him how to cover the inset exactly over the drawn shape. The child traces around the inset with the other coloured pencil. He notices how the second shape appears just outside the first one and the result that the hollow frame and the solid inset give.

Fig 3.8

Exercise 4: More Than One Shape

The teacher demonstrates to the child how to make designs using more than one shape(e.g. with a circle and a triangle). The child then draws patterns with the frames or insets and then colours them.

Fig 3.9

Exercise 5: Monochromatic Design

The teacher suggests to a child to colour his design in different shades of the same colour. For example, using a dark red coloured pencil and applying a different pressure each time, he can get three shades of red – dark, medium and light red.

Fig 3.10

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Exercise 6: All Over Design

The child is encouraged to draw designs that fill up the whole paper.

Fig 3.11

Exercise 7: Border Design

This exercise requires a long strip of paper that has the length of three frames. The child makes a border design by moving the frame along the paper.

Fig 3.12

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CHAPTER 4 SANDPAPER LETTERS

INTRODUCTION TO THE SANDPAPER LETTERS Sandpaper Letters are used to teach the 26 phonetic sounds of the English Alphabet. The sandpaper letters representing the sounds are mounted on cards. The vowels are on pale blue cards and the consonants on pale pink cards. Only the finest sandpaper is used. There is sufficient space on either side of the cards for both right-handed and left-handed children. The printed letters usually have the same font as those that the children see in books.

Fig 4.1

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PURPOSE OF THE SANDPAPER LETTERS The Sandpaper Letters teach the sounds and shapes of the English Alphabet. Every letter of the alphabet is given a sound value. These sounds as represented by the letters of the English Alphabet (consonants and vowels) are the smallest and most precise sounds in speech that a human ear can hear. The phonetic sound of a letter is the clear sound most commonly used in words.

“a” as in “ant”

“b” as in “bus”

“c” as in “cat”

“d” as in “dog”

“e” as in “hen”

“f” as in “fig”

“g” as in “got”

“h” as in “hat”

“i” as in “ink

“j” as in “jam”

“k” as in “kit”

“l” as in “lap”

“m” as in “men”

“n” as in “nod”

“o” as in “ox”

“p” as in “pet”

“q” as in “quit”

“r” as in “ram”

“s” as in “sun”

“t” as in “ten”

“u” as in “up”

“v” as in “van”

“w” as in “wet”

“x” as in “fox”

“y” as in “yes”

“z” as in “zip”

We refer to the letters of the alphabet by their sounds not by their names because sounds help the pronunciation of words, while names are only used in reciting the alphabet. One does not teach the names and the sounds together because this will confuse the child. It would also be difficult for the child to remember both names and sounds. Only after the children have mastered the sounds, then the names of the letters are introduced. The Sandpaper Letters apparatus enables the child to acquire a muscular memory of the shapes of the letters in preparation for writing.

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SANDPAPER LETTERS: A MULTI-SENSORY APPROACH TO LEARNING THE ALPHABET In the multi-sensory approach, the child hears the sound, sees its form, feels the way it is written and says the sound. The child is also guided to listen for the same sound appearing in different parts of the word, that is, at the beginning, in the middle and at the end. And, with practise, he becomes aware of the sequence of sounds in words. A 3-Period Lesson is conducted with the sandpaper letters. THE 3-PeriodLesson The Montessori teacher uses the following script to introduce the 3-Period Lesson. Introduction The teacher tells the child, “Today we are going to learn two sounds with the Sandpaper Letters. Let‟s go and wash our hands with soap and warm water.”This makes the hands more sensitive to touch and gives the child a muscular memory of the shape of the letter and the way it should be written.

Fig 4.2

The teacher and the child then go to the shelf and select two letters that contrast in shape and sound and return to the table. The teacher sits beside the child and starts the 3-Period lesson. Fig 4.3

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First Period The teacher places one letter in front of the child and traces the letter lightly in the direction in which it is written using the first two fingers of her dominant hand, saying “This is “s”. Feel “s”.” Then she gets the child to feel the letter in the same way and makes sure that he traces it in the direction in which it is written. (If the child does not say the sound at this stage, the teacher says it for him.) The same process is repeated with the second letter. She says, “This is “t”. Feel “t” and so on. Second Period The teacher checks whether the child has made the connection between the sound and the shape of the letter. She places both the letters in front of the child and says, “Write “s”. Do it again.”Then she asks him, “Write “t”. Do it again.”Next, she changes the position of the two letters and asks the child to write and say the letters again. When she finds that the child is sure of the sound, she continues to the Third Period. If the child makes a mistake at this stage, the teacher takes the child back to the First Period and simply starts again. Third Period The teacher checks if the child can pronounce the sounds correctly. Placing one letter in front of the child, she tells him, “Feel the letter. Say the sound.” The process is repeated with the second letter. Conclusion Once the teacher knows that the child can pronounce the sounds correctly, she ends the lesson by giving the child an idea of how the letters come together in words. She asks “Can you hear “s” when I say “sun”, when I say “blossom”, when I say “miss”? Can you hear “t” when I say “truck”, when I say “button” when I say “mat”? Then she sends the child off with this thought, “If you can think of more words with “s” and “t” in them, come and tell me.” (For a sample list of words where the sound of a letter appears in the beginning, the middle and at the end, please refer to the next page.) Note: If the child already knows the names of the letters, the teacher can explain to him that each letter has a name and a sound. Since he knows the names, then she only needs to teach him the sounds. At no time should the child be exposed to both the name and the sound in the same lesson.

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A sample list of words where the sound of a letter appears in the beginning, the middle and at the end.

Sound Sound in the beginning Sound in the middle Sound at the end

a ant man -

b bag robin cub

c crab - plastic

d dog middle rod

e end net -

f fan muffin if

g gum magnet flag

h hat behind -

i if kid deli

j jack sojourn -

k kid ski drink

l lip clock till

m milk comet drum

n nut bonnet tin

o ox mop -

p pot trumpet cap

q quilt liquid -

r ring barren fur

s sun blossom miss

t truck button mat

u up bus -

v vest living rev

w well wigwam -

x - exit box

y yak beyond -

z zip zigzag buzz

Table 4.1

Note: When a space is empty it means that for that particular letter no word was found that contains the sound in that position.

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CHAPTER 5 WRITING

INTRODUCTION TO WRITING The sandpaper letters have prepared the child’s hand for writing. As a sequel to the sandpaper letters the child needs to master the art of manipulating a writing instrument and forming letters through a variety of activities. Once the child has been working with the insets for design and is seen to have good pencil control, he can be introduced to writing. It is important at this stage to introduce the child to a writing table where he can go to practise his writing skills. PURPOSE OF WRITING

The purpose of writing is to enable the child to transfer the skills learnt with the insets for design and the sandpaper letters to writing with a variety of writing tools on different surfaces. Presentation

The teacher shows the child where he can practise his writing skills. She then invites him to

choose a sandpaper letter by saying, “Today, we are going to write the shape of a

sandpaper letter on a piece of paper.”

Fig5.1

“Choose a letter.” “Feel the shape.” “Do it again.”

The child is encouraged to feel the shape for at least 3 times.

“Now use a pencil to write it down on paper.”

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Note: The teacher observes that the child does not lift the pencil except when writing the

letters “k” and “x”, crossing the “f” and “t” and dotting the “i” and “j”. Take care that the child

learns the right way of writing a letter in the beginning as it will difficult to correct him later on.

As a variation to the above-mentioned activity, the child can be shown how to write on a

sand tray or a chalk board or on a whiteboard.

The teacher is encouraged to use the following print for writing the letters of the alphabet.

Fig5.2

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CHAPTER 6 LARGE MOVABLE ALPHABET

INTRODUCTION TO THE LARGE MOVABLE ALPHABET The Large Movable Alphabet is contained in a large box with twenty eight compartments filled with blue vowels and pink consonants and dots for the “i”s and “j”s. With this apparatus the children who have completed the sandpaper letters are able to practise breaking phonetic words into sounds as a preparation for reading, writing and spelling.

Fig6.1

The exercise is broken down into three stages. In Stage 1, the teacher revises the sounds taught previously using the sandpaper letters. There are two parts to the second stage. Part One of Stage 2 involves the child in building three letter or less phonetic words. In the Second Part, the child builds four letter or longer phonetic words. At Stage 3, the child builds words with objects and picture cards. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LARGE MOVABLE ALPHABET Beginning reading involves the skill of transforming symbols (letters of the alphabet) into sounds for which the child needs a lot of practice. The Large Moveable Alphabet enables the child to revise the sounds he has learned and to understand that these are the smallest units of sounds that the letters of the code or the alphabet stand for. The children will go on to learn that the letters on a page (the printed word) stand for specific sounds in spoken English and the process of matching letters to sounds then make sense to them.

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STAGE 1: REVISING THE SOUNDS Purpose of Revising the Sounds The purpose of using the Large Movable Alphabet at this stage is for revising the sounds taught previously with the sandpaper letters. Presentation This is a group activity. The teacher spreads a large green mat on the floor and calls 3 or 4 children of the same ability to sit on the floor. She says, “Today we are going to revise the sounds of the Sandpaper Letters.” She opens the Large Moveable Alphabet and puts the box in the lid in front of the children. The children take a look at the letters and then the teacher asks for various letters by their sounds. She asks them, “Can you find “b”?” Put “b” on the mat.”Every child tries to find the letters. They do not need to take turns.

Fig6.2 When they have finished, she asks them, “Can you find “k”?” Put “k” on the mat.”

Fig6.3 She waits for them to finish and then she asks them, “Can you find “q”?” Put “q” on the mat.”

Fig6.4 When they have had sufficient practise, they all help to place the letters back into the box. She says, “Put back “b”. Put back “k”. Put back “q”.”The teacher can continue to ask for more sounds.

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STAGE 2: PART 1 – BUILDING 3-LETTER OR SHORTER PHONETIC WORDS Purpose of Building 3-letteror shorter phonetic words The purpose of using the Large Movable Alphabet at this stage is to help the child build and analyse3-letter or shorter phonetic words. Presentation This is another a group activity. The teacher spreads a large green mat on the floor and calls on the same group of children to take part, using the same arrangement of materials. The teacher tells the children, “Now we are going to make words.” She asks them, “What sounds can you hear when I say „cat‟?. c-a-t, c-a-t, „cat‟”. Find the sounds that make up the word “cat”. Put them on the mat.” When they have finished, the teacher puts the letters in the correct sequence, sounds the letters and reads the words back to the children a few times. She pronounces the sound of each letter individually and then as a whole word. She smiles and says, “We have made the word c-a-t, cat”.

Fig6.5 Then she begins the next round by asking, “What sounds can you hear when I say „tin‟?” t-i-n, t-i-n, tin. Find the sounds that make up the word “tin”. Put them on the mat.” When they have finished, the teacher puts the letters in the correct sequence and sounds the letters and says the word, “We have made the word t-i-n, tin”. The teacher continues with more 3-letter phonetic words.

Fig6.6 Note: A list of 3-letter or shorter phonetic words is provided in the Appendices.

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STAGE 2: PART 2 – BUILDING 4-LETTEROR LONGER PHONETIC WORDS Purpose of Building 4-letteror longer phonetic words The purpose of using the Large Movable Alphabet at this stage is to help the child build and analyse 4-letter or longer phonetic words.

Presentation This is a group activity. The teacher spreads a large green mat on the floor and calls on the same group of children to take part, using the same arrangement of materials. She tells the children, “Now we are going to make words.”

She asks them, “What sounds can you hear when I say „hand‟ h-a-n-d , h-a-n-d, hand.” She breaks up the words into individual sounds “h–a–n-d” and says them faster and faster until the children hears the word “hand”. She asks the children, “Find the sounds that make up the word “hand”. Put them on the mat.”The teacher arranges the letters in the correct sequence to make the word “hand”. At this stage, the teacher may encourage each child to sound the letters and say the word that he has made. She asks him, “Now, can you sound these letters and say the word?”If the child is unable, then the teacher will say the word for him.

Fig6.7 “What sounds can you hear when I say „frog‟?” f-r-o-g, f-r-o-g, frog. Find the sounds that make up the word “frog”. Put them on the mat.” The teacher puts the letters in the correct sequence. She asks him, “Now, can you sound these letters and say the word?” If the child is unable, then the teacher will say the word for him.

Fig6.8

28

Note: A list of 4-letter or longer phonetic words are provided in the Appendices.

The teacher should not point out a child’s mistake during this stage of word-building. If they cannot give the word, the teacher says it for them. The child needs a lot of practise in order to build the words correctly. The teacher gives them any help they ask for. STAGE 3: PART 1 – BUILDING WORDS USING OBJECTS Purpose of Building Words Using Objects The child who is able to build 3-letter phonetic words with the Large Movable Alphabet is ready to work alone using objects to build words with minimal help from the teacher. Presentation

The teacher spreads a large green mat on the floor and invites the child to sit beside her. She opens a pink box containing small objects whose names are 3-letter phonetic words. She shows the child how to put the box on the lid and take out the objects. The teacher uses the following script. “Today we are going to use objects to make words.“What is this object? Name this object.”The child tells the teacher that the name of the object (Fig 6.9) is a hen.

Fig6.9 “Now find the sounds to make the name of the object.” The child finds the sounds from the box of Large Movable Alphabet and places them on the mat.

Fig6.10 “You have made the word “hen”, h-e-n “hen”. After the child has had sufficient practise with the 3-letter phonetic objects, he may use the 4-letter or longer phonetic objects from the blue scheme in the same way.

29

Fig6.11 Fig6.12

The teacher reads the words back to the child as a preparation for the child to read for himself. The teacher says the sound of each letter of the word, says them quickly, faster and faster until the word is formed. The child sounds and reads in a similar manner. The teacher encourages the child to work independently with the remaining boxes. The child may make a spelling mistake, but as long as the child is working with interest, the teacher must not interfere. If the child repeatedly misspells the same word, he can be shown the correct spelling politely. For example, the teacher can write the correct spelling on a piece of paper and give it to the child and say. “This is how we write this word.”

STAGE 3: PART 2 – BUILDING WORDS USING PICTURE CARDS Purpose of Building words using Picture Cards The child who is able to build words with the objects is ready to work with the picture cards. Presentation The teacher spreads a large green mat on the floor and invites the child to sit beside her. She opens a pink box containing small picture cards whose names are 3-letter phonetic words. She shows the child how to put the box on the lid and lay out the picture cards. Then she shows him how to take each card and build its name beside it and then takes another picture card to do the same. The teacher uses the following script.

“Today we are going to use picture cards to make words.” “What is in the picture? Can you name it? “The child tells the teacher that the name of the picture in the card (Fig 6.13) is a fan.

Fig6.13

30

“Now find the sounds that make up the name.”The child finds the sounds from the box of Large Movable Alphabet and places them on the mat.

Fig6.14

“You have made the word “fan”, f-a-n “fan”. When the child has had enough practise with the 3-letter phonetic word picture cards, the child may use the 4-letter or longer phonetic word picture cards from the blue box and continue to build words with them.

Fig 6.15

Fig6.16

Note: In introducing the activity to a child, the teacher says the sound of each letter of the word, says them quickly, faster and faster until the word is formed. The child sounds and reads in a similar manner. The teacher encourages the child to work independently with the remaining boxes.

31

CHAPTER 7 PHONETIC READING

LEVEL 1 – THE 3-LETTER PHONETIC WORDS: PINK SCHEME

Introduction to Phonetic Reading – Pink Scheme The Pink Scheme consists of reading materials that make use of 3-letter phonetic words. There are 5 variations of reading materials in the Pink Scheme: 1. Pink boxes of attractive objects with corresponding word cards. 2. Pink boxes of picture cards with corresponding word cards. 3. Big pink cards with six pictures and space under each for the name cards. 4. Pink boxes labelled “Silent Reading” containing squares of coloured paper with 3-letter

phonetic words written on them. 5. Long lists of 3-letter phonetic words. Purpose of Phonetic Reading – Pink Scheme The purpose of the Pink Scheme is to provide a variety of materials for reading practise in order to make reading enjoyable. Presentation Objects and word cards

Fig7.1

The teacher takes the box of objects and sets it in front the child on the table, placing the box on the lid. The teacher says, “Today we are going to do some reading.”

Fig7.2

32

The teacher asks the child to place the objects in a row in front of him and invites the child to name each of them.

Fig7.3

“Place the objects in a row. Can you name each of them?” When the child is able to name each object, he receives a word card from the teacher. The teacher uses the following script: “This card contains the name of one of the objects.”

Fig7.4

“Can you say the sound of the letters in the name?” “Can you say them faster?” “Can you say them even faster?” The teacher continues to help the child say the sounds together faster and faster until the child hears the word. The child hears the word formed by the combined sounds and places the word card next to the object. “Now, match the word card to the object.” “You may work with this on your own.”

33

Fig7.5

The child continues independently with the rest of the objects and word cards.

Fig7.6

When the child has finished, the teacher helps the child check his work. “Can you read them to me?” The child reads the word cards. When he is finished, he puts the cards back into the box.

34

Picture cards and word cards

Fig7.7

The teacher takes the box of picture cards and sets it in front of the child on the table, placing the box on the lid.

Fig7.8

The teacher uses the following script, “Today we are going to do some reading.” The teacher invites the child to place the picture cards in a row in front of him and then to name them.“Place the picture cards in a row. Can you name each of them?”

35

Fig7.9

When the child is able to name each picture, he receives a word card from the teacher and she says, “This card contains the name of one of the pictures.”

Fig7.10

“Can you say the sound of the letters?” The teacher continues to help the child say the sounds together faster and faster until the child hears the word. The child hears the word formed by the combined sounds. The teacher tells him to match the word card to the picture card. “Now, match the word card to the picture card.”The child places the word card beside the picture card.

36

Fig7.11

“You may work with this on your own.” The child continues independently with the rest of the picture cards and word cards.

Fig7.12

37

When the child has finished, the teacher helps the child check his work. She says, “Can you read them to me?” The child reads the word cards and when he has finished, he puts the cards back into the box. Big Picture Cards and Word Cards

Fig7.13

The teacher takes a big picture card with the packet of word cards and sets them in front of the child and says, “Today we are going to do a matching exercise.”

38

Fig7.14

The teacher places the big picture card in front of the child and asks the child to name each picture. The child receives a word card from the teacher and is asked to read the word.

Fig7.15

“Can you read this word?”The child reads the word “bus” (Fig 7.15). “Now, match the word card to the picture.”

39

Fig7.16

The child continues independently with the rest of the big picture cards and word cards.

Fig7.17

40

Silent Reading Box

Fig7.18

The teacher takes a silent reading box and sets it in front of the child on the table, placing the box on the lid next to the box.

Fig7.19

She uses the script, “Today we are going to read silently and that means we don‟t make any sounds.”

The teacher demonstrates what it means by silent reading. She takes out one of the folded pieces of paper, unfolds it, reads the word silently, moving her lips as though she is making the sounds, folds it back and puts it on the lid.

Fig 7.20 Fig 7.21

She takes out another piece and another piece, each time reading them silently until the child gets the idea that she does not make a sound when she reads. She then invites him to do the same, saying, “Now, you try”.

The child takes out a piece of folded paper, unfolds it and then reads the word silently. The child continues to practise reading silently by himself until he finishes reading all the words. The teacher tells him, “You may work with this for as many times as you like. When you have finished, put it back on the shelf.” He then continues to practise with the remaining Silent Reading boxes.

41

Word Lists

Fig7.22

The teacher takes out a word list and sets it in front the child. She says, “Today you are going to do some reading with the word lists.” The teacher holds up the word list and invites the child to read the words. “Here is a list of words. Can you read them by yourself?” After the child finishes reading the list aloud, the teacher ends the lesson by saying, “You can continue to read other lists to yourself, silently.” At another time, the teacher will show the child how he can copy the words from the lists into a same sized paper with red and blue lines (Fig 7.23) to guide his writing. In this way the child will not only improve his reading but his writing as well.

Fig 7.23

Note: The Word Lists may be hung on the wall so that the child may read them at his leisure.

42

CHAPTER 8 SIGHT WORDS

INTRODUCTION TO SIGHT WORDS The common words like “a” and “the” cannot be read phonetically. Such words are taught as sight words to the child using the 3-Period Lesson with a box of words printed on square pieces of grey or beige paper.

Fig 8.1 Fig 8.2

PURPOSE OF SIGHT WORDS The purpose of sight words is to teach the common words that cannot be decoded phonetically. Teaching a child sight words will help the child read fluently and become an independent reader. PRESENTATION The teacher takes the box of sight words and sets it in front the child, placing the box on the lid. The teacher uses the 3-Period Lesson. Introduction “Today we are going to learn two sight words.” First Period “This is „a‟ „a‟ „a‟.” “This is „the‟ „the‟ „the‟.”

Second Period “Show me „the‟.” “Show me „a‟.” The teacher switches the cards and asks, “Show me „the‟.” “Show me „a‟.”

the a

43

Third Period She points to “a”. “What is this word?” The child tells the teacher that the word is “a”. She points to “the”.“What is this word?” The child tells the teacher that the word is “the”. Conclusion “Today, we have learned, “a” and “the”. You can take them out and name them for as many times as you like, and when you have finished, please return them to the shelf.” The teacher may use the same method to teach other sight words. For the list of the 100 Most Frequent Words by Edwards and Summers, please refer to the Appendices. Note: Please refer to the Appendices on how to make Sight Word cards.

44

CHAPTER 9 PHONETIC READING

LEVEL 2 – THE 4-LETTER PHONETIC WORDS: BLUE SCHEME

Introduction to Phonetic Reading - Blue Scheme The Blue Scheme consists of reading materials that make use of 4-letter phonetic words. There are 5 variations of reading materials in the Blue Scheme: 1. Blue boxes of attractive objects with corresponding word cards. 2. Blue boxes of picture cards with corresponding word cards. 3. Big blue cards with six pictures and space under each for the name cards. 4. Blue boxes labelled “Silent Reading” containing squares of coloured paper with 4-

letter or longer phonetic words written on them. 5. Long lists of 4-letter phonetic words.

Purpose of Phonetic Reading - Blue Scheme The purpose of the Blue Scheme is to provide the child with a variety of reading materials for practise and to make reading enjoyable to him. Presentation Objects and word cards

Fig9.1

The teacher takes the box of objects and sets it in front the child on the table, placing the box on the lid and says, “Today we are going to do some reading with some longer phonetic words.”

Fig9.2

45

The teacher invites the child to place the objects in a row in front of him and then to name them. “Place the objects in a row. Can you name each of them?”

Fig9.3

When the child is able to name each object, he receives a word card from the teacher and she says, “This card contains the name of one of the objects.”

Fig9.4

“Can you read this word?”The child says the sounds of the letters and pronounces the word. “Now, match the word card to the object.”

The teacher allows the child to work independently.

Fig 9.5 Fig 9.6

The child continues with the rest of the objects and word cards. The teacher returns to check on his work and listens as the child reads each word card.

46

Picture cards and word cards

Fig9.7

The teacher takes the box of picture cards and sets it in front of the child on the table, placing the box on the lid.

Fig9.8

She says, “Today we are going to do some reading with longer words.” The teacher invites the child to place the picture cards in a row in front of him and then to name them. She says, “Place the picture cards in a row. Can you name each of them?”

Fig9.9

47

When the child is able to name each picture, he receives a word card from the teacher and she says, “This card contains the name of one of the picture cards.”

Fig9.10

She asks him. “Can you read this word?”The child reads the word.

“Now, match the word card to the picture.”

Fig9.11

The child continues independently with the rest of the picture cards and word cards. The teacher returns to check on his work and listens as the child reads each word card.

Fig9.12

48

Big Picture Cards and Word Cards

Fig9.13

The teacher takes a big picture card with the packet of word cards and sets them in front of the child. She begins by saying, “Today we are going to do a matching exercise.”

Fig9.14

49

The child receives the packet of word cards from the teacher. She asks him. “Can you read this word?”

Fig9.15

The teacher then tells the child to, “Match the word card to the picture.”

Fig9.16

The child continues to work independently with the rest of the big picture cards and word cards.

Fig9.17

50

Silent Reading Box

Fig9.18

The teacher takes a silent reading box and sets it in front of the child on the table, placing the box separately from the lid. She tells the child to read silently as he has done for the Pink Scheme.

Fig9.19

The child takes out one of the folded pieces of paper one by one, unfolds it, reads the card silently, moving his lips as though he is making the sound, folds it back and puts it on the lid.

Fig 9.20 Fig 9.21

The child continues to practise reading silently by himself until he finishes reading all the words. He then continues to practise with the remaining silent reading boxes.

51

Word Lists

Fig9.22

The teacher takes out a word list and sets it in front the child. She says, “Today you are going to do some reading with lists of longer words.” She invites the child to take out a list, “Here is a list of words. Can you read them yourself?”. The child reads the list aloud. At another time, the teacher will invite him to copy the word list into a same sized paper with red and blue lines (Fig 7.23), just as he had done for the Word List from the Pink Scheme.” Note: The Word Lists may be hung on the wall so that the child may read them at his leisure.

52

CHAPTER 10 ADVANCED PHONETIC READING MATERIALS

Introduction to Advanced Phonetic Reading Materials The child who is ready for more advanced reading materials can look to the following reading materials for his reading practice:

1. Phrase booklets 2. Short Sentence booklets 3. Long Sentence booklets 4. Picture cards with matching sentence cards for comprehension (Comprehension

Cards) 5. Story Books

Research has shown that before the age of 6, children enjoy the study of language for its own sake. The Advanced Reading Materials enable the child to see connected prose – how words join together to make phrases, then short sentences, longer ones and finally to compositions in the form of story books. These reading materials holds the key to progress in the English language. Competency is the child’s goal and competency stems from repetition. Children repeat actions, and this is the time (from 4 ½ to 6 years), when he willingly practises reading to achieve mastery. The Purpose of Advanced Phonetic Reading Materials The purpose of giving the child more advanced reading materials in the form of Phrase Booklets, Short and Long Sentence booklets, Comprehension Cards and Story Books is to make the breakthrough to early literacy. The child must learn to read by himself with the appropriate and manageable reading materials that are designed for this purpose. In this way the child is set for success. The Advanced Reading Materials are specifically designed for training the skill of reading. It provides the constant and sustained practise in silent reading that the beginning reader really needs in order to acquire fluency after he has been building words from sounds. Preparation The teacher sets-up a book corner in the classroom and puts up the sign “SILENCE” so that children who go there to read will know that they have to be quiet.

53

Presentation The teacher shows a child how to remove a book from the shelf and to return it to its proper position when they have finished reading. He is told that he can take the books to read by himself whenever he feels like it. The teacher gives a lesson on how to handle and care for books. She shows the child how to turn the pages as he reads the books. The child should be able to read the phrases, short sentences and long sentences on his own. The child can self-correct by looking at the pictures. At first, he may pause between each word. If so, just ask him to listen to you while you read the phrases with expression and then read silently. Phrase Booklets Example:

Fig 10.1

Each booklet contains phrases and illustrations. The phrase booklets are to introduce a

phase i.e. phonetic words placed together in a meaningful way. Phrases do not have a verb,

capital letter or full stop. Sight words, “a” and “the” are introduced by the teacher using the

3-period lesson.

54

Short Sentence Booklets

Example:

Fig 10.2

Each Short Sentence booklet contains short sentences and illustrations. These booklets

introduce capital letters and full stops. A sentence must always have a verb. The teacher

can revise the new sight words, and introduce the concept of the capital letter at the

beginning and full stop at the end of the sentence. The child should then be able to read the

short sentences on his own, and can self-correct by looking at the picture.

Longer Sentence Booklets

Example:

Fig 10.3

Each booklet contains longer sentences and illustrations. These booklets are an extension

of the short sentence booklets, challenging the child with new vocabulary and longer

blending.

55

Introduction to Comprehension Cards

The child needs to understand the written word in order to match sentences with appropriate

picture cards. The comprehension cards may comprise of sentence cards with matching

picture cards. In each set of comprehension card, either one verb or one noun is varied

each time in otherwise constant sentences.

Purpose of Comprehension Cards

The purpose of comprehension cards is to check whether the child understands what he reads and if he is able to match the sentence he has read to the appropriate picture.

Presentation

The following 2 presentation are examples on how the comprehension cards are presented

to the child.

1) Comprehension Cards which focus on the Noun

The teacher takes the picture cards and sentence cards, sets them in front of the child and says, “Today we are going to do a matching exercise.”

Fig 10.4

The teacher invites the child to lay out the pictures. “Please lay out the pictures?”

56

Fig 10.5

The child receives a sentence card from the teacher. She asks him to read the sentence.“Can you read this sentence?”

Fig 10.6

She tells the child, “Now, match the sentence to the picture.” The teacher may leave the child to work independently by saying, “You may work with this on your own.”

57

Fig 10.7

The child continues to work independently with the rest of the pictures and sentences. When he has finished, she asks him, “Can you read them to me?” The child can choose to work with the cards again or put them back on the shelf and take another set of comprehension cards to work with.

58

2) Comprehension Cards which focus on the Verb

The teacher takes a new set of picture cards and sentence cards, and invites the child to work on it independently.“Today we are going to do a matching exercise. Would you like to work on this by yourself?”

Fig 10.8

The child lays out the pictures.

Fig 10.9

He reads a sentence.

59

Fig 10.10

Then the child matches the sentence to the appropriate picture.

Fig 10.11

The child continues to match the rest of the pictures and sentences independently.

The teacher returns to tell the child that he is free to choose to work with the cards again or

return them to the shelf and continue to work with other materials.

60

Choosing Story Books for Children's Reading Pleasure

Teachers must exercise care in choosing books for young children’s reading pleasure.

Books chosen for the young child should feed his mind and help him understand the world

around him. Examples of such books are books about animals, plants, vehicles, space,

buildings and how people live in different countries. The photography in these books should

be clear and attractive and the English used must be good and grammatical because as the

child reads, he is learning spelling, punctuation, sentence construction and the use of words.

A child’s aesthetic taste is formed in the early years. Therefore, as teachers or parents, we

have to provide him with the best that humankind can offer. If we give children books, then

these books must be well written with beautiful illustrations and the language used must be

rich.

61

APPENDICES

(1) PINK SCHEME - Three-letter or shorter phonetic words

bag

bed

bib

bin

box

bun

bus

cap

cat

cot

cup

dog

dot

fan

fez

fig

fin

fox

gum

hat

hen

hut

jam

jet

jug

kid

leg

lid

log

man

mat

men

mop

mud

mug

net

nut

ox

pan

peg

pen

pig

pin

pod

pot

pup

red

rod

six

sun

tap

ten

tin

top

tub

van

web

wig

yak

zip

62

(2) BLUE SCHEME - Four-letter or longer phonetic words

bell

belt

black

blot

brick

bulb

bunk

button

clam

cliff

clip

clock

clog

club

cock

crab

crisp

cross

desk

doll

dress

drum

duck

flag

flex

frog

gong

gull

hand

hill

kilt

king

kitten

lamp

lemon

lemon

lock

magnet

milk

mill

mitt

muff

neck

nest

pink

plank

plug

plum

pond

pram

pump

quilt

ribbon

ring

robin

rock

sack

sand

sandal

seven

sink

skunk

slug

smock

sock

splint

stag

stamp

stem

step

stick

strap

string

stump

swing

tank

tent

truck

twig

well

vest

63

(3) Un-phonetic Letters or Phonograms In the English Language, certain letters have been combined and are given a new sound

value. For example, when “c” and “h” are combined, the new sound is the phonogram “ch”.

Below are 48 different phonograms that children need to learn in order to read fluently.

Teachers may make cards for these phonograms using green paper and teach them to the

child using the 3-Period lesson.

sion television mansion tion station fraction ure picture ph elephant dolphin wh whip whisk ign sign le castle apple rattle kettle bottle puzzle buckle cradle rectangle peddle dge bridge badge judge hedge ledge

y holly jelly sixty berry teddy donkey er letter a-e face cage cape gate safe cake rake snake ai nail pail sail snail rain train ay hay tray ie pie tie y fly igh light

o-e coke bone cone mole rose stove oa coat goat loaf soap toad toast ee bee feet leek green tree deer ea bean leaf read seal seat i-e kite five hive nine pipe stile oe hoe toe

64

oo moon spoon zoo hoop broom stool foot hood book cook hook crook u-e lute flute ue glue ew screw aw jaw paw saw hawk yawn au vault all ball wall or cork fork corn ir girl skirt fir bird

ur curl er fern kerb ou house cloud scout snout trout ow owl cow gown clown brown crown or horn fort stork ore core ar arm car card cart dart barn harp star scarf oi oil coil coin

oy boy are hare air fair hair stair ear ear tear beard spear ou gourd th moth cloth ch champ match chest chimp chick chop hutch crutch sh sash shed shelf shell ship dish fish shop brush el camel barrel tunnel

65

(4) Silent Letters The letters highlighted in red are silent.

lamb knot wren castle tomb knee wrack listen climb knuckle wrong rustle thumb knight writer whistle bomb knock wrist soften dumb knitting wrap fasten

(5) Simple Irregularities

SimpIe Irregularities are words that contain two letters of the same sound placed together side-by-side. The child is told to only pronounce the sound once.

bonnet

bucket

carrot

jacket

locket

parrot

pocket

puppet

rabbit

rocket

66

(6) Compound Words Compound words are not phonetic words and they are made up of two words. The compound words given below are frequently found in children’s literature. They may be learned as sight vocabulary and taught to the child using the 3-period lesson.

bedroom

blackbird

carpet

crayfish

cupcake

dustpan

eggshell

fishpond

flagpole

football

handbag

jigsaw

lipstick

mailbox

milkman

pancake

peacock

peanut

popcorn

raincoat

seagull

seaweed

seesaw

starfish

target

teapot

teaspoon

toolbox

toothbrush

windmill

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(7) Sight Words - The 100 Most Frequent Words by Edwards and Summers The 100 most frequent word types listed below, accounted for nearly 50% of the 250,000 words used. (Edwards, 1974)

a

about

all

also

an*

and*

any

are

as

at*

be

because

been

but*

by

called

can*

could

do

each

first

for

from*

good

had*

has

have

he

him*

his

how

i

if

in*

into

is*

it*

its*

like

made

make

many

may

more

most

much

must*

new

no

not*

number

of

on*

one

only

or

other

out

over

people

place

same

see

should

small

so

some

such

than

that

the

their

them

then

there

these

they

this

through

time

to

two

up*

use

used

very

was

water

we

were

what

when

which

who

will

with

work

would

you

your

The teacher has to write the sight words given above on beige or grey cards and teach them

using the 3-Period lesson. The child can use these words to learn at his pace and record

them in his book of words. Words in asterisk (*) are phonetic words.

68

(8) Making Picture Cards for Pink and Blue Schemes

FigA.1

(9) Making WordCards for Pink and Blue Schemes

FigA.2

5cm 2.8cm

6.3cm

4.3cm

5cm

6.3cm

pod 3cm

69

(10) Making Big Picture Cards for Pink and Blue Schemes

FigA.3

26.5cm

21cm

5cm

2.8cm

1.2cm

1cm

1cm

1cm

1.2cm

6.3cm

4.3cm 3.3cm

1.3cm 2.5cm

3.5cm

70

(11) Making Silent Reading Cards for Pink and Blue Schemes

FigA.4

5cm

6.3cm

job 3cm

71

(12) Making Word Lists for Pink and Blue Schemes

FigA.5

2cm

and

beg

pit

not

jug

lap

set

lit

pop

rim

2cm

1cm

10cm

28cm

72

REFERENCE LIST

Montessori Book:

“Beginning Reading”, Margaret Homfray& Phoebe Child, Montessori World Educational Institute, Copyright © by Authors 1982, Revised 1993.

Songs: 1. Where is Thumbkin? 2. Wheels On The Bus 3. Head And Shoulders Knees And Toes 4. I’m A Little Teapot 5. Leo the Lion 6. Hokey Cokey

Chant:

Three Little Monkeys Game:

The Prince of Paris

73

PANEL OF WRITERS

Advisor: Tuan Haji Ali bin Ab. Ghani AMN

Director, Curriculum Development Division Ministry of Education Malaysia Editor: Dr Ng Soo Boon Head, Sector of Early Childhood Care and Education Curriculum Development Division, Ministry of Education Malaysia Writers:

Mrs Liew Sau Pheng Mr Daniel Kwok Tak Hoong

Typesetting:

Mr Daniel Kwok Tak Hoong Mr Mohd Azahar Bin Madar

The materials for the photographs taken in this book were made available by courtesy of:

D‟Argosy Educational Equipment (M) Sdn. Bhd. Email address: d_argosy@hotmail.com

Special thanks to:

The principal and the children of Tadika Kawan Sejati. Kuala Lumpur