Language and Literacy for Young Learners Online 4433 Bissonnet Bellaire, Texas 77401 713.664.7676 f: 713.664.4744 www.neuhaus.org Introduction Important Foundational Skills 1. Oral Language 2. Phonological Awareness 3. Letter Recognition 4. Concepts of Print 1. Oral Language Vocabulary Listening comprehension 2. Phonological Awareness Overall Sound Structure of Language 3. Letter Recognition Letter Shapes Letter Names 2008 by Neuhaus Education Center. All Rights Reserved. 1
4. Concepts of Print Book knowledge How print works Which Foundational Skill? Which important pre-literacy skill is illustrated in the following examples? The teacher discusses the title of the book and names the illustrator. The teacher says a sentence. Students repeat the sentence and count the number of words in the sentence. Students take turns retelling a story they have heard. Students sort letters into two groups those letters with only straight lines and those letters with only curved lines. Did you notice that table and tomato begin with /t/? Who can show me the pictures in this book? Who can show me the words? Which pictures are fruits and which pictures are vegetables? Whose name begins with the letter B? Whose name begins with /b/? Look at the word watermelon. Is the word watermelon a long word or a short word? 2008 by Neuhaus Education Center. All Rights Reserved. 2
Lesson 1: Oral Language The more children know about language the better equipped they are to succeed in reading. National Research Council, 1999 Building oral language around a theme helps young children develop and organize oral language. Oral Language Skills include: Rapid naming Songs, nursery rhymes, finger plays Prepositions Shapes Concept of same and different Colors Numeracy Theme = Kitchen Rapid Naming Children can name objects in a kitchen and discuss their purpose or use. Have children name utensils or small appliances. Use pictures from magazines and clipart. Gather pictures of foods. Have children name food by categories or colors. Children can name activities that take place in the kitchen such as stirring, cracking nuts, baking cookies and icing a cake. Songs, Nursery Rhymes, and Finger plays Songs, nursery rhymes, and finger plays about the kitchen are great for building oral language. Old Mother Hubbard Old Mother Hubbard Went to the cupboard To find her poor dog a bone. But when she got there, The cupboard was bare. And so the poor dog had none. 2008 by Neuhaus Education Center. All Rights Reserved. 3
The Sink Song (tune: Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush) This is the way we turn on the water, turn on the water, turn on the water. This is the way we turn on the water to wash our dirty dishes. This is the way we wash our dishes, wash our dishes, wash our dishes. This is the way we wash our dishes in the kitchen sink. This is the way we wash our hands, wash our hands, wash our hands. This is the way we wash our hands in the kitchen sink. This is the way we turn off the water, turn off the water, turn off the water. This is the way we turn off the water so it won t splash on the floor. I m a Little Tea Pot (tune: I m a Little Tea Pot) I m a little teapot short and stout. Here is my handle. Here is my spout. When I get all steamed up, I will shout, Just tip me over and pour me out. Five Peas Five fat peas in a peapod pressed. One grew, two grew, and so did all the rest. They grew, and they grew, and they never stopped. They grew so fat that the peapod POPPED!! Prepositions Practice prepositions in the kitchen (on, over, under, etc.) Shapes Introducing shapes gives children the language for describing objects. Learning about shapes also helps children develop discrimination skills. As they learn letters, children need to be able to discriminate one letter from another. 2008 by Neuhaus Education Center. All Rights Reserved. 4
Introducing a Square An introduction of the square might look like this: This is a square. What is it? It is a square. Count the number of sides with me one, two, three, four. A square has four sides. Are the sides the same? Yes. A square has four sides that are the same. (tune: The Farmer in the Dell) A square has four sides. A square has four sides. Hi-ho the derry-o, A square has four sides. The sides are the same. The sides are the same Hi-ho the derry-o, The sides are the same. Introducing a Rectangle The introduction of a rectangle might look like this: Is this a square? No, why not? The sides are not the same. This is a rectangle. What is it? It is a. Count the number of sides with me one, two, three, four. A rectangle has four sides. Are the sides the same? No. Two sides are long. A rectangle has four sides. Two sides are long and two sides are not. (tune: The Farmer in the Dell) A rectangle has four sides. A rectangle has four sides. Hi-ho the derry-o, A rectangle has four sides. Two sides are long. And two sides are not. Hi-ho the derry-o, Two sides are long. 2008 by Neuhaus Education Center. All Rights Reserved. 5
Squares and Rectangles (tune: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star) A square has four equal sides. One, two, three, four sides it has. A rectangle has four sides, But two sides are very long. Squares and rectangles don t fool me. I do know them. Wait and see. Naming shapes You can use marching chants to practice naming shapes. Cut shapes out of paper or index cards to show your children. Have them stand up and march in place to set the beat. We ll also show you examples later on using colors, objects and letters with this activity. You: I have a shape (color, object, letter) that you can name. Children repeat: I have a shape that you can name. You: I can name it just the same. Children repeat: I can name it just the same. You: Ready? Children repeat: Ready! You: Sound off! Children repeat: Sound off! You: Name [hold up a shape (color, object, letter)] Children respond: (name of item) You: Name [hold up a shape (color, object, letter)] Children respond: (name of item) You: Name [hold up a shape (color, object, letter)] Children respond: (name of item) Same or Different? Are these two shapes the same or different? How about these two shapes? When children identify shapes, they need to verbalize how they are the same and how they are different. These shapes are the same because they have (four sides). They are different because (one shape has two sides that are long and two are not. They are short.) 2008 by Neuhaus Education Center. All Rights Reserved. 6
Colors You can also use marching chants to practice naming colors. Create color cards by cutting squares of colored paper or index cards to show your children. Use the same pattern as you used for shapes. Rapid Naming The speed of naming colors and objects is important to reading. With color cards, you can make naming patterns to practice rapid naming. Children name the colors in sequence quickly. Start with two colors and a few squares. Add a third color, but no additional squares. Then add more squares. Working Memory Working memory is important to reading. Working memory is short term memory. When you read, you need to think about the sentence you are reading. Then you need to hold on to that sentence as you read the next sentence. You then need to hold on to those two sentences as you read another sentence, and so on. Memory Sequences You can build children s working memory with memory sequences of colors or objects. Name a sequence of colors Have children repeat the sequence back to you. Then have one child arrange colored squares in the sequence. 2008 by Neuhaus Education Center. All Rights Reserved. 7
Numeracy Numeracy is information about numbers and quantity. Have children match printed numbers with pictures that match the quantities expressed by the numbers. This is also a good opportunity to reinforce the idea of plural. Storytelling Storytelling is a great way to build language. Story Retelling Story Retelling is a also great way to build language. Read a story, using simple pictures to illustrate key characters or events Model retelling the story using the pictures Give children the opportunity to retell story, using the pictures as prompts The pictures you use do not need to be museum quality. Most of the images used in our presentation come from free clip-art and the internet. Listen to A Star for Keisha. Story Elements Understanding the elements of a story will also aid comprehension. Characters Setting Sequence of Events Make a card for each element. Use them in a pocket chart or in your workspace. Have children identify the elements in a story they have listened to or retold. As they identify an element, move the card from one side of the chart or workspace to the other. A Star for Keisha Who are the characters? What is the setting? When and where does the story take place? What happens? 2008 by Neuhaus Education Center. All Rights Reserved. 8
Lesson 2: Phonological Awareness Phonological Awareness is the awareness of the sound structure of language. The goal of phonological awareness is increasing children s awareness of phonemes or sounds. Early phonological skills include: Rhyming Alliteration Wordness Blending syllables Counting syllables Sound Awareness Rhyming Rhyming is one of the earliest phonological awareness skills to develop. Rhyming Activities Hey, they rhyme! While reading rhyming books, or nursery rhymes, pause to emphasize rhyming pairs by saying, for example, Hey, Jill, hill, they rhyme! Thumbs up! Give children pairs of words. Have them give you a thumbs up if they rhyme, and a thumbs down if they don t. Oops, wrong rhyme! Point to an object that children will know the name of and deliberately use a wrong word that rhymes with the real name of the object. Children respond with the real name. For example, point to a chair and say, This is a bear. Oops, wrong rhyme. I mean this is a (children respond). Chair, right. Name that Rhyme Show children pictures of your reference words, i.e. corn, pear, and peach. Say, I am thinking of a word that rhymes with one of these. Call out words that rhyme with one of your reference words. Have children respond with the reference word that rhymes. For example: horn corn chair pear teach peach 2008 by Neuhaus Education Center. All Rights Reserved. 9
Rhymes I ll look in the box and what will I see? I ll see a cookie looking at me. Crunch! Crunch! Crunch! I ll look in the box and what will I see? I ll see a box that is quite empty. Alliteration Alliteration is another early phonological awareness skill. You can teach alliteration just by presenting alliterative sentences. Alliterative Sentences Say the sentence at least three times with examples. Say the sentence as a question with three non-examples. Say the sentence at least three times and let the children fill in an appropriate word. Many muddy monkeys make messy. Wordness Wordness where one word ends and another word begins. Use blocks or counters to illustrate the words in a sentence, one for each word. Remove one block at a time, and have the children say just that part of the sentence. i.e. The dog ran down the street. The dog ran down the The dog ran down The dog ran The dog The Counting Words in Sentences Counting words in sentences establishes wordness and helps children develop the idea of one-to-one correspondence. Move one block for each word in a sentence. The children can use their fingers, which helps build dexterity. Model finger counting beginning with the thumb. This allows the count to progress consistently across the hand. Beginning with the pointer finger ends with a jump from the pinky to the thumb. Say the sentence Repeat the sentence, moving blocks. Ask, How many blocks did I move? How many words are there? How many fingers did you hold up? How many words are there? 2008 by Neuhaus Education Center. All Rights Reserved. 10
Blending Syllables Move-it-Closer-Say-it Faster Use blocks or counters to represent each syllable of a two- or three-syllable word. Tell children what syllable each block is. Ask, What is the first block? What is the second block? What is the third block? Ask them again. Move the block closer together while children repeat the syllables faster and faster until they say the word. Ask children what the word is. Long Word or Short Word Ask children if a word is a long word or a short word. Place your hands far apart for long words, and close together for short words. long short Counting Syllables Show children pictures of items Children name the item. Children clap the syllables of the name. Sort the pictures by numbers of claps, either in a pocket chart, or in your workspace. Sound Awareness At the end of kindergarten or the beginning of first grade, children should be able to segment one-syllable words into their component sounds - cat is /k/ /ă/ /t/ or lip is /l/ /ĭ/ /p/. All the preceding activities prepare children for this task. Mirror Activity Each child will need a small mirror. Say, Put your lips together like this. Look in your mirror. Are your lips together? When your lips are together like this, you can make the sound /m/. Say that sound for me, /m/. Say the sound /m/ as you look in the mirror. Say /m/. Can you feel that your lips are together? Say /m/ and 2008 by Neuhaus Education Center. All Rights Reserved. 11
continue the sound for as long as you can. The sound /m/ is a continuant sound. You can continue the sound until you run out of breath. Then say, Now look at this mouth. Does it look the same or does it look different? Make your mouth look like this mouth. Look in the mirror. Does your mouth look like this mouth? Your teeth are together. When your teeth are together, you can make the sound /s/. Make the sound /s/. Look in your mirror and say /s/. Are your teeth together? Can you see that they are together? Can you feel that they are together? Say /s/ and hold it as long as you can. Is /s/ a continuant sound? Then ask, When I say /m/ and /s/, does my mouth look the same? Say /m/ and /s/. Does your mouth look the same? No. Listen to the sounds /m/ and /s/. Do they sound the same or different? They are different sounds. Then say, Close your eyes. I ll say some sounds. Are the sounds the same or different? /s/ /s/ - the same /m/ /s/ - different /m/ /m/ - same /s/ /m/ - different Good. You can open your eyes. Sorting Activity As a group activity or as a center activity, children can sort pictures. They can sort by fruits, vegetables, vehicles or by color to reinforce oral language. They can sort by number of syllables or by beginning sound to reinforce phonological awareness. 2008 by Neuhaus Education Center. All Rights Reserved. 12
Lesson 3: Letter Recognition By teaching letter shapes and names, we are heightening children s memory for letters, which will help them remember what words look like. Elemenopee? Most children learn the alphabet by singing to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. This is a good way to familiarize students with letter names, but sometimes children think that LMNOP is one letter instead of five. To avoid that phenomenon, sing the alphabet to the tune of different songs. Mary Had a Little Lamb A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Old MacDonald Had a Farm A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z With a letter here, and a letter there. Here a letter. There a letter. Everywhere a Letter. With the letters, I can read all the words I say. Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z The First Noel A B C D E F G H I J K M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z No L. No L. No L. No L. There s not an alphabet without the L. 2008 by Neuhaus Education Center. All Rights Reserved. 13
Letter Introduction When teaching children to match the names and shapes together, it is best to start with the uppercase or capital letters. Capital letters are less reversible. Think of the lowercase b that looks like a d that looks like a p that looks like a q. Introducing the lowercase letters first would be confusing. Letter Properties Name Shape (uppercase, lowercase, manuscript, cursive, typeface) Sound (some letters have more than one sound like c or s) Feel (the muscle sensation while writing a letter) The only property that never changes is the letter name. The name is the solid, reliable anchor on which students can hook all the other information about a letter. Matching Activity Children can learn the names with just a few letters five or six at a time. Have children match plastic letters to the letters on a card. Name the letters as the children match the letters. That is the letter A. That is the letter B. And so on. Guess the Letter Write the alphabet on the board or a piece of paper. Think of a letter. Have the children ask questions to narrow down the possibilities and guess the letter. (You can only answer yes or no.) Cross out eliminated letters for each question. Continue until the children have guessed the letter. Naming Letters You can use the marching chant used earlier for shapes and colors to have your children name letters. Make sure you have large enough letters for all to see. 2008 by Neuhaus Education Center. All Rights Reserved. 14
Lesson 4: Concepts of Print Book Knowledge Book knowledge is understanding all the parts of a book and how a book works. Title Author Illustrator Front cover, back cover, pages Pictures Words Front to back, top to bottom, left to right. Spoken to Printed We want children to understand how spoken words are related to printed words. Long or Short One way to do this is through a variation of Long Word or Short Word. You can ask Is sink a long word or a short word? It is short. Is refrigerator a long word or a short word? It is long. Then, show the children the words written on cards. And say, Here are two words. Which one is refrigerator? How do you know? Yes, it looks long. When you say the word, it sounds long. So when you see it in a book, it will look long. Refrigerator is a long word because it has so many sounds. When you write it, you will need lots of letters to match all those sounds. Children can sort words on cards into long words and short words. Introduction of a Letter (M) Alliterative Sentence - Many muddy monkeys make messy mudpies. Write or show the letter and say, The letter is M. Go through the steps of Say it. Say it high Say it low Say it loudly Say it softly Say it fast Say it slowly Then say, M says /m/, and go through the steps of Say it again with /m/. 2008 by Neuhaus Education Center. All Rights Reserved. 15
Point and Name Provide pictures for the children. Point to each picture and have the children name it. Say, As I point, you name and tell me if the word you name begins with /m/. Ready? Pig no, pig does not begin with /m/ Dog no, dog does not begin with /m/ Cat no, cat does not begin with /m/ Moose yes, moose does begin with /m/ Monkey yes, monkey does begin with /m/ Skywriting Skywriting uses the entire writing arm to describe the written letter, reinforcing the strokes necessary to write it. Write the letter on the board or chart paper, two to three feet high, naming it as you write it. Then say, Watch as I write the letter M in the air. With a straight, tense arm, face the model and write a capital M in the air. Say, M, down, up, slant down, slant up, down. Your turn. Have children stand up and skywrite the letter, naming it and describing the strokes as they write it. Lesson Planning When planning a lesson, fifteen minutes a day is fine. Make sure to include: An oral language activity; A phonological awareness activity; A letter recognition activity; A concepts of print activity; and Finish by reading a book related to the theme. 2008 by Neuhaus Education Center. All Rights Reserved. 16