Hello, Debbie; If phonemic awareness isn't developed by 1st grade (per Marilyn Adams; other researchers say it's even earlier), it probably isn't going to develop. What you're describing below for your older students is phonics - the match of grapheme and phoneme. I suggest stepping back, and going through the phonological continuum. Remember to keep it totally auditory....(pull your little guy in, too)
First, general listening. Can they hear? Have they had a hearing test? Can they match general "big sounds"? - meow to meow - the sound of water to the sound of water - etc. Play sound Bingo... Next, can they combine and delete compound words? Combining is much easier...can they hear - sun........flower sun.....flower sun..flower sunflower - back.......pack back....pack back..pack backpack Then delete compound words - "If I say, starfish, and take away the STAR, what is left?" - "If I say, cowboy, and take away the BOY, what is left?" After you are sure they are fluent at BOTH those skills, move to syllables; combining and deleting - the same pattern as comppound words... - get them moving - hopping syllables, tapping syllables, etc - just don't let the "props" over-shadow the auditory process Then, when fluent at BOTH combining and deleting syllables, move to ONSET-RIME - the same pattern...combine, then delete REMEBER - this is all totally auditory, there is no print involved.....when working with onset-rime, remember that you're focusing on that beginning sound - the onset - first. Don't force the issue of producing the RIME (rhyme) yet. That is more difficult. Then, after you're sure the students are capable of onset-rime, move to phonemes. Have them use Elkonin boxes, props, etc; but "NO" print yet, until you're sure they have the phonemes down. Once you're confident they have the phonemes, then move to the phonics. Good luck - your students are so lucky to have you! Best; heidi -----Original Message----- >From: KENNETH SMITH <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Sent: Jun 21, 2008 8:22 AM >To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group" ><[email protected]> >Subject: [MOSAIC] phonemic awareness/segmentation help wanted > > > >Hi, all, > >I am looking for some suggestions on teaching phonemic awareness and >segmentation to older students (3rd and 4th grade). I have several students >who just don't get it, and they can read lots of words, but they are limited >to the words they know and don't know how to apply decoding strategies to the >ones they don't, and they can't spell worth beans! If I give them just a >single word, they are usually okay, but in text they are lost. They also can't >handle words with more than one syllable. They tend to jumble up the sounds in >the middle. I have used the boxes to write each sound that we hear when we say >a word, and I've given them words to attempt to do the same, but they just >don't get it. And sometimes they are way off - they will insert completely >random sounds (/r/ seems to be a favorite). They do this more often when >orally trying to break down the sounds, but also when writing. They have such >poor comprehension that they aren't able to use the context to help with >decoding. Sometimes it seems as though the only way they can use context is if >I read it to them. They may read a sentence and substitute a random word >(usually begins with the same letter, but that's all), and not even realize >that it doesn't make sense. When I try to focus their attention on the word, >they just can't figure out anything that would make sense that begins like >that word, and we spend so much time on this level of reading that it's hard >to get to the deeper meaning and enjoyment of reading. > >I have one more really difficult student and I would love to hear suggestions >on this. The little guy will be entering first grade next year and did "double >duty" in our half-day kindergarten this year (attending both sessions). He is >unable to remember what any letters are. He still doesn't recognize his own >name, he can't get all the way through the alphabet orally, he only gets to >about "g", but he can't match letters to the alphabet song as he sings, he >can't distinguish between letters and numbers. We have tried every style of >learning we can think of with him. After tracing his own name for the entire >school year he still can't write it himself. (And that's just his first name, >with only 4 letters.) He was tested for SPED and didn't qualify, supposedly >because his IQ was too high (70's). What's a reading teacher to do?????? He's >a sweet boy and I am very concerned for him. His older brother is one of the >kiddos described in the above paragraph, and I believe he is on the autism >spectrum(our autism specialist and I have done many observations). Family >support is minimal. > > > >Any suggestions would be appreciated! > >Thanks, > >Debbie Smith >_______________________________________________ >Mosaic mailing list >[email protected] >To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to >http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > >Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
