1. Experimenting with words for learning and practicing a spelling pattern (brainstorm a list of ways you can do this)
I start my literacy instruction by using a program on the computer called Balanced Literacy by Intellitools. It has a little song for each letter and for each word family. The kids love it. They're the type of songs that you end up singing in your sleep. At the beginning of the school year, I try and quickly test their letter knowledge everyday. Here is the link to my assessment pack (it's free).
2. Memorize high frequency words (How often do you introduce new words? Do your students have their own lists of words that they can work on? How will you keep track of words that they already know?
This is the book that I use to introduce sight words. Each week we do one list of words. At the beginning of the year it might take longer than one week for each list but as the year goes on, it often only them a day or two to pick them up. I also send home the weekly words on a ring for the children to practice at home.
3. Generalize spelling patterns (brainstorm a list of ways you can do this).
For this I use my Balanced Literacy program above. Once we get to a specific word family I compliment it by doing many hands-on activities.
Once I start introducing sight words I like to assess the children as often as I can (hopefullly everyday). Here are the forms that I use. You can grab them free by clicking on the picture.
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1 comment:
I just wanted to write and tell you how much I enjoy your blog, all the way from Australia. I teach a junior class of 6 students in a Special School, and it is wonderful to see how someone else uses and adapts resources developed for a mainstream kindergarten classroom. I see amazing things, but know that without adjustment it won't work for my classroom, or my students due to their different abilities-my 6 students come with 13 disabilities including physical, intellectual, vision, hearing impairments and autism. But they are such great little learners-they know their letters, they are learning their sight words, they are all writing sentences in some form which is amazing.
You might want to look into the work done by Jane Farrall. She is a former special ed teacher, who retrained in speech therapy, and really focuses on literacy in the classroom. I learnt more from her in a day, than I did in my entire degree. She uses a 4 Blocks approach, which is similar to the Daily 5 (I modify Daily 5 things I find to use in my 4 Blocks classroom), and focusses on making them accessible for kids of all abilities-through using symbols, or choice boards, or scribing, or AAC.
Thankyou again! I love your work!
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