The Tool Box For Learning
to Read & Write
Oral Language
•
Morphology
•
Syntax
•
Semantics
•Print speech connection
•
Verbal
Reasoning
•Alphabet knowledge
•
Pragmatics
Knowledge of Print
Phoneme Awareness –
Blending and Segmenting
Word Awareness/Compound Word
Metalinguistics/
Metacognition
Syllable Awareness
Rhyme Awareness
Sound Awareness
•Encoding and
Decoding
•Automaticity
Fluency – the ability to identify words accurately
and read text quickly with good expression.
(phoneme awareness is the foundation for building
fluency.)
Comprehension – ability to understand, reflect on,
and learn from text … instruction builds on prior
knowledge, language skills, and higher-level thinking
Motivation – essential element for actively
engaging children in reading process.
The expectations for Grades 1 to 3 focus on the
foundational knowledge and skills students need in
order to establish a strong basis for language
development. Including: oral language, prior
knowledge, understanding of concepts about
print, phonemic awareness,
understanding of letter-sound relationships,
vocabulary knowledge, semantic and syntactic
awareness, higher-order thinking skills, and
capacity for metacognition.
Knowledge and Skills for Reading (page 14)
According to research,, the knowledge and skills that children need in order to read
with fluency and comprehension include:
Oral language
Prior Knowledge and experience
Concepts about Print
Phonemic Awareness
Letter-Sound Relationships
Vocabulary
Semantics and Syntax
Metacognition and Higher-Order Thinking Skills
Interelated components that support and build on each other.
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Phonological awareness is known to be
important for the development of later
reading skills, and its lack is a powerful
predictor of reading difficulties
(Rayner, et.a. 2001)
Students at risk lack phonemic
awareness (National Reading Panel,
2001)
Performance on PA highly related to
development of reading fluency
(Wagner, 1997
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The ability to reflect on and manipulate
chunks of sounds that are smaller than the
word. Includes syllable awareness, rhyme,
and phonemes.
PA The highest predictor of reading success at
the kindergarten and early grade one levels.
NOTE: Most young children are sensitive to rhyme, and often like to
play silly words games. Research has shown that children who rhyme
by three years of age, and understand about phonemes between ages 4
and 6, become better readers.
Metalinguistic Awareness
Ease of Making Judgments and Corrections
Content Semantics/Meaning/Words
Easier
Syntax/Sentence Grammar
Morphology/Word Endings
Harder
Phonology
/Sounds
Is the conscious ability to reflect on and talk
about the innate language skills we use.
Progression of Phoneme
Awareness / Print Awareness
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Word, letter, sound; segmenting sentences into words;
recognizing print. Can use point as someone reads the words.
Compound Words segmenting and deleting a part
Syllables (beats in words); blending, segmenting and deleting
Rhyme judgements and production
First Sound recognition – beginning sound-symbol (if taught)
“I l t” . “I like toast”
Last sound recognition – continuing sound-symbol (especially
consonant letter sound connections “I wt tt” – “I want toast.”
Segmenting and deleting of first and then last sound (word
families) “I can make man into mat.”
Recognize differences in vowel sounds
Segment short words as in c-ow (CV) and c-oa-t (CVC) into
phonemes – represents written words with known alphabetic
principles “kot for coat”
Segment blends as in s-l-i-p (CCVC) or h-a-n-d (CVCC)
Bottom Line for phonological awareness
By the end of kindergarten students should be able to:
1. Name letters accurately and quickly;
2. Give associated sounds accurately and
quickly.
3. Be able to segment and blend words with
three sounds, like b-oo-k.
4. Be able to ‘have-a-go’ at spelling these
words (including nonsense words).
5. Be able to ‘have’a’go’ at reading these
words.
Class Act Phonological Awareness Kit
Overview of Cycles
Cycle 1– Words
1.1 What is a Word, Sound and Letter
1.2 Which Word Doesn’t Belong
1.3 Which Word Doesn’t Belong -Print
1.4 Count the Words, Sounds and Letters
Cycle 2– Compound Words
2.1 Two Words Make One
2.2 Picture This Compound Word
2.3 Take Away Compound Word Game
Cycle 6– Last Sounds
6.1 Stop That Sound!
6.2 What’s That Sound?
6.3 What’s My Last Sound Puzzles
6.4 Listen to the End
Cycle 7– First and Last Sounds
7.1 Heads or Tails?
Cycle 3– Syllables
Cycle 8– Phoneme Blending
Cycle 4– Rhyming
Cycle 9– Phoneme Segmenting
3.1 Colour Bear’s Drum for Syllables
3.2 Beat Panda’s Drum for Syllables
3.3 Take Away Syllable Game
4.1 Rhyme or No Rhyme? Game
4.2 Which Words Belong to Family
4.3 Which Word Doesn’t Rhyme
4.4 Rhyming Bingo
4.5 Draw a Rhyming Family
4.6 Who’s Driving—Make a Rhyme
Cycle 5– First Sound/Alliteration
5.1 Which Word Doesn’t Belong
5.2 Alliterate the Food
5.3 What’s My Sound Puzzles
8.1 What Did I Say? Two Sound Words
8.2 What Did I Say? Three Sound Words
8.3 What Did I Say? Four Sound Words
9.1 Have-A-Go
9.2 Have-A-Go
9.3 Have-A-Go
9.4 Have-A-Go
Sound
Sounding Out—2 Sound
Sounding Out—3 Sound
Sounding Out—4 Sound
Sounding Out—2,3,4
Cycle 10 – Have-A-Go
10.1 Have-A-Go Writing Words
10.2 Have-A-Go Zoo/Farm Animals
10.3 Have-A-Go Reading
10.4 Discover These Words!
Class Act Phonological Awareness Kit
Overview of Kit
What is Phonological Awareness (PA):
An area of oral language that relates to the
ability to think about the ‘phonemes’ or sounds in words rather than just the meaning of the word.
PA develops as an understanding of the structure of spoken language—that it is made up of
words, words consist of syllables, rhymes and most significantly for the development of reading
and writing, that words are made up of sounds.
Why is Phonological Awareness Important:
Research has consistently shown the very
highest correlation between early developing phoneme awareness and success in learning the
encoding and decoding skills of early reading and writing. Approximately 20% of students struggle with
some aspects of PA, while another 8-10% exhibit significant delays. Early intervention can make a real
difference to students with weak or limited PA.
What is Class Act Phonological Awareness Kit:
This kit is designed to help provide small
group instruction for those students who present with weak phonological awareness skills. The kit’s
activities are designed for students in kindergarten, early grade one, or those students still struggling in
grades two or three. The complete kit contains 10 Cycles (see reverse), and these cycles are related to
the hierarchy of developing PA. Cycle 10 is intended to help students extend their PA skills to the
decoding and encoding process of reading and writing in Have-A-Go activities.
How Do I use Class Act Phonological Awareness Kit:
Students should be selected as
early as possible for intervention. A ‘quick’ screen is available in each cycle’s package for diagnostic,
and formative assessment. Use this screen to determine which Cycle to initiate intervention. For
example, if a student can easily perform the tasks for Cycle 1 (Words) and Cycle 2 (Compound Words),
but not Cycle 3 (Syllables) this is where you would start. You could then provide individual intervention, or
include students who are at a similar level. Each Cycle contains a variety of file folder activities and the
instructions to complete the activities are attached to outside of each file folder. Your school’s
Speech/Language Pathologist is available for consultation on the appropriate use of this kit.
Basics to Using the Class Act Kit
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Find students who did not meet K or Grade One expectations
(as judged by Yopp-Singer, DRA, letter naming, teacher
report, reported in formal assessments – SLP, Psych, etc.)
Use Class Act Screen to determine pre-intervention data.
(Your SLP can demonstrate the use with a student and help
you determine starting cycle and intervention strategies.) DO
NOT JUST START AT CYCLE ONE unless this is indicated.
Place student in small group or provide individual help.
K and Gr 1 Classroom teachers may be able to run small
group if you help group the students.
Your SLP can demonstrate an activity in the kit, or provide
further strategies for those students who need more input.
Be sure to track students, and collect post-intervention
strategies.
Intervention sessions should be between 10-20 minutes.
LLI, Empower and Class Act
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Strong phonological awareness skills will support student
success in reading programs such as Levelled Literacy
Intervention in Grade 1 and Empower in Grade 2
Class Act programming should occur prior to and during
reading interventions to support the student’s
phonological awareness skills which are key foundations to
further literacy skills.
Student can be screened at any time starting in SK and
early intervention start immediately.
Students who enter grade 1 with weak reading skills and
grade 2 students with continuing difficulties who have not
completed the Class Act program, should be screened with
the Class Act tool in the early fall and commence Class Act
activities prior to LLI and Empower programming. Class
Act activities can be run before these interventions begin
or at the same time as the reading interventions.