Intro. phonics at 2.75y - looking for resources/tips

My boys are eagerly learning their letter sounds and I feel like I need to find some resources for introducing them better than my 'T' makes the T-t-t-ta sound...what words can you think of that start with T-t-t-ta? They have b, d, j, k, l, m, n, p, s, t down and can offer two to three words starting with those sounds on request.

They are so ripe for the picking on this. They started in on letter recognition at about 20m and now (33m) know how to spell (just based on over exposure) about 10 or so words. I was an early reader myself, but I didn't expect them to be clamoring for it for a while yet. I feel unprepared on how to provide them with fun ways to approach it beyond simple, daily applications.

TIA

 

Have you done all the LeapFrog videos already? Letter Factory, Talking Words Factory 1 and 2, and Storybook Factory. All are great.

Starfall is an excellent website for intro to phonics. Really cute games and such.

I taught Nadia to read with this book:

The Reading Lesson

I can't say enough good things about it. We started at age 3 and took it very slowly, finishing at age 4. (Gave birth to twins in the interim, LOL.)

I've tried the Bob books, but we found them terribly dull.

Oh, and this isn't quite what you're looking for, but I just love this blog on children's literature:

http://www.books4yourkids.com/

 

For preschool stuff, we also used Leapfrog videos and fridge magnets. Online we used www.starfall.com .

 

We used Leap Frog fridge phonics and the videos also -- with reinforcement from us. They knew their letter sounds before they could say the actual letter (starting around age 2). They know upper and lower case from these resources too. Now at almost 3.5, I have one that has been reading a while (is shocking me actually by reading most of the words in brand new books) and spelling (a lot of words). He just loves to do it.

Like a PP mentioned, I'm not real thrilled with the Bob books but we have them. They love the little phonics set of Curious George books. They are getting the phonics sets (Dora and Diego) for Christmas. The I Spy books are great. Actually, in my opinon, just keep reading to them whatever and I point to the words as I go. Ethan will ask me what a word is if doesn't know it.

Most of all, just have fun with it!

Mendy

 

The Leapfrog videos are great. We have had the Fridge Phonics letters since last Christmas, and for this Christmas I got them the Word Whammer because I think they are ready to take it up a notch. They recognize all their letters and know what sounds they make, and they can recognize letters in a word and what letter a word starts with.

We also got them a few preschool activity books which have letter activities and tracing. My niece passed us down some Vtech book toy that has one book where you can trace the letters, and Lily's actually doing pretty good at that.

 

This isn't exactly what you are looking for, but we're having a lot of fun with magnetic letters on the fridge right now. The girls will ask me to spell out certain words (yesterday it was "grocery store" ), and I prompt them to try to figure out what letter it starts with. They usually don't guess right, but they give it a good hard think, at least. And there are a few things they can spell all by themselves -- their own names, "Mommy" and "Daddy," etc.

They will also make up words (with random combinations of letters) and ask me "Mommy, what that says?" So I pronounce it as best I can and they crack up.

I got a cool set from Magnetino (I think that's the brand) that has more of the most common letters, plus we have a couple of 26-letter sets, so we can spell a lot of things. It's very frustrating if you only have one of each letter.

Sarah also likes to spell out the words in books. She can't actually tell what the word is yet, but she'll recite all the letters. Then we say the word (very drawn-out) and point to each letter as we get to it.

I've been thinking about trying letter-tracing, but based on their very shaky drawing skills, I'm not sure either of them has the fine-motor coordination for that yet.

And, we have a set of alphabet cards (big ones with pictures on them) that DH will hold up one at a time. They take turns (sort of) saying the letter and then saying a few words that start with it.

I know what you mean -- they are so eager for it, I want to encourage them as much as possible!

 

One thing we used to do at that age is open up a blank Microsoft Word (or any text editor) file, make the font about 25 pt, and then let Nadia type out words. We'd give her ideas -- for example, make a grocery list. She'd ask how to spell milk, bananas, whatever -- and she had a blast finding the letters and typing them.

Then, we progressively made it harder, and asked her to think of five words that started with the letter T, etc. She also liked to just copy words from books. For some reason, being allowed to use the computer made it that much more enticing.

We also did a lot of flashcard games -- I'd lay the cards down picture-side up, and ask her to find the item that starts with F, etc. She LOVED this game. I had to keep buying new cards, though, because once the kid memorized them, she didn't have to think about it anymore...

 

Thanks, all.

We have had flash cards since they were ~18m and several sets of frig magnets (yes, Alden...it's totally frustrating when there aren't multiples of the high-frequency letters!).

I have placed holds on the LF DVDs you all recommended at my library to see if the kids will be interested in them.

I forgot about starfall.com. I do have to admit, I've not given them a lot of exposure to the computer b/c they are still just slapping away at things. I do think Joe would enjoy typing on Word (and could actually handle it w/o being destructive) if Nick weren't around amping things up.

The one thing I am concerned about is their poor (IMO) fine-motor skills (holding a writing utensil, mouse usage). They have been so gross-motor focused from the second they learned to stand up that they haven't bothered to stand still long enough to bother with fine motor.

It's exciting to see them so eager to learn. I want to keep it fun so they enjoy reading as much as I do (or at least not consider it a chore or a bore).

 

The fine motor will come. I used to worry a lot because Nadia could barely hold a crayon, and couldn't figure out drawing or coloring....but, now she's great at it. And, she couldn't use a mouse for the longest time, and we finally figured out it's because she's left-handed, and she just couldn't mouse with her right hand. We actually switch it around for her, now.

And, that's interesting about Nick riling up Joe and distracting him from activities....I found so many things to be SO much easier with a singleton. With Nadia, it was no problem to sit and do a puzzle, play on the computer, play with a toy, or even just read a book.

But with my little ones, everything is chaos, all the time. Karina is far ahead of Kevan developmentally, but if I try to do something with both of them, it just becomes a big pissing contest for who gets the coveted spot on my lap, and who gets to steal the item first.

I know they're still little, but yeesh. I've taken to putting them in high chairs and giving them the wood peg puzzles to do, and I also read quite a lot while they're in high chairs, too, after meals.

Your guys are too old for that, but just wanted to mention that I foresee the same issues here!

 

Are they doing lacing beads, lacing cards, puzzles, peg boards? These things are great to help with fine motor development. I wonder if the new LeapFrog Tag system would be good for you guys? It will teach the reading/spelling and also fine motor since they have to move the tool over the words. My boys had the My fitst LeapPad with the stylus and learned to use/hold the stylus pretty well -- I understand they are discontinuing this product though (I think since the Tag came out).

My boys are 3.5 and don't have access to our computer. I have one more destructive boy that will just beat on it. My other one would do well with it. I may start letting them earn some computer time, but it will have to be one at a time -- not both on it at the same time. Oh my....

Good luck!
Mendy

 

QUOTE(SweetpeaG @ Dec 12 2008, 05:09 AM) [snapback]1107982[/snapback]
I want to keep it fun so they enjoy reading as much as I do

But I think they're a little young for Outlander yet.

Re: the computer -- mine don't use the computer yet either, FWIW. For one thing, they seem to have no concept (despite me showing them numerous times) of what the mouse is for, or how to get it to land in the right spot. For another, there is the constant competition issue. When they get their hands on a computer, mostly they just bang randomly on the keyboard. But Sarah has started begging to be allowed to type the letter "S" in a blank Word document, so maybe I should encourage that.

 

If you can find blocks with just letters on them, that's a really good way to teach phonetics (reinforces the literal "building block" aspect of letters/sounds). I know they use these letter blocks in speech therapy for kids with phonological disorders, so you may have to look for them in some kind of teacher/therapy resource-type place. The fridge magnets work on the same principal, but the blocks would be easier to manipulate and you can choose only a few at a time.

Here is a website with a whole lot of different options:

foam and card set

phonics tiles

cards and tiles

foam blocks

spelling rods

 

QUOTE(Minette @ Dec 12 2008, 08:26 AM) [snapback]1108332[/snapback]
But I think they're a little young for Outlander yet.

LOL! I'm stuck in the middle of Fiery Cross at the moment. I can't seem to squeeze any reading time in except for the end of the day, by which time I'm so exhausted I fall asleep with the book after reading only a dozen pages.

What you described is EXACTLY what happens at our house with computer time (even when I tried it at the library with two seperate stations).


QUOTE(Ellen Barr @ Dec 12 2008, 08:45 AM) [snapback]1108353[/snapback]
If you can find blocks with just letters on them, that's a really good way to teach phonetics (reinforces the literal "building block" aspect of letters/sounds). I know they use these letter blocks in speech therapy for kids with phonological disorders, so you may have to look for them in some kind of teacher/therapy resource-type place. The fridge magnets work on the same principal, but the blocks would be easier to manipulate and you can choose only a few at a time.


That looks like a great site for resources, Ellen, thanks! We do have traditional wooden, letter blocks. These are great right now because they'll spell the words they do know and then add a new letter on the end (Joe + Y = Joey) and say, What 'dat say now? So they do get the concept of building words. However, we may have to start speaking a Slavic-based language in order to accommodate their letter arrangements.



Mendy, looks like I failed to grab your quote...but that's a great idea to use the beading/lacing. I have some beading beads and dressing boards tucked away for the boys from Santa to work on their dexterity.

 

I definitely recommend the Leapfrog stuff and lots of other resources mentioned.

Your kids are a year younger than mine, but we are kind of in that stage right now. They can't get enough of it. They are sponges. And the fact that they can come to my kinder classroom at their whim (we live in the neighborhood where I teach) always helps.

Go to a teacher supply store and buy what looks like fun. There is no magic program that will help or keep them interested. It could be the foam letters for the bathtub, fridge magnets, writing in pudding, you name it.

If you are teaching them to read/write using letter magnets (or other tactile object) and want to begin with a phonetic approach, start with consonant-vowel-consonant words (cat, pan, wig, etc.) and word families. I recommend starting with the --at family (cat, hat, bat, pat, Nat, fat, etc.). Then move on to the --an family. Once they get short a words, then move on to short i word families (--ig, --it, etc.). Does that make any sense??? If not, PM me and I will try to explain better...

 

If anyone's looking for the frig phonics, Amazon has them on sale for $9.99 (55% off) right now...the purchase qualifies for free super-saver shipping (if you have other items that will total $25).

Kate, I'll PM you with some other questions.

Thanks again, everyone for all your input. It's nice to hear that what we're already doing is right on track as well as get some new ideas and ways to explore as their language develops.

 

Try www.starfall.com. It's a wonderful website.