|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| By Susan Stevens Kyle Richards came to us approximately a year ago with a need for help in phonemic awareness and phonics. At first, Kyle was not sure where his mother had taken him! Who was this lady talking about “bonus letters” and “chicken letters”? How could any of this help me? He was far from a happy camper. Kyle was pretty sure he didn't like this whole reading thing. The turnaround has been absolutely phenomenal. Kyle’s mother and teachers are thrilled with his progress. “I am so glad that I found The Reading Station for my son. Miss Sue has done a great job with Kyle. I am sill amazed by how far he has come”. Kyle is in first grade and is doing well. His favorite book is SkippyJon Jones In The Doghouse, by Judy Shachner. When it comes to reading for Kyle it’s all smiles. |
| By John Hettler Do you know what a Lip Popper is? How about a Tongue Scraper? If this sounds painful, don’t worry, we’re talking about phonemes. The LiPS (Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing) program was designed to help students feel the sounds in words. For students having trouble distinguishing between sounds the program proves to be truly valuable Students are taught to analyze what their lips, tongue, and mouth are doing in producing a sound. For instance, bs and ps are Lip Poppers. Our lips “pop” open when we make these sounds. To distinguish between these two poppers we teach students to look for “noisy” and “quiet” sounds. The “b” sound is noisy. If you put your hand on your throat when you make the sounds “b” and “p” you can feel the difference between these sounds. |
| By John Hettler Share your favorite reading web sites with us! Send your top picks on the web to jhettler@thereadingstation.com John’s Top Pick – Reading Rockets The Reading Rockets web page is packed with information on reading. The site features research articles, practical tips and video clips from the PBS Reading Rockets series. You can sign up for the Reading Rockets newsletter from the main page, which will keep you up to date on news events and the latest research on reading. http://www.readingrockets.org Check out the link below to watch the Reading Rockets TV shows online. The show titled “Reading And The Brain” is of particular interest as it discusses how scientists are able to use FMRI in order to look at how the brains of children who struggle with reading are “wired” differently. http://www.readingrockets.org/shows/watch |
Spelling Hoops Preparing for your child’s next spelling test? Try this hoop game. Materials: Spelling word list, Nerf basketball hoop Start by asking your child to spell a word from the list. If he gets it right, he can take a shot with the basketball. If the word presents a challenge, start by “sky writing” the word. Trace each letter in the air with your child. Then ask him to tell you (for example) what the third letter is. For each correct response the student can take a shot with the basketball. Continue asking the student to pick out letters from the word out of sequence (the last letter, the second letter etc.). Write these words on index cards to practice again later. |
| Students use these skills to identify consonant pairs and vowels in the “Vowel Circle”. Students can use these skills to read and spell words. After students are able to recognize and manipulate sounds in one-syllable words they quickly progress to multi-syllable words. This program is ideal in helping students struggling with phonemic awareness. Research has shown that phonemic awareness skills are the best indicator of future reading success, regardless of the students’ age. So the next time you see a student struggling with “b” and “p” you might want to ask: Is that sound noisy or quiet? |
| Sight Word Fun While there are many great activities on this page, our favorite is the Dolch kit. The FREE materials include record keeping sheets and activities for students working on sight words. http://www.theschoolbell.com Skippy On The Web The home of Judy Schachner, the author of the Skippyjon Jones series. Here you can find out more about Judy’s works and even order your very own Skippyjon Jones doll. http://www.judithbyronschachner.com/index.html Colorin Colorado! This website is a collaboration between Reading Rockets and the American Federation of Teachers. The goal is to provide resources for teachers of ESOL students. Here you will find plenty of materials and activities for students, including a free tool kit. http://www.colorincolorado.org/educators |
| By Winston The Westie Winson is one busy Westie. Between chasing lizards and playing fetch Winston is usually pretty tired out by the end of the day. But before Winston heads to bed, he loves to curl up with a good book. Here are some of the books that earn Winston’s “paw of approval”. Skippyjon Jones In The Doghouse Skippyjon Jones lets his imagination take him to a shack where his Chihuahua friends are yipping and yapping and hiding out from the bad Bobble-ito, who has taken over their doghouse. Hooway for Wodney Wat Another great book that Winston enjoys is Hooway for Wodney Wat By Helen Lester. This is a cute story about Rodney Rat, who is feeling "wather" down. He can't even pronounce his own name because he always pronounces his "r"s as "w"s. These books can be purchased at The Little Bookworms Bookstore in Lakewood Ranch Town Square at 8111 Lakewood Main St., Unit 103, Bradenton www.littlebookworms.net |
| Susan Stevens |
| Kyle Davis and Ryan Gadonniex working on the LiPS program |
| John Hettler |
| Winston The Westie is ready for a good book |
 | |  | |  |
Subscribe to our newsletter- enter your email address below
