4Real Forums: Phonics Help

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Topic: Phonics Help

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millermom1110
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Joined: Aug 21 2013
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Posted: Jan 14 2014 at 6:33am \| IP Logged

My second son (5 1/2) has been working on letter sounds since September using montessori style sandpaper letters. He's done a great job and has, at this point, learned all of his letter sounds. He can also put 3 cards next to each other and figure out word families (-at words, -it words, etc). So proud of him! This is a boy who has APD, so I feel like this is a huge accomplishment for him.

So the next step is to actually teach him the lowercase letters and the names of the letters (we've focused on learning the sounds of the letters). This is where I'm stumped. Somehow my older son just figured this all out on his own, so I never really had to teach him. DS2 seems to be extremely sensitive to any kind of font differences. Do you know what I mean? Like lowercase 'A' can look very different from book to book. It really frustrates him! I'm trying to figure out what is the next step in a Montessori approach to phonics. Once you've learned the uppercase letter sounds...what do you do next? And how? And how do you help a child who is easily confused by font differences?

Even though I've already taught my older son to read, I feel like they have such vastly different learning styles that I might as well be teaching a child to read for the first time.

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Becky Parker
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Posted: Jan 14 2014 at 9:20am \| IP Logged

I think I would approach this in several ways.

I would sing the alphabet song daily, pointing to the letters as you go. Make sure the chart you use has both upper and lower case letters.

I would approach it like a 3 part lesson where I introduce the names of 3 lower case letters, then my child points to the letter I name, then my child names the letters. Doing this each day, gradually adding more and continuing a quick review of the ones he knows. The child can then practice this on his own by matching the lower case and upper case letters. I have a puzzle for this purpose, designed so that only the correct lower case letter fits with the capital. But you could even make cards that go together somehow ... maybe even just matching stickers on the back or something.

Chances are, since he knows the letter sounds, the names shouldn't be too difficult once he understands that. Many of the letters sound like their name, if that makes sense. There was a song on one of the PBS shows about W and how it's one of the few letters whose sound doesn't sound like it's name. I wish I could remember it. That was a big help for my ds once he realized that concept.

Regarding the font, I can relate! I think in that case, like with the letter A, I would show him several ways to make an A, and have him practice picking all the A's out of a group of letters written on a paper. It seems like A is the worst letter for font differences, unless you get into calligraphy, which I would hold off on til he is older.

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Becky
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millermom1110
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Posted: Jan 16 2014 at 3:00pm \| IP Logged

Thank you!!!

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