Ready to Read!Developmentally Appropriate

Practice for Preschool &

Kindergarten

Tammy Utchek Lee

What is developmentally appropriate practice in reading instruction?

The Illinois early learning standards for 3s and 4s

State goals #1: Read with understanding and fluency

To achieve this, students should learn that:

Print has a message, reading progresses from left to right and from top to bottom, that labels and signs have meaning, letters have names and can be matched with sounds, words rhyme, sounds repeat

They should be able to retell a story, answer questions, and be able to discuss the story.

For state goal #1: Read with understanding and fluency

To achieve this, students should learn:

Print has a message; print proceeds from left to right; there are words, letters, and spacing; phonological awareness; phonemic awareness; knowledge of letters and common sounds; read one-syllable and high frequency words

The Illinois Early Learning Standards for Kindergarten

Why should we provide early instruction in reading?

DAP According to the Joint Position Statement of the International

Reading Association and NAEYC

• Birth to age eight is the most important period for literacy development. • Literacy is critical to school and life success• Our society has expectations beyond minimal standards of literacy

How do appropriate practices differ from the traditional, whole group instruction approach?

Drill-and-practice is not suitable for all ages.

Young children need meaningful experiences that build on prior knowledge.

What does the research tell us?

The ability to read does not develop naturally.

No one instruction strategy works for all children.

What do preschoolers need to know?

• The alphabetic system, letter-sound relationships• Linguistic awareness, such as through rhyming and word

games• Phonemic awareness, recognizing words as individual

sounds

What do kindergarteners need to know?

• Those concepts listed above as well as . . .• Letter naming• Word naming

How do these standards guide my teaching?

Explicit, targeted reading instruction must take place

Many of the connections that make reading possible, such as letter to sound, are not just “picked up.”

Those few students who learn to read on their own still need instruction.

While not the only approach or sufficient for reading, phonics instruction is an integral part.

Preschool: The building blocks for kindergarten reading instruction

The most common letter sounds Begin to merge sounds Other things that are “givens”: a print-rich environment many varied group and individual reading experiences songs/activities that incorporate word play, stressing syllables, rhyming, beginning sounds, etc. modeling of reading and writing knowing when each child is developmentally ready

What concepts do I teach and why?

Kindergarten: What they need to know before they leave (my goals)

They should be able to read most kindergarten sight words.

They should be able to “sound out” most three-letter words.

They should be able to read beginning sentences.

Helping Students Attain Success in Reading

Helping Students Attain Success in Reading

Students receive individual, small group and/or whole group reading instruction focusing on 6 main concepts:

Students receive individual, small group and/or whole group reading instruction focusing on 6 main concepts:

1. Letter to sound association2. Merging sounds to form 3-letter

words3. Sight words4. Blends and Digraphs5. Long vowel sounds 6. Other concepts, such as double

consonants

Letter Sounds: How I Teach ThemLetter Sounds:

How I Teach Them1. Through whole group games, such as “Secret Sound”2. With board games like “The Path to Reading”3. Letter/picture cards and puzzles4. Songs 5. Circle activities, such as letter cards

1. Through whole group games, such as “Secret Sound”2. With board games like “The Path to Reading”3. Letter/picture cards and puzzles4. Songs 5. Circle activities, such as letter cards

Key points to remember: Always teach the most common/easiest sounds first, such as short vowel sounds and the first letter of their nameRepetition is the keyLetter/sound knowledge is the firm foundation of reading and writing

Key points to remember: Always teach the most common/easiest sounds first, such as short vowel sounds and the first letter of their nameRepetition is the keyLetter/sound knowledge is the firm foundation of reading and writing

ABC Song

A says ah for apple, B says buh for ball, C says kuh for cat, D says duh f or doll. E says eh for elephant, F says f f f for fan, G says guh for grin, H says huh f or hand. I s ays ih for igloo, J says juh f or jam, K says kuh for kite, L says luh f or lamb. M says mmm for mom, N says nuh for nurse, O says ahhh for octopus, P says puh for purse. Q says kwuh for queen, R says ruh for reach, S says sss for snake, T says tuh for teach. U says uh for umbrella, V says vuh for very stinky socks, W says wuh for watermelon, X says ks at the end of box. Y says yuh for yo-yo, Z says zzzz for zoo, If y ou learn all your letter sounds, you'll read very soon!

Merging Sounds: How I teach students to read 3-letter

words

Merging Sounds: How I teach students to read 3-letter

words1. Word puzzles based on word families 2. Beginning reading books, such as Tam or Bob books3. With games like “Guess My Word”4. Group games, such as “Secret Sound” 5. Sentence puzzles

1. Word puzzles based on word families 2. Beginning reading books, such as Tam or Bob books3. With games like “Guess My Word”4. Group games, such as “Secret Sound” 5. Sentence puzzles

Key points to remember: This is the hardest concept in reading: Once students get

this, they are off and running! Easier to read ca--t than c--at

Key points to remember: This is the hardest concept in reading: Once students get

this, they are off and running! Easier to read ca--t than c--at

Sight Words are taught through:

Sight Words are taught through:

1. Group games, like “Secret Sight Word” 2. Beginning reading books3. Games, like “Sight Word Matching” or “Zoom”4. Sentence puzzles5. Poems of the week

1. Group games, like “Secret Sight Word” 2. Beginning reading books3. Games, like “Sight Word Matching” or “Zoom”4. Sentence puzzles5. Poems of the week

Key points to remember: This REQUIRES very explicit instruction and LOTS of repeated

exposure. The list of which words to teach always varies.

Key points to remember: This REQUIRES very explicit instruction and LOTS of repeated

exposure. The list of which words to teach always varies.

Sight Word List* I teach all of the kindergarten list, plus a few from the fi rst grade list. We

also work on color and number words.

Kindergarten a am and at big blue but can do get go have here I in is it like little look my not one red see that

three the to two up we what where yellow you First Grade as did for he me of on play said she stop

* From "Phonics Handbook: Research and Best Practice, Scott Foresman, 2000

Blends and DigraphsBlends and Digraphs

1. Word puzzles 2. Individual lessons3. Beginning reading books4. Games, such as “Go Fishing” and “Reading Tic-Tac-Toe”

1. Word puzzles 2. Individual lessons3. Beginning reading books4. Games, such as “Go Fishing” and “Reading Tic-Tac-Toe”

Key points to remember: Students usually pick up this concept easily.

Teach a few blends and digraphs and the rest fall into place.Students can still be gaining proficiency in reading 3-letter words as they learn.

Key points to remember: Students usually pick up this concept easily.

Teach a few blends and digraphs and the rest fall into place.Students can still be gaining proficiency in reading 3-letter words as they learn.

Long Vowel SoundsLong Vowel Sounds

1. Word puzzles that make 3 letter words into long vowel words by adding the silent e

2. Individual lessons3. Beginning reading books4. Games, such as “Reading Tic-Tac-Toe”

1. Word puzzles that make 3 letter words into long vowel words by adding the silent e

2. Individual lessons3. Beginning reading books4. Games, such as “Reading Tic-Tac-Toe”

Key points to remember: This concept is hard. Students will use short vowels at first.Teach the basic patterns, silent e and double vowels.This can be introduced while they are still working on blends/digraphs.

Key points to remember: This concept is hard. Students will use short vowels at first.Teach the basic patterns, silent e and double vowels.This can be introduced while they are still working on blends/digraphs.

Other ConceptsOther ConceptsSuch as: 1. Double consonants2. Sound of ou and ow3. Double oo4. Y at the end of a word5. -ing and -ed endings

Such as: 1. Double consonants2. Sound of ou and ow3. Double oo4. Y at the end of a word5. -ing and -ed endings

Key points to remember: At this point, they pick up a lot of the irregulars on their own.These concepts are advanced, teaching them is just “gravy”.

Key points to remember: At this point, they pick up a lot of the irregulars on their own.These concepts are advanced, teaching them is just “gravy”.

Key Points to Remember

Help each student obtain a firm grasp of the letter sounds.Make sure the child is reading and not guessing, using solely visual recognition, and/or simply retelling a familiar story.Have high expectations of your students.Show them your love of reading.Be developmentally appropriate in your teaching approaches.Have fun with your students!

Additional Resources

www.TeacherTamsToolbox.comMy own site where you’ll find resources I developed to use

in my classroom. Check out the conference page and the FREE page!

www.kinderreaders.com They have great beginning reading books. Each one comes

in 4 levels.www.kindergarten.com

Here you’ll find sets of books for emergent readers that are arranged by theme.

“Bob Books” by Bobby Lynn Maslen Beginning Science readers by Scholastic Sight Word Books Published by Crystal Springs Books Math Games for the Overhead and Reading Games for the Overhead

by Scholastic