Mind: Literature Tips for Teachers and Parents - Phonics

An important part of teaching my child to read is certainly phonics instruction. Teaching phonics is teaching them about the blending of letters to make certain sounds and also introduction to the relationship between printed letters and spoken words. So I am not just dealing with multiple letter blends, but, also, understanding that the letter 'd' in the word dog makes the 'd' sound.

Obviously, there are a lot of activities that we can do with our boys to get them started on understanding how these sounds and these printed letters and words work together. As they are learning the relationship between letters and sounds, these fun activities will allow them to practice what they are learning.

Now, this is my suggestion. I will make a trail of alphabet footprints so my boys (Deen and Kasyfu) and I can sing the alphabet song as I walk along the ABC path. Using some sturdy paper, like card stock would be just nice, and cut out 26 footprints and write one letter of the alphabet on each one. Tape them on the floor in order, but, in a gently curving path. Step on the letters one at a time, in order, and sing each letter as I step on it. Then, I will let my boys to try it and sing along with them as they walks the path.

For this activity, we will need at least two kids. The more the better as we will actually need two teams of players. So, inviting the neighbors to join the game would be great. We are going to give each team a word and each team will have to come up with words that rhyme with their word. So let's say I give the first team the word 'let' and the second team the word 'sat'. They send each of their players up to the board to write a word that rhymes with their word. When every player has had a turn, the team with the most correct words wins.

Another great example of a game that doesn't require any materials and that is easy to play on the go is phonics I-spy. As a friend of mine once suggested. The player who is it will spy something and tell the other person or people that they see something that starts with a certain letter. Perhaps he sees a tree, he would say that he sees something that starts with a 'tttttt'. And the other players have to guess what it is that he has spied. The one who figures it out then gets to spy something and make the others guess.

Understanding how letters and the sounds they make are the building blocks for the words that we speak is an important part of learning to read. So, when my child learn phonics, they learn that the words I speak is formed of letters and that each letter has its own sound. And, they also learn about groups of letters that are blended together to form sounds. When they begin to familiarize with all of these sounds, they can not only recognize familiar words, but, they also have clues to work out new words on their own.

Allah s.w.t jua yang Maha Mengetahui segalanya.

Mind: Literature Tips for Teachers and Parents 4.2

Recently, I did an intuitive  shopping at e-Cosway, Sandakan, I think. I bought an automatic-bread-maker! And, I am planning an activity...

An activity that will boost reading enthusiasm and make my little one feel a bit more grown up by helping me making bread from an instant-bread-making book. I will explain to my child that it is important to put the ingredients in and follow the instructions in the recipe in order. Then I will just let him be in charge of reading the recipe to me as the breading precess flows. I will, of course, give him any help he needs.

He can always read the labels on the ingredients that I am using. For instance, he can help me to differentiate between baking powder and baking soda and make sure I get the right one. Perhaps I might even let him fix my 'mistake' when I pick up the wrong one. He will feel so smart and helpful.

Here is the thing, when I can get my child excited about things and making pictures, funny games that maybe lead to silly stories, helping in the kitchen and feeling like a big kid, I am actually helping to raise his confidence and also his motivation to really enjoy books and reading.

Getting creative and changing things up obviously can inspire children to get reading!

Allah s.w.t jua yang Maha Mengetahui segalanya.

 Reading makes me smarter. Now, its your child's turn...Click Here

Mind: Literature Tips for Teachers and Parents 4.1

How do you feel whenever your child keep on insisting (crying for actually in the case of Deen, my lovely 3 years old son) for  a book! Its really a satisfying observing your child having fun with books or the kinds.

Indeed, many fun activities we can do with our children to get them excited about books and the world of reading. When kids are having fun, it is so much easier to draw them into something - like the wonderful world of literature. The very best thing we could do is to channel them to enjoy it for themselves. When we are intuitively motivated to do something, it is a sustainable motivation. This will mold an awesome foundation for their whole school careers.

A very fun and proven way to really dig into a story is to read it with your child and when you are done, ask your child their favorite part of the story. Then have them draw a picture of that part. Further, creatively ask them for a short explanation of their picture and that part in the story. And either have them dictate to you and you write it on the bottom of their picture or let them write it if they can.

Another suggestion to really engage your child in the books you are reading with them is to play a guessing game. Each time you turn new page of the book, look at the pictures with your child and encourage them to guess what they think might be going on at this point in the story. It could be so enticing to see if they got it right, because, sometimes they might get it so wrong that it turns the book into a super silly story. And what is more fun than the giggles?

To be continued...

Allah s.w.t jua yang Maha Mengetahui segalanya.

Mind: Literacy Tips for Parents and Teachers 3.3

There will be a certain point of time that during children's school years, parents and teachers somehow stop reading out loud to kids. Often this happens when the child goes to middle school. Experts suggest that we continue to read to children of all ages.

It is still a wonderful bonding time we can spend with children and benefiting them in many ways, even if we or they -  feel they are too old for it. The biggest thing we will be doing is to keep them always interested in reading for pleasure. Just like the moment they were first learning to read and there was that danger of their equating reading with work, the very same thing happens in the teen years. This is verily true for many teens. There are some who will still read for pleasure, but, they are rare. 

So if we read to them or have a family reading time and let everyone take turns reading, we are actually helping them continue to associate books with pleasure. And goodness knows that is needed, given some of the drab books we have all had to read in high school. 

The idea is that we must guide our children to become lifelong readers and lifelong learners. And we are able to do just that at home, with some fun family bonding time. And in so doing, we will also be strengthening our families.

End of tip 3.

Allah s.w.t jua yang Maha Mengetahui segalanya.

Mind: Literacy Tips for Parents and Teachers 3.2

It shall be good for kids to hear books that are above their own reading levels. They will be exposed to various words, sentence structure, and concepts that they would not normally indulge on their own. Their brains are being moulded and nurtured and they do not even realize it. They are just enticing the experience of letting someone read to them. 

This realm of read-aloud time shall be an awesome bonding time between a mother and a child, an older sibling and a younger sibling, or a teacher and her students. They are indulging over a book and sharing a pleasant time together. 

Shall we creatively turn reading into a pleasurable moment like this so unbelievably good for children, igniting them to read, to love and enjoy books. So often in my teaching experience, I have seen situation of books turn into 'just a part of school' for children, they turn into 'work', and many children get really turned off from books in that way.

Shall we impose reading is a chore, they simply will not happily doing it. And, remember should we be doing all that we could, as their caregivers, to portray them how wonderful an experience reading is would do amazing good in keeping them always excited about reading.

To be continued.

Allah s.w.t. jua yang Maha Mengetahui segalanya.

Mind: Literacy Tips for Parents and Teachers 3.1

Personally, this is my favorite routine with my sons, reading out loud!

Reading books to our child is beneficial in many ways. And, reading out loud to children of all ages is very important.

It is so helpful in their development as readers and also in their mastery of language. Studies have indicated that children that don't have people reading aloud to them struggle in school, or just don't do as well in school. 

Obviously, reading out loud to children will expand their vocabularies, foster more vivid imaginations, and encourage them learn pronunciation skills. Some sentences or sections of books or even whole books may get skipped over if a child is only reading to himself.

When the text is beyond the child's level of literacy, they are much more likely to choose something else to read. Thus, when children are read aloud to, they are being exposed to literature that they normally would pass over.

To be continued...

Allah s.w.t jua yang Maha Mengetahui segalanya.

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Mind: Literacy Tips for Parents and Teachers 2.3

Always motivate our child with fun and lucrative ideas of labeling our house!

I have mentioned before about labeling and blinds. This is a really good way to use the things in our house like flashcards. Close the blinds up and quiz our child on the first letter of the word. And if they are advancing even more, we can ask them to spell the word. This could also be done with cabinet doors, open the door all the way so you cannot see the word.

Can label bathroom? Well, obviously it is quite difficult to label indeed. Remember when we talked about that steam coming out of the dishwasher? Similarly, the bathroom is full of steam from our hot showers, shaving, etc. The bathroom can still be labeled, it's definitely not impossible. Just keep in mind that we will have to replace those labels from time to time. 

Another best part about using labels all over the house is that our child will consider it 'play'. He'll love to help us cut the paper and hang the labels, making it more like a craft than an educational experience. All the while he'll be learning an important foundation to a life of literacy, what an awesome combination!

End of tip 2.

Allah s.w.t jua yang Maha Mengetahui segalanya.

Mind: Literacy Tips for Parents and Teachers 2.2

The only secret to be revealed in literacy is a constant repetition of basic words! And, thats exactly explain significant role of labeling.

Constant repetition of basic words will help our child recognize them by sight and can also begin to help with letter recognition. This is a very basic step in the learning to read process and will not help with phonics skills. It is, however, a very important step and a fun way for our child to begin to 'know' words on his/r own. 

We could have a stimulated creative environment by together with our child enjoying all of this labeling, too. As stated before, some of the strips of paper can be different sizes, according to the thing being labeled. The strips of paper can also be arranged on things differently.

For example, we can put the word 'window' vertically on the middle bar that separates two windows. And on venetian blinds, we can tape the word 'blinds' to an individual blind so that it is easily read when the blind is closed in the downward position. Our child will think it is so funny, because, when we open the blind it will be harder to read. And if we close the blind in the upward position, you won't be able to read it at all.

To be continued...

Allah s.w.t jua yang Maha Mengetahui segalanya.

Mind: Literacy Tips for Parents and Teachers 2.1

I still freshly remember teaching at Sibugal Besar Primary School (rural), when I used to do a very simple thing yet had helped and improved tremendously pupil's literacy skills.

I labelled the classroom!

And, now I am labeling my house for my kids benefits too.

This is a fun and simple way to get our kids started recognizing some basic words. We can do it easily without even having to spend any money - we label all of the things in our house. The kids will enjoy getting involved in the on going process of labeling things, as well. 

We will need some small strips of paper (we might adjust the size according to the item we are labeling), a pair of scissors, a pen or marker, and some tape.

Just go through the house room by room, looking for things to label. Say, for instance, we started in the kitchen. Some things in the kitchen we could label are: cabinet, microwave, refrigerator, drawer. Labels might not stick on the oven or the dishwasher when they heat up and when the dishwasher blows out steam.

There are lots and lots of opportunities in the kitchen for naming things, though. We could even keep a stack of paper on the counter and when we come back from the store once a week, together with our child can label cereal boxes, etc.

To be continued...

Allah s.w.t jua yang Maha Mengetahui segalanya.

Mind: Literacy Tips for Parents and Teachers 1.2

Its still a fresh memory for me during my first-time pregnancy. My husband and I used to have frequent quite heavy discussions on wide scopes of Malaysian Educational System. The pros and the cons. The ethos and so forth. The point is that routine indeed had positively affecting very much my kid now.

My Deen Mulia (my first adorable boy!) just could not stop himself from talking and asking about almost everything since his first years' age. He never gave up on trying and trying to pronounce correctly new objects. His assertiveness simply so sweet for me and very much inspiring!

Obviously, we begin to see babies' story-telling skills sparkle in the toddler days when they launch into those long, animated baby monologues. When we listen intently to one of these stories that babies tell, it is almost like we can actually follow along, because, the child is so excited in relaying the details to us. It is very much like watching a foreign-language TV show. If we watch it long enough, we actually start to follow the story, even though we don't understand a word of it.

That is the power of the narrative! And the baby has learned that skill from watching us and listening to us intently. So, its really a wise thought of to always watch our back, our bad habits in particular!

We can use every opportunity throughout the day to talk to our babies about anything and everything. That is a great way to nurture the babies' early literacy solid foundation.

When washing the dishes or making dinner or cleaning up, we can explain the tasks we are doing to our babies. Babies will begin to hear familiar words if the parents are in the habit of doing this as a daily routine.

Remember,

talk to your baby

nurture their language firmly

and literacy competency seamlessly

To be continued...

Allah s.w.t jua yang Maha Mengetahui segalanya.

Mind: Literacy Tips for Parents and Teachers 1.1

My husband and I are proud parents of 3 children (3rd baby due soon-insyaAllah)... :)

Raising our children has been always fascinating us. Especially, watching them grow faithfully, healthier and smarter day by day. As a teacher on the other hand, I am very happy to share that some of the suitable and innovated tips, tricks and techniques in parenting are really helpful and projecting positive results on my pupils.

I am thinking of sharing them here in my blog...

And, this would be specially dedicated to my beloved due-soon-baby...

As to begin with, I will touch on literacy competency. Its commonly known that developing children's literacy begins during pregnancy. So, talk to your baby and build their language and literacy competency seamlessly.

When mothers talk to their babies while they are still in the womb many researches believe that is actually the first step in language development. One thing for sure is that babies get used to the sound of their mother's voice and perhaps when they are born, that familiarity lends itself to quicker recognition and a fast bond after birth. 

Definitely when babies are born, it is very helpful to them for their parents to continue speaking. Babies will start to recognize sounds and get to know gestures and facial expressions. Babies learn so much from the sights and sounds around them and will begin, almost immediately, to try to imitate the sounds their parents make. This is all part of the process of babies figuring out how we, as humans, communicate with each other.

They will start to recognize how we relay information to each other in narrative form and begin to learn how to do that themselves.

To be continued...

Allah s.w.t jua yang Maha Mengetahui segalanya.