At Home with NW Kid Chaser - NW Kid Chaser

Spectacular Spelling...

1/5/2013

My second grader started having “Spelling” homework this year; each week he builds a list based on words he has used (but misspelled) in his own writing. This individualized list then comes home for four nights of practice. By the week’s end, he has a quiz at school determining if he met his goal of 10 out of 10 words.

Here’s one list from earlier this year.

Loathe.
Really?
Loathe?

     When I asked him how he used this word in his writing, he explained: “I loathe having to empty the dishwasher.”

         I both laughed and rolled my eyes. How will I ever survive this boy in middle school?

    Now that both our boys have spelling lists, we usually verbally quiz them at dinner time; although occasionally the boys choose to write down each word. Back-in-the-day, when our youngest was still in preschool and kindergarten, we involved him in the nightly spelling ritual by asking him to use each of his brother’s spelling words in a sentence (or provide a word that means the opposite). As a first grader, we often encouraged him to quiz his brother – noting each letter as his brother spelled the word out loud. All that early exposure helped him with his own language development.

    So perhaps, we’re to blame for the flamboyant vocabulary that sneaks into his speech these days. Or at least, that’s what I’ll tell myself the next time I comment on the lunch spilled on his shirt and he replies: “Ah Ma, it’s practically imperceptible.”

     Ugh.

Beginning Writers...

4/2/2012

    While I often recommend books for beginning readers, I want to be sure to mention a few activities for those same children - who are also beginning writers. Giving young children 'real' reasons to write is the perfect motivation for them to practice their developing skills.

        To begin, know that any time you write down your child's words (while they watch) is a teachable moment. As I said in my 'Take Note' post, when you record your child's words you create an opportunity for them to reflect on their ideas and make choices regarding their communication.

Activity #1 -
    Around the age of 4, you can introduce your child to your family's weekly grocery shopping list. Early on, I told my boys that if they wrote a food item on the list - I would buy it. While there was a period of adjustment (if you write down 'OREOS'- you get one pack of Oreos. If you write '5 Packs of OREOS' - you get one pack of Oreos). Now that they are older, I often ask my boys to help create the entire list. I call out the items we need as I peek in the fridge, cupboards, freezer. My youngest records the items.

    Don't worry about spelling - that skill comes later. 'Guess and Go' is an ideal strategy, as too much attention to 'spelling corrections' can cause young writers to write less, out of fear of 'getting it wrong.' Be sure: Writing more will do more to improve spelling than any specific corrections at this point in your child's development.

Activity #2 -
    I try to work with my children to write 'Thank you' notes for almost every occasion. This can be hardcopy or email - this can be through dictation or by their own hand - and (as they get older) this can be together or on their own.
    It's helpful to set a few ground rules, so as to plan ahead for those smarties (like my 7 year old) who (if left to his own devices) will print 'Thank you" on the card (and then yell, I'm done!"). We say that a proper thank you card includes the name of the writer and the gift giver. It also includes three different sentences.

While making your own cards is a great activity, pre-made cards still make Grandma smile and still give your beginning writer opportunity to grow.

Days of the Week...

2/13/2012

Here's the catchy tune that helps preschoolers
learn the days of the week.

That's my youngest boy singing -
when he first learned the song.

Here he is today:

I know he'll lose his little boy voice soon -
I'm glad to capture it while I can.

Spelling Snacks...

9/21/2011

Reading…Writing…Spelling…Snacking…
Yep. That’s right!
Snack time at the Obery household this week
included playing with our food and literacy- AGAIN!

I bought some small stick pretzels
and asked my boys
to create letters or words
before crunching on that salty goodness.

This activity works well with kids of all ages:
Young children can create letters -
Olders can create whole words.

Best of all – it doesn’t feel (or taste) like work.

Rhyme Time...

8/7/2011

Here are links to a variety of online games
for beginning readers who are tackling rhyming words.

A great confidence builder, these games
help readers practice and strengthen their skills.

Rhyming Word Memory Games

Rhyme Time
Digby Mole's Rhyme Game

Create a Reader: Find the Rhyming Word

Reggie Rino Rhymes

That pesky English alphabet…

7/29/2011

Confusing the letters b, p, and d is a common beginning-reader trait. In fact, I myself struggled with it all the way into middle school! A quick glance would not allow me to differentiate the subtle direction-change of this letter shape. I would have to slow my reading speed and double check that I had assigned the right sound to the right letter.

Recently, I took a few moments with six year old to help him tackle this common hurdle. Using index cards I made several flashcards for each letter (and added g and q to the mix).

Then we played the following games/drills:
Taking turns, one player calls out a letter or…
the sound one of a letter or…
a word that begins with one of the letters…
then the other players must show the corresponding flashcard.

This may not solve the problem completely, but the few minutes of added attention will help him be aware of his tendency to confuse these letters and bring him one step closer to mastering this pesky English alphabet.

Good readers...

7/26/2011

What do good readers do?

Good readers....
    1) Predict / Guess
    2) Demand Meaning
     3) Read Again
    4) Skip and Go On
    5) Think
    6) Use Picture Clues
    7) Self Correct
    8) Sound Out

     This information is good for teachers, parents, AND students. Talk to your beginning reader about these strategies. Point out that ‘sounding out words’ is at the very bottom of the list. Phonics gets us started, but it is not the tool we use for everyday reading. Demanding meaning from a text is what leads us to understanding. Fluency (reading at a steady pace) is what allows us to follow the story-line.

    And although it’s not on the list: children who enjoy books and who have had positive experiences with reading & listening to books will enter the game a step ahead of the rest.

Edible Scrabble...

7/20/2011

Here’s another product I unveiled for a recent snack time:

I had heard rumors of Scrabble cheese crackers, but only recently found them at the downtown Safeway.
The if-you-can-spell-it-you-can-eat-it rule
was in effect and here were the results:

Word games...

7/10/2011

I recently brainstormed a list of activities
to correspond with the
100 Most Frequent Words list.

I’m not a huge fan of flash cards –
but sometimes this method can provide
young readers with a simple and easy way
to practice basic sight-words.

So here goes…

Hey you guys…

5/24/2011

Electric Company is my new sneaky way to integrate more literacy education into my Kindergartener’s day. This classic companion to Sesame Street introduces beginning readers to new reading skills while also entertaining viewers with funny characters, catchy songs, and cool graphics.

Case in point:
Recently I’ve been talking to my son about “the silent e" at the end of a word that makes the other vowel in the word say its name. For example: ride, base, bone, mute. As he and I read along in a book, we often come to a word following this rule and I will remind him. But since watching Electric Company he calls this English spelling rule the “ninja e”.

Thank you Electric Company: you are so much cooler
and so much more memorable than boring old Mom.