Preschool Reading Success in Just 5 Minutes a Day (3 page)

NOW LET'S GET STARTED WITH EACH LETTER…JUMP
IN … LET’S GO

DRAW a capital A saying here is a stick
that goes this way / and another stick that goes this other way \ with a monkey
bar in-between. Say that the name of this letter is A, and then write a
lowercase saying that this is a little circle with a tail. Tell her that there
is a big daddy “A” and a little kid “a.” 

Always describe the drawing of letters in a
toddler- friendly way. Then tell her that the letter A has a sound or better
yet, say that it makes a "NOISE." Tell her that there is a big
difference between the name of the letter and the noise that the letter makes.

The noise of the letter A is “ah” as in
ANT. Let her repeat the sound several times ah ah ah....EXCELLENT! I think that
you can hear it ...very good ....one more time say ah ahah. Have her repeat it.
Have her understand it well enough to move on to a few words that you know will
make her smile, and catch her attention. Remember to only take FIVE minutes.

SAY. Let me see, what words start with the
AH/AH sound? AMAZING, let’s dance AROUND AND AROUND.  You are ABSOLUTELY
AMAZING. We need to hug AGAIN AND AGAIN. We need AN ADVENTURE today with some
ACTION AND ACTIVITY! AH AH…can you hear the sound…AWESOME (hugs and kisses now
with lots of happiness)

Remind her, can you hear the sound A..ah ah
sound? Say, "You are so smart."  Compliment her in a big way when she
repeats the sound or repeats an A word with a big kiss from the teddy bear or
tickle them with much happiness and smiles…Make them feel as if the circus is
in town with much happy attention. No tickles if they cannot think of the
sound. Let them roll around on the floor on the pillows and enjoy themselves a
lot. They will be very enthusiastic if this is their payoff.

Pick and choose which words and phrases
will connect with your babe.

Is the kitty ASLEEP. Do you think that your
teddy bear is ASLEEP too? Have you seen the little ANTS outside? They are not
ASLEEP. They are running AROUND. Can you hear ANY ANIMALS in the neighborhood?
Let's see what other words start with the AH noise? ACHOO. I sneezed. Excuse
me. Let us go ACROSS the yard to ASK our neighbor, Mrs. ANDERSON if she would
like some ANIMAL crackers or some APPLES. We are AT home, but your
brother/sister is AT school. The little fish live in the AQUARIUM. We are
learning the ALPHABET. Do you hear the AH sound? I AGREE, ANYONE hungry for
APPLESAUCE? I AM. Can you repeat the A sound back to me ALOUD? AWESOME!
AMAZING! I have to ANSWER the phone. What is this ALL ABOUT? ALL ABOARD says
the train conductor.  I think that you deserve an AWARD today for being AN excellent
girl. I am ASTONISHED! ANNABELLE AND ANDREW ARE ADULTS. Let’s play AROUND this
AFTERNOON, ALL RIGHT? What is your ANSWER, my ADORABLE child? I AGREE, I
APPROVE, ALL right. Do you hear the AH sound/noise in ALL of this?  Do we need
AN ADVENTURE AT the AMUSEMENT Park? I want to ASK you. Do you have AN APPETITE
for ALPHABET soup? ANYONE hungry? Sounds APPETIZING to me. This ADVENTURE book
is ABOUT some ASTRONAUTS. There are too many ADS on TV. ATTENTION please, I
want to ASK you a question. What is your ADDRESS? No ANSWER...hmmmm…. let us go
outside to look at the numbers on the mailbox. So ANYWAY, ARE you AWAKE or ARE
you ASLEEP? Is ANYBODY there? ABOVE ALL, I will ALWAYS love you.

Other A words that can be worked into the
conversation. AH AH....Hold onto my hand so that we can go ACROSS the street,
We are ALIVE! ALOHA, ANCHOR on a ship, I APPLAUD you, AMIGO, ADD this to our
list.  Where is your ANKLE, I ADORE you is ANOTHER way of saying that I love
you, let me ADD up my bill, Iet’s look in the ATLAS to find AFRICA, I like to
go ANTIQUE shopping, this is very APPEALING, do you need AN ANSWER to your
question? I APPRECIATE you; let us go AWAY together.... ANYWHERE you say. I AM
running AFTER you. Look ABOVE up into the AIR! Whoops, did you have AN ACCIDENT,
Is this AN ACTION hero? What ACTIVITIES shall we do today?

BE SURE that she can repeat some of these
words back to you. Ask them if they can think of an "A" word? You
will want them to think it through and respond. They will after a while as this
becomes more familiar. If you comment using these words enough throughout the
day, she will. Say the words you are focusing on while cooking dinner, dressing
them, being in the car with any regular activity. Also comment when she uses an
A word when she is speaking.  Be very casual and matter of fact. Never say
anything disciplinary or be negative in tone of voice or your actual words.
This is not about minding. If they are not interested, just skip it for now.
Drop the subject. But again it should all be so fun for them. Constantly reward
them with attention and kisses from the teddy bear. When she is motivated,
listening and getting it right, her curiosity and interest soar. But do not
overdo this. If they are tired also drop this... Always leave them wanting
more. Concentrate on one letter at a time for days, weeks, months...whatever it
takes for success. There is certainly no deadline or hurry. But do try to be
consistent.

PHUNNY "A" NAMES - AUGIE, ALDO,
ABNER, AUNTIE EM, RAGGEDY ANN AND ANDY, ALADDIN

ANIMALS- ANTS, ANTELOPES, ALLIGATORS,
ANTEATERS

FOODS- APPLES, APRICOTS, APPLESAUCE,
AVOCADOS, ALMONDS, ALPHABET SOUP, ARROZ, APPLE PIE, ANIMAL CRACKERS,
ARTICHOKES, ASPARAGUS

COLORS- AQUA

DOS

Be patient. TAKE YOUR TIME! Tell him how
smart he is! Positive reinforcement is central to this program.

Knowing his ABCs will not teach him to
read, but phonics (the noise that letters make) will. Put the noises together
as you read their children’s books…They are reading!!!

Smile and laugh with a very calm and
casually fun demeanor.

Be in the moment and genuinely enjoy it.
What a privilege to have a child!

Stop immediately when he loses interest,
but FIVE minutes will be the perfect length of time for this along with a few
comments throughout the day, but just here and there. .

DON'TS

Don't discipline him about this.

Don't force him to pay attention. Keep it
very cool, casual, normal, and very fun.

Never speak down to your child

NOTE

These "noises" are the basic
phonetic sounds. Some exceptions are included here, and may be easily learned
and incorporated within this context. But it is the basic sounds that are
important for now. After they have learned the basic sounds, then they can
shift into the exceptions. You may be able to incorporate it within this
framework saying yes ABLE, ANGEL, ACE start with the name of the letter. Sometimes
this happens with other letters such as BEE, DELIGHT, GEE, I, OPEN, PECULIAR,
TEA, ZEBRA. And yes, there are many more exceptions in the English language,
but I found with my children that they easily shifted into the differences
within the structure of this work. So please just start with the basic phonetic
sounds that I am describing in these pages.

COME ON, LET’S PLAY LETTERS!!

Draw a capital "B".  It is a
stick with two bumps or two half circles. See how it goes? The little boy
"b" is a stick with just a little bump on the bottom. See how this
looks? Can you see how it goes? Very good...wonderful. Tell your child that the
name of the letter is B and the noise that it makes is ba baba

Can you say ba ba? Very good! Let me think
of some B words. BABY…can you say BABY? Let me hear it again BABY with kisses
and tickles from the teddy bear. BUBBLES IS A B WORD, BABY BEAR, BALL, BLOCKS,
BARKING dogs, BIG kids, BIG BOYS, BUCKLE up BUTTERCUP!  BELLY BUTTON, BEACH
BALL, BANG, BOOM, BAM! Would you like a BUBBLE BATH? These are all B words.
That makes the ba ba sound. Let's BLOW BUBBLES, Do you like BUGS? BIRTHDAYS? I
am so glad that you were BORN, your sister is a BROWNIE, this is a BIG BED,
BICYCLE, ohoh did you get a BOO BOO? Where is your BACKPACK? Where is your
BANKIE? Shall we go to the BAKERY or the BOOKSTORE? BA BABA What a BEAUTIFUL
BOUQUET of flowers. Want me to scratch your BACK? BOUNCING BALL, you are my
BUDDY, Where is the dog’s BONE? Can you see the BIRDIES/BIRDS in the sky? BOAT,
let us look at the pictures in this BOOK, where is your BROTHER'S BASEBALL cap?
Ring the BELL. This is a BIG fluffy BLANKET; choose the "B" words
that fit into the moment.  BOTTLES, BOX of cereal, where are your BOOTS? Where
is your BRACELET? Look at that BIG BUS! This is a BABY BEAR. You are my BEST
friend. ...my BEST BUDDY! This is BETTER than I thought. Where are the BEAN
BAGS? What a BEAUTIFUL BOW for your hair. Take a BIG BREATH. Can you hear the
BELLS ring? What shall we have for BREAKFAST? Please BRING me the BOX of
crackers. Thank you. Let me BUTTON your sweater. Refer to this list often to
bring up new words that demonstrate the "B" sound. Do you like BUNK
BEDS?  This is a BUMPY ride. Let's BAKE cookies. Let me BUCKLE your BELT. Let
us go to your BEDROOM to find your BACKPACK. I love BARBECUES. BEES BUZZ
around, and look so BUSY. I love to BRAID your hair, BOY am I hungry. Where is
my BROOM? What a BEAUTIFUL BLUE sky today. What is going on in the BACKYARD?
Where is your BATHROBE? Please sit in the BACKSEAT. BUCKLE up. This is a BRAND
new BASKETBALL. Are you BAREFOOT? One more BITE please. BYE-BYE. What does the
B say?

EXCELLENT! Tickle time. If she has
forgotten, just keep explaining the sound. She will get it eventually. Be very
patient. Now ask her what sound does the letter A makes? If she has forgotten
and she probably has, go over it gently. This will all take a lot of
repetition. Do not be concerned, or impatient with her progress. It takes as
long as it takes for her to get it...

NAMES- BUBBA, BARNEY, BOO BOO, BUTCH,
BUTTONS, BUBBLES, BUSTER, BUNNY

FOODS- BANANAS, BACON, BROCCOLI, BUTTER,
BREAD, BAKED BEANS, BARBECUE, BURGERS, BLUEBERRIES, BANANA BREAD, BROWNIES

ANIMALS-BIRDS, BUNNIES, BUTTERFLIES, BULLS,
BULLDOG, BUFFALOS, BEARS, BATS

COLORS: BLUE, BLACK, BEIGE, BROWN. What is
the color of one of her stuffed animals?

Comment on the sounds of the first names of
people in your family. By pointing out these sounds and all of the other sounds
in the alphabet in your very positive and loving manner, you are also conveying
love, subtle acknowledgment of their existence and their importance to you,
this is the absolutely marvelous offshoot of this manner of teaching. She will
really feel your love as you make the sounds come alive. Overcoming alienation
between family members in our busy lives can be started early. Certainly surviving,
earning a living, and making it through these hectic days take us away from the
hearts of our children, but children need attention and a calm understanding of
how much they mean to us. By pointing things out and listening to their
responses will bring great fun and joy to both of your lives. Let them see how
much fun they bring to your life, and how much they matter to you. Caring for
very young children is not just custodial. Laugh with them and enjoy life
together. It is great to be alive

More Dos

Be happy, relaxed and upbeat. If not, wait
until you are.

Keep emphasizing that the name of the
letter is different that the noise that it makes.

Keep repeating the noise that each letter
makes over and over until she gets it…and then repeat it some more each day.

Remember that these learning opportunities
with your child will strengthen your relationship with him. You now have
something fun to talk about together that you both can enjoy. You will see….You
will both love this learning experience.

I have many fun words as examples. You will
have to choose the ones that elicit the best response. We want them to be
amused, animated and excited about all of this, so you pick and choose which
examples of the sounds are the best ones for you and her/him.

REMEMBER ONLY FIVE MINUTES OF THIS!!!

Yes, there are several sounds for each
letter. The English language has many exceptions, but children are adaptable
and seem to learn language quickly if you promote it. These words and methods
are a great beginning, and are foundational for what they will later learn in
school. They are now becoming familiar with the letters and the sounds. GREAT
job on your part!! This is life changing for your babe!!

Draw a capital C explaining that it looks
like a circle with a part of it missing. It looks like a doggy took a big bite
out of this circle, doesn't it? The little kid "c" is just like the
big daddy "C" only smaller. The noise that the "C"  makes
is ca...ca...ca. Can you say that? Excellent! This is wonderful. I think that
you may need a tickle…come over here. Chase him if need be.

Let me see what words start with the ca ca
sound? I am thinking.  Want a CUPCAKE while we watch CARTOONS? These are C
words...ca ca... CANDLES on your birthday CAKE. Let me COMB your hair. I love
these C words! CARS, COWBOYS, bats live in a CAVE. Let me COLLECT some COLORED
pencils. A CABOOSE is the last CAR on a train. A CACTUS has stickies on it.
Where is my CAMERA? CAN you do a CARTWHEEL? CONGRATULATIONS I think that you
understand the C sound. Big tickle time. A few CR words for later, CRAYONS,
CRACKLE, CRUNCHY, CROSSING, CRYING, CROWN, CRAWLING, CRUISING, CRUMBS, CRAFTS,
CREATURES, CREATE, CRITTERS, CRYSTAL ball.  A few CL word for later, CLOWN,
CLOTHES, CLIMB, CLOUDS, CLAP your hand, let’s CLEAN your room, that kitty has
CLAWS! A few CH words for later, CHILDREN, CHIMNEY, CHEERFUL, CHILD, CHOOSE,
CHEWY, CHRISTMAS, CHECKERS, CHALK. Let’s CHAT

PHUNNY NAMES- CANDY, CRICKET, CHA CHA,
COOKIE, CORKY, CURLY, CUTIE PIE.

ANIMALS- CATS, CAMEL, CATERPILLAR, COWS,
COLT, CROWS, CHIPMUNKS, CROCODILES

FOODS-  CUPCAKES, CARROTS, COOKIES, HOT
COCOA, CANTALOUPE, CAULIFLOWER, CORN TORTILLAS, CRACKERS, CHERRY PIE, CORN
BREAD,  ICE CREAM CONES, CRUST