Ready, Set, Ready, Set, Read!Read!

What Parents Need to Know and to Do

to Ensure Their Children are Ready

to Learn to Read

Learning Tools Learning Tools and Resourcesand Resources

Games

MeeGenius! – Free Small Talk Phonemes – Free Phonics Genius – Free Mels Phonics NonPhonics Lite Part 1 & Part 2 – Free ABC Magic Phonics – Free Zap Phonics Reading Games – Free Phonic Soup – Free Match Phonics – Free Phonics Fun 1, 2 & 3 – Free First Words with Phonics Lite – Free BaldiMatch:Phonics - $ .99 Little Reader - $ .99 Phonics Dojo - $1.99 Hi! Phonics - $1.99 Montessori Crosswords – Learn Spelling with Phonics - $2.99

Websites  www.smartyearsapps.com

www.inov8-ed.com/2011/03/theres-a-special-app-for-that-part-7-apps-that-support-literacy-instruction

www.teams.lacoe.edu/documentation/classrooms/patti/k-1/activities/phonemic.html

www.proactiveparent.com

www.colorincolorado.com/families

www.readingrockets.org

Counting, Matching, and Naming LettersCounting, Matching, and Naming Letters

FFGGWhat You Need

•Set of plastic alphabet letters-preferable capital letters

•Mat that you make on an 11” x 17” piece of firm paper. Trace the plastic letters and fill them in, in an arc shape, so that the plastic letters will fit over the letters written on the arc. The arc should extend from the lower left to the lower right corner.

•What You Do

•Ask you child to count how many letters there are.

•Then ask your child to place the plastic letters on the matching letters on the arc of the mat.

•Teach her the name of each letter, introducing about four new letters per day. For example, “This is the letter A.”

•After she can differentiate the letter shapes and has been taught the names of each letter, ask her to say the name of the letter as she places it in the position on the arc.

•Repeat often, until your child can recognize each letter, place it over the corresponding symbol on the arc on the mat, and say the name of each letter. Generally, it takes several weeks for a child to master all the letters.

Learning The Sequence of the AlphabetLearning The Sequence of the Alphabet

What You Need Set of plastic alphabet letters A slightly different mat made on an 11” x 17” piece of firm paper. List the letters in order in a straight

line across the top to provide a reference for the child. This time, instead of the letters composing the arc, draw a line to form the arc. Then provide three “anchors” by writing the letter A at the lower left corner of the arc, the letter Z at the lower right, and M and N at the midway point at the top of the arc.

What You Do Ask your child to take the plastic letters out of the container and place them right side up in the center

of the arc. Then ask her to find the A and place it. Next find the Z and place it, followed by the M and N. The child then begins with B, Then C, and so on, placing all the letters in order along the arc. When your child has finished sequencing the letters, ask her to check it by touching and naming each

letter, starting with A and moving to Z. The alphabet across the top of the mat can serve as an additional reminder.

Repeat this activity frequently until the child can place all the letters in the proper order within two minutes. Generally, it takes several weeks for a child to master this task.

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZYZ

C

E

A

CX

F

Guess the LetterGuess the Letter

What You Need Two sets of plastic alphabet letters-preferably capital letters Two 11” c 17” mats with or without the letters filled in on the arc Two brown paper bags, or cloth bags, big enough to hold the lettersWhat You Do This is a game that two children can play together or you can play with your child. The object

is to try to correctly identify and name the letters based on felling them without looking. The winner is the first player to fill in all the letters on her arc.

The first player reaches into a brown paper bag and feels a plastic letter without looking at it. If she can correctly name it, then she gets to place it on the arc on her mat and choose another letter. She continues choosing letters until she makes a mistake.

Once a mistake is made, the turn rotates to the next player The player who successfully identifies and places all the letters on her arc is the winner.

Snaky LettersSnaky Letters

What You Need Modeling clay or cookie doughWhat You Do Roll the pieces of clay or dough into

snake-shaped pieces for your child to use. Help your child form the pieces into the shapes of

letters. If you cookie dough, make sure the letters with

enclosed circles (i.e., o, b, d, q) have plenty of space inside the circle before baking. This will assure that the circles will not close up when baked.

Straight Straight TalkTalk About About

ReadingReadingSusan L. Hall Ed.D

Louisa C. Moats, Ed.D

Parenting aStruggling

Reader

Susan L. Hall, Ed.D

Louisa C. Moats, Ed.D

RoadRoad toto

ththeeCodeCode

Benita A. Blachman, Ph.D

Eileen Wynne Ball, Ph.D

Rochella Black, M.S.

Darlene M. Tangel, Ph. D.

EAROBICS

P H O N E M I C

A W A R E N E S S

in Young Children

Marilyn Jager Adams

Barbara R. Foorman

Ingvar Lundberg

Terri Beeler

Bringing

WordsTo

Isabel L. Beck

Margaret G. McKeown

Linda KucanLife

Books for a First-Grade StudentBooks for a First-Grade StudentBeginning Reader-First StageBeginning Reader-First Stage

Author Title

Brown, Laura Krasny •Rex and Lilly: Playtime•Rex and Lilly :Family Time

Eastman, P.D. Go, Dog Go!

Seuss, Dr. Hop on Pop

Ziefert, Harriet •Cat Games•Harry Goes to Fun Land•A New House for Mole and Mouse

Picture Books to Read Aloud to an Infant or Picture Books to Read Aloud to an Infant or ToddlerToddler

AUTHORAUTHOR TITLETITLE

Ahlberg, Janet & AllenAhlberg, Janet & Allen Each Peach Pear PlumEach Peach Pear Plum

Arnold, TeddArnold, Tedd No Jumping on the BedNo Jumping on the Bed

Barton, ByronBarton, Byron TrucksTrucks

Brown, Margaret WiseBrown, Margaret Wise Goodnight MoonGoodnight Moon

Bruna, DickBruna, Dick MiffyMiffy

Carlstrom, Nancy WhiteCarlstrom, Nancy White Jesse Bear, What Will You WearJesse Bear, What Will You Wear

Gibbons, GailGibbons, Gail TrainsTrains

Hill, EricHill, Eric Where’s Spot?Where’s Spot?

Martin, Bill Jr., & John Martin, Bill Jr., & John ArchambaultArchambault

Chicka Chicka Boom BoomChicka Chicka Boom Boom

Martin, Bill, Jr., & Eric CarleMartin, Bill, Jr., & Eric Carle Brown, Brown Bear, What Do You Brown, Brown Bear, What Do You See?See?

Numeroff, Laura JoffeNumeroff, Laura Joffe If you Give a Mouse a CookieIf you Give a Mouse a Cookie

Oxenbury, HelenOxenbury, Helen Tom and Pippo Make a FriendTom and Pippo Make a Friend

Other Books Beginning to Read: Thinking and Learning about

Print- A Summary by Marilyn Jager Adams

Help Me Help My Child: A Sourcebook for Parents of Learning Disabled Children

by Jill Bloom

Your Child’s Growing Mind: A Practical Guide to Brain Development and Learning from Birth to Adolescence

by Jane M. Healy, PhD.

About Dyslexia: Unraveling the Myth by Priscilla L. Vail

The Educated Child by Bennett, Finn, & Cribb