tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42591951637904251652024-03-13T12:22:59.474-04:00Early Literacy ConnectionPromoting, strengthening, and supporting early literacy development among children from birth to age six.miss early literacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239294536254274903noreply@blogger.comBlogger125125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259195163790425165.post-42132844711661589492011-12-21T12:19:00.005-05:002011-12-21T13:48:08.034-05:00Lego Club Magazine<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig8pt0jxO_ulWqBZFC_bj-g49gc9Nk7jP12ydROSAmmFyFyCpdrT17yjbT4kBu0dHpkLp2gp25bFqh-nqdLixrOyToN5yOo0uJ7wuQD2ZYFBcITkFc8k5W1eCUDiGlhmZiQQ7FMoMK40M/s1600/lego+homepage.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 209px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig8pt0jxO_ulWqBZFC_bj-g49gc9Nk7jP12ydROSAmmFyFyCpdrT17yjbT4kBu0dHpkLp2gp25bFqh-nqdLixrOyToN5yOo0uJ7wuQD2ZYFBcITkFc8k5W1eCUDiGlhmZiQQ7FMoMK40M/s400/lego+homepage.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5688634834343044370" /></a><br />For children who aren't naturally keen to pick up a book, finding the right motivation to read can be quite difficult. Recently I discovered a <strong>FREE </strong>magazine for children from Lego. If you know a Lego lover, this magazine is sure to be a hit. The magazine features comics, colouring pages, pictures of children with their Lego creations and steps for building something from Legos.<br /><br />To subscribe, just go to <a href="http://www.lego.com/en-us/default.aspx">www.LEGOclub.com</a> and click on the Lego club link shown above.miss early literacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239294536254274903noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259195163790425165.post-64742136577539745282011-09-26T10:29:00.003-04:002011-09-26T10:41:58.167-04:00Playdough Recipes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgew2UBEHje4WgdeOQtLhtl-OVlpQOMrzsE0tHYXUGD03VrLys_FNKxEywRDuQk240bareWP2Cw1MX6QZZO2iZEnPA5FGZDkz9Vi6NFoKanyTY-jn7RGEGHma26ZAaTtpKFa7WvQd8UvYs/s1600/playdough+recipe.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 81px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgew2UBEHje4WgdeOQtLhtl-OVlpQOMrzsE0tHYXUGD03VrLys_FNKxEywRDuQk240bareWP2Cw1MX6QZZO2iZEnPA5FGZDkz9Vi6NFoKanyTY-jn7RGEGHma26ZAaTtpKFa7WvQd8UvYs/s320/playdough+recipe.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656675999572985090" /></a><br />I recently found this amazing website that offers a LARGE variety of play dough recipes. Playdough is an amazing material. Children love exploring its texture by poking, squeezing, patting, pushing, rolling, cutting, and so on. Children can develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination by playing with this interesting substance. In addition, think about all the wonderful vocabulary they can learn with proper scaffolding. They can some of the many complexities of language including <strong>prepositions</strong> like "on top", "beside", "behind", "under", or even <strong>labels</strong> for their creations like "dog", "table" or <strong>develop their understanding of familiar concepts</strong>, "What sound does a dog make?", "How many legs do we need on your chair to make it sturdy?"<br /><br /><a href="http://www.playdoughrecipe.com/">Check out some playdough recipes here!</a>miss early literacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239294536254274903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259195163790425165.post-12076819929486101632011-07-14T12:37:00.010-04:002011-07-19T17:13:03.962-04:00Look At Me!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtM2shuaD9WvNbJnS4MNg9R7By2F8nQqD4eqkTIEMfE-TdY_flh9wr0E5TIj_3EQP4ZzR03h59GdorSHMN5qMKZ89hffeRPp5bQ9I-O8VDjULVlMq2fPwf6oxgeTRGJ74sE_4x5MuS0LM/s1600/IMG_0436.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtM2shuaD9WvNbJnS4MNg9R7By2F8nQqD4eqkTIEMfE-TdY_flh9wr0E5TIj_3EQP4ZzR03h59GdorSHMN5qMKZ89hffeRPp5bQ9I-O8VDjULVlMq2fPwf6oxgeTRGJ74sE_4x5MuS0LM/s320/IMG_0436.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631174419155243634" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlR4ssfBAPvcFmhdKQcl5U_9ZkeDZgThlN-5PLAccLCBOq5ewF1xi7tJBv83VTMC1CKs5pd0Cqh-KzqRLzlHnIpWhHZmW00yaOMkWCkGim7PtbI8GTmfbKKpx1tZDos2ctiscvAk_52qE/s1600/IMG_0434.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlR4ssfBAPvcFmhdKQcl5U_9ZkeDZgThlN-5PLAccLCBOq5ewF1xi7tJBv83VTMC1CKs5pd0Cqh-KzqRLzlHnIpWhHZmW00yaOMkWCkGim7PtbI8GTmfbKKpx1tZDos2ctiscvAk_52qE/s320/IMG_0434.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631171689115361938" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4myziRDPOGfXxhLqLti88-al_eUsom0RyhyphenhyphenxgX7YXKKv8XbRGKVVmFrnXLT8j8xQrBd0Nsq9Eu2sTi6NyRk9dgXq0SJoxulNYm3De_xwH9ZTVs0wmlOvwWO5OaqGIvwMt53-UZ3wgGbg/s1600/IMG_0435.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4myziRDPOGfXxhLqLti88-al_eUsom0RyhyphenhyphenxgX7YXKKv8XbRGKVVmFrnXLT8j8xQrBd0Nsq9Eu2sTi6NyRk9dgXq0SJoxulNYm3De_xwH9ZTVs0wmlOvwWO5OaqGIvwMt53-UZ3wgGbg/s320/IMG_0435.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631171458255900034" /></a><br />This post features a new home made book I created as a "make and take" activity at parent support groups. This book has many features that are appealing to young children:<br /><br /><strong>Mirrors</strong> - Babies love looking at pictures of other babies, but they enjoy looking at themselves even more! Mirrors are a great way of helping children become self-aware.<br /><br /><strong>Shapes</strong> - Children will learn about a variety of shapes by looking at their relection in the shapes. Learning the names of shapes will help you child take their first steps to becoming a math wiz!<br /><br /><strong>Repetition</strong> - We all know that children learn best though repetition. This book was written with simple text to help children understand the relationship between what we say and print.<br /><br /><strong>"Look at me! I'm in a square."<br />"Look at me! I'm in a circle."</strong><br /><br />TIP: You can buy mirror paper at your local art supply store on a large roll.miss early literacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239294536254274903noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259195163790425165.post-30710496206803357082011-07-11T09:37:00.005-04:002011-07-11T15:45:42.353-04:00Get Ready for a Shock!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOu1zzfjZdyUxZMGbOaThyMI3SAfVi-pfze6BOBTFiQnBhsUWSlQqphIm0mI38lipDfPHIp6qwW3QhZE2Er1rKk-ju8OUqFk-lOZOAXlwi00pvZqHY6ks5Tyw69kznDsz9xQKDye0I64Y/s1600/nurture+shock.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 183px; height: 276px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOu1zzfjZdyUxZMGbOaThyMI3SAfVi-pfze6BOBTFiQnBhsUWSlQqphIm0mI38lipDfPHIp6qwW3QhZE2Er1rKk-ju8OUqFk-lOZOAXlwi00pvZqHY6ks5Tyw69kznDsz9xQKDye0I64Y/s320/nurture+shock.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628182042354885522" /></a><br />Recently, I picked up this book as a potential read for a book club for child care providers. Since I've picked it up I can barely put it down. It challenges some major assumptions that parents and caregivers can make about "what's best for children". <br /><br />One of the most interesting chapters for me was the one called ``<strong>Why Hannah Talks and Alyssa Doesn`t</strong>``. As an Early Literacy Specialist, I often tell parents of young children to read, sing and talk with their children. Well, this chapter really opened my eyes to what new research is telling us. For a while I had been under the impression that talking alone would make a difference in the vocabulary development of young children. Though I was well aware that children learn best through interactions, I had no idea that <strong>the vocabulary achievement gap is based on how parents RESPOND to their children, including how immediately they do so. </strong><br /><br />Everytime a baby looks to their caregiver, babbles, or reaches for a toy, there is an opportunity for a caregiver to respond to the baby. Also, it should be noted that the timing of the response is just as important as the response itself. From the time that a baby gestures towards an interaction with a caregiver, that caregiver has 5 seconds to respond or they have missed a learning opportunity.<br /><br />If you would like more information on this book, please visit <a href="http://www.nurtureshock.com/">this link</a>. From what I`ve read so far, I believe that it`s something that every parent and caregiver must read.miss early literacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239294536254274903noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259195163790425165.post-62221411016199888872011-05-18T16:56:00.011-04:002011-05-18T17:45:36.062-04:00Seven Days in a WeekAdults use time to mark and measure time, but for children the task is not as easy. Little evidence exists indicating that calander activities which mark extended periods of time (a month, a week) are meaningful for children below first grade (Friedman, 2000). Before children can make use of a calendar, they need to be able to understand that time is sequential (first comes Sunday, then Monday, and so on).<br /><br />There are many relevant resources that exist in your child's world that can help them understand the sequence of a week. You can use <strong>picture books, songs, and even photographs</strong> to help your child understand how to mark and measure time in their own world.<br /><br /><strong>Some books that discuss the concept of a week include:</strong><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnpA2X72E1gSAKuIwfIbqOH1CpfS4xHm0gXCyHRmUyqVsS6r_n3IL8YXlj4O7yoA-_jtL4fsYsFKNiKJhBNWP42dFiY9WhxHggIR1kG7VrVJzqdPzln5STvKAqD85LfrGUTsAfoffqMgs/s1600/HungryCaterpillar.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 230px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608173712913945522" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnpA2X72E1gSAKuIwfIbqOH1CpfS4xHm0gXCyHRmUyqVsS6r_n3IL8YXlj4O7yoA-_jtL4fsYsFKNiKJhBNWP42dFiY9WhxHggIR1kG7VrVJzqdPzln5STvKAqD85LfrGUTsAfoffqMgs/s320/HungryCaterpillar.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>The Very Hungry Caterpillar</strong> by Eric Carle: A hungry caterpillar eats various foods on each day of the week before turning into a beautiful butterfly.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ufSVAxxycdK1PL-HeWcuDHMVBAAUCHI-uOYmdyPeAF8OS6ULseqhcHuHEdhzrMpmqZ4YxhKyd1Q4i7mvTEWXCVgGygilegusEkk2E5XSulXPw02soxSib_13QsMuXMzTlJ97hs4nmUU/s1600/hannah+7+dresses.gif"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 151px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 187px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608174015415455442" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ufSVAxxycdK1PL-HeWcuDHMVBAAUCHI-uOYmdyPeAF8OS6ULseqhcHuHEdhzrMpmqZ4YxhKyd1Q4i7mvTEWXCVgGygilegusEkk2E5XSulXPw02soxSib_13QsMuXMzTlJ97hs4nmUU/s320/hannah+7+dresses.gif" /></a><strong>Hannah and the Seven Dresses</strong> by Marthe Jocelyn: A little girl wears a different dress each day of the week until her birthday comes and she can't decide which of the 7 to choose.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtgad_nemrOjHBw4XHw-UfKoh9o70wLGAvMOTiRg2Kn7cOesPGxyAGSBeTMkgQFPIO5XrizerCi2OJx-vZWE5bsQxTJuS6Nba8m02YyBSdgVuBDOy79KH2EQSzYlkDLdQ1qikenWZ1NT8/s1600/cookie%2527s+week.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 208px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 201px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608173256583805986" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtgad_nemrOjHBw4XHw-UfKoh9o70wLGAvMOTiRg2Kn7cOesPGxyAGSBeTMkgQFPIO5XrizerCi2OJx-vZWE5bsQxTJuS6Nba8m02YyBSdgVuBDOy79KH2EQSzYlkDLdQ1qikenWZ1NT8/s320/cookie%2527s+week.jpg" /></a><strong>Cookie's Week</strong> by Cindy Ward and Tomie de Paola: A mischievious cat gets into trouble each day of the week.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmPnbGIGNLasu9OIZkfEgU5M_zlu8KhQDLkY1LwIhyphenhyphenolbmJFQ_MsEjM-aYmvMN0lRKFbChTJGO_3jj1-CdTMZQ_743OTk2FVb6SblfRWool2iwxwse3_fLFvhgTj-ADgueDm2eKcEfEE/s1600/big+week+for+little+mouse.bmp"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 161px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 161px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608174291185994242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmPnbGIGNLasu9OIZkfEgU5M_zlu8KhQDLkY1LwIhyphenhyphenolbmJFQ_MsEjM-aYmvMN0lRKFbChTJGO_3jj1-CdTMZQ_743OTk2FVb6SblfRWool2iwxwse3_fLFvhgTj-ADgueDm2eKcEfEE/s320/big+week+for+little+mouse.bmp" /></a><strong>Big Week for Little Mouse</strong> by Eugenie and Kim Fernandes: A little mouse spends a week getting ready for a special event.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgji4PxukWXL-vBmnCJ8RcPosIvasUlKjAhqMtvNE_KZggMfleZa2fs9zBrzE6wJ7H-_2WM3rB_NNdkclKpU8uigMsbLQHY6XgTpstnFu3UXvM3NWnInrn3cvIsZ88vcqKBZ85Dxkap8VE/s1600/today+is+monday.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 223px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608174457218735394" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgji4PxukWXL-vBmnCJ8RcPosIvasUlKjAhqMtvNE_KZggMfleZa2fs9zBrzE6wJ7H-_2WM3rB_NNdkclKpU8uigMsbLQHY6XgTpstnFu3UXvM3NWnInrn3cvIsZ88vcqKBZ85Dxkap8VE/s320/today+is+monday.jpg" /></a><strong>Today is Monday</strong> by Eric Carle: Different animals eat their way through the days of the week.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The song <strong>Everybody Happy</strong> by Sharon Lois and Bram is another great resource to use when teaching your little one about a week.<br /><br /><strong>Everybody Happy:</strong><br /><br />Today is Monday, Today is Monday<br />Monday the washing’<br />Everybody happy? But I should say:<br /><br />Today is Tuesday, Today is Tuesday<br />Tuesday the ironing’<br />Monday the washing’<br />Everybody happy? But I should say:<br /><br />Today is Wednesday, Today is Wednesday<br />Wednesday the gardening’<br />Tuesday the ironing’<br />Monday the washing’<br />Everybody happy? But I should say:<br /><br />Today is Thursday, Today is Thursday<br />Thursday soup<br />Wednesday the gardening’<br />Tuesday the ironing’<br />Monday the washing’<br />Everybody happy? But I should say:<br /><br />Today is Friday, Today is Friday<br />Friday Pay Day!<br />Thursday soup<br />Wednesday the gardening’<br />Tuesday the ironing’<br />Monday the washing’<br />Everybody happy? But I should say:<br /><br />Today is Saturday, Today is Saturday<br />Saturday is shopping!<br />Friday Pay Day!<br />Thursday soup<br />Wednesday the gardening’<br />Tuesday the ironing’<br />Monday the washing’<br />Everybody happy? But I should say:<br /><br />Today is Sunday, Today is Sunday<br />Sunday - Resting!<br />Saturday is shopping!’<br />Friday Pay Day!<br />Thursday soup<br />Wednesday the gardening’<br />Tuesday the ironing’<br />Monday the washing’<br />Everybody happy? But I should say:<br />Everybody happy? But I should say!<br /><br />You can also create a large calander for your child using pictures of them doing activities on each day of the week. For example, on Monday, it could be a rainy day (like lately!), Tuesday is baking cookies, and so on.<br /><br /><em>Can you think of any books, songs, or activities that help children learn the days of the week?</em>miss early literacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239294536254274903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259195163790425165.post-75057454262052279552011-04-22T11:00:00.000-04:002011-04-22T11:00:12.246-04:00Tips for Struggling Readers<P><EM>If your child has difficulty sequencing syllables and recognizing sound units within words, try this ... </EM><br /></P><P>Write your child’s first and last name on a piece of paper. Use a red marker to write the vowels. Glue a pom-pom under each syllable. Have your child say their name, and touch the pompom as they say each syllable. </P><P></P><P><EM>If your child has difficulty using vowels and consonants to make words, try this ... </EM><br /></P>Use a set of magnetic letters and an aluminum cookie sheet. Have your child manipulate the letters to form a word. If you don’t have magnetic letters, use index cards for the activity. Have your child make as many words as possible in 1 minute, using just the letters n, f, d, s, and a. <br /><P><EM></EM></P><P><EM>If your child has difficulty hearing vowel sounds, try this ... </EM><br /></P><P>On a table, line up a set of index cards with these vowel teams on them: oi, oy, ou, ow, oo. On a different set of index cards write words that contain these vowel sounds, i.e. boil, toy, couch, low. Have your child determine which of the vowel teams each word should be placed under. Try and have 2 -3 words per vowel team. Note that /oo/ can have 2 sounds, such as moon and book. Make sure you keep the words consistent with the sound. <br /></P>You could also try these vowel teams: <br />o ee, ea, ai, ay, ie, and oa. Again, make sure you keep the word examples consistent. ea has 3 sounds (eat, bread, great). ie also has 2 sounds (piece, pie). <br /><br /><br /><P><EM>If your child has difficulty understanding the meaning of what they read, try this ... </EM></P><P>Write the text of a story on paper, leaving room for illustrations. Ask your child to draw new picture for the book. Or have your child write stories or short sentences and then illustrate them. Staple them together and turn them into mini-books. Have he or she read them back to you. <br /></P>Here are some Mini-books that are ready to print: (these ones give you the option of printing with text only, so that your child can draw the illustrations). <br /><br /><A href="http://minibooks.scholastic.com/minibooks/detail/?id=29466">Town Mouse Country Mouse </A><br /><br /><A href="http://minibooks.scholastic.com/minibooks/detail/?id=29463">The Ugly Duckling</A><br /><br /><A href="http://minibooks.scholastic.com/minibooks/detail/?id=29464">Goldilocks and the Three Bears</A>Ms. Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207975163784841820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259195163790425165.post-10635083349112417652011-04-20T10:47:00.001-04:002011-04-20T10:47:00.595-04:00The Shape and Sound of LettersPhonics is back! <P>In the 60s, when my parents learned to read, they used the “Dick and Jane” basal readers. These focused less on teaching the individual sounds in a word, and more on teaching sight words to be memorized. Just like fashion, this method of teaching reading went out of style, and Phonics has made a comeback. <br /></P><P><IMG style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 140px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimRFVWqxp8wskEtFl27_P95Ip61oz-hQEkwAiqpQnaHi2chOf6hRoUXqo2bA-hsITxiV58M1SoeGXAcSwiZkvBZbUK7IAAFVdBjNcihz_1gYTaaUAf57VPPJA0DRjYc-J1d2cMVTEXhT0/s200/dick+and+jane.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593226026149381250"></P><P align="center">Vs. </P><P><IMG style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrF9KdLKWxcoRZpB_rzGyNSl94zwcEbXH1cnOTLOSXjNVuQkhz3d2WqLIRWVI6K_HiBYX8Y93ei6BT6fbsXGK5Na2nK-_YKZBLi62DIKhYSgdPnjm6mDkQhjKwUTse8RWOdHGNcpZza1U/s200/hooked+on+phonics.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593226194629135298"></P><P><EM>Phonics</EM> is making the connection between the letters on a page, and the sounds that are heard. Even though there are 26 letters in the alphabet, there are 44 sounds! This is because each letter may make more than one sound. <br /></P><br />Around the age of 4, most children have mastered the alphabet song. However, many children need up to 2 years to learn the shapes of all the letters. Here are some tips for teaching your child how to write their letters, and learn the sounds that go with them. <br /><UL><LI>If your child is in preschool, teach an uppercase set of letters first. They are easier to distinguish than lower case letters.</LI><LI>By kindergarten, your child should start to focus on learning the lower case letters.<br /></LI><LI>Start with simple letters. For instance, t, s, a (short sound, as in tap), m, i (short sound as in pig), r, and d are good to start with. </LI><LI>As you’re reading with your child, have them point out words that start with the same letters or end with the same letters. <br /></LI><LI>Research has shown that it is also helpful to show your child a corresponding picture to go with each letter (Ehri, 1992). If they are practicing the letter /s/, have them draw a snake, or a sun – whatever they associate that letter with.</LI></UL><P><FONT size="4"><STRONG>A Time Line of Alphabet Recognition</STRONG> </FONT><br /></P><P><STRONG><FONT size="3">Preschool:</FONT></STRONG><FONT size="4"><STRONG> </STRONG></FONT><br /></P>- Exposure to letter names <br />- Recognizes his or her own name <br /><P><FONT size="3"><STRONG>Kindergarten</STRONG></FONT><br /></P>- Recites most letter names <br />- Labels most letter shapes (uppercase and lower case)<br /><P><STRONG>Grade 1 </STRONG><br /></P>- Knows all letter names and shapes Ms. Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207975163784841820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259195163790425165.post-67149932251268229862011-04-18T08:58:00.000-04:002011-04-18T08:58:00.730-04:00School Readiness<P><FONT size="4"><STRONG>I Know My ABCs</STRONG></FONT></P><P><FONT size="3"><EM>Have a look at some activities you can do with your child, to help them practice their ABCs. </EM></FONT><br /></P><STRONG>1. Read some ABC books</STRONG><P align="center"><IMG style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 162px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrI00ArCe58LgM4EpWtg3BSh0PGDPIVBQuvKDBHHRxH0T7EPBnaZQTKr8Cy7sPFyow0uPeQordsd8Un9rYorr71MpGxQb4TE7dazKfj87mAOvHKz26Dgdx8Y6WCcSD-EPjbCmwEfOnBp4/s200/eating+the+alphabet.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593197377565672690">Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert</P><P><IMG style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 179px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ61YvovRX1GTU1tMySN-GRUkLP9oND1rJXrUXYoOr4360R0mqstabZ0-v04A8HaXMVHlIWmdXigqbSoDjUf3esf4pnIgRLtqInbNjYH7ZKvEgkAPwOWwSJ4ZOWEg_KavYoJk6aZK1tZQ/s200/alphabet+soup.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593197452983111122"></P><P align="center">Alphabet Soup by Kate Banks</P><P><STRONG>2. Make play-dough letters</STRONG></P><P><STRONG>3. Play some games</STRONG><br /></P><P><EM>Alphabet Hide and Go Seek</EM>: Hide letters from the alphabet around the room and have your child find them one at a time and tell you what letter it is.</P><P><EM>Climb the stairs: </EM>Put a letter on each step. The child says each letter as they climb the stairs (can lay on floor if there are no stairs). <br /></P> <STRONG>4.Rhyming Riddles</STRONG><P>You: “I'm thinking of a word that rhymes with cat and begins with b” </P><P>Child: bat!<br /></P> <br /><STRONG>5.Check out </STRONG><A href="http://www.blogger.com/www.starfall.com"><STRONG>www.starfall.com</STRONG> </A>Ms. Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207975163784841820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259195163790425165.post-53430626350340381292011-04-16T08:50:00.000-04:002011-04-16T08:50:00.251-04:00School Readiness<FONT size="4"> I Can Write My Name<br /></FONT><P><EM><FONT size="3">Here are some activities to try that help your child practice writing their own name.</FONT></EM><FONT size="4"><EM> </EM></FONT><br /></P><P><STRONG>1. Sing Name Songs: </STRONG></P><P><EM>Bingo Name Song:</EM> <br /></P>There is a child that I know best<br />And Noah is his name oh,<br />N O A H, N O A H, N O A H<br />And Noah is his name oh<br /> <br /><P><EM>Willobee-wallobee</EM></P><P>Willobee-wallobee wee, an elephant sat on me.<br /></P>Willobee-wallobee, woo , an elephant sat on you.<br />Example. Willobee wallobee winda. (use W for the 1st letter in your child’s name)<br />an elephant sat on Linda<br /><P> <STRONG>2. Tracing</STRONG></P><P>Print your child’s first name, showing them slowly how to make each letter. Have them trace over your printed example.<br /></P> <br /><P><STRONG>3. Try out this Name Puzzle: </STRONG><br /></P>• Write your child’s name on a paper, one in black marker and one in red marker.<br />• Use the pointer to say each letter aloud. Ask your child to copy you.<br />• Cut out each letter in the name in red.<br />• Mix up the pieces.<br />• Have your child help put the name puzzle back together, using the black strip as a guide.<br />• Then have your child try the puzzle without the name as a guide.<br /> <br /><IMG style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKl1PMyz4bA_pEkDUVh4grpRIPte3ngGgIIvBit0Xe97u00tfuxX2zCXvFDo8k-ahAg6IK9bwpMtl95GyPjvMxXwylcbBo5TVQ_u24Qj6lNfa5bNW07M6La6hcNfypoX36Ay3xmZoqV1k/s200/name+game.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593195761582900594">Ms. Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207975163784841820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259195163790425165.post-18526329401679298362011-04-14T15:57:00.000-04:002011-04-14T15:57:00.531-04:00School Readiness<P><FONT size="4"><STRONG>I Can Count to 10</STRONG></FONT></P><P><FONT size="3">Here are some activities to try at home to help your child practice counting to 10. </FONT></P><P><STRONG>1. Play Simon Says</STRONG></P><P>You: “Simon says take 2 steps forward”<br />Child: moves forward 2 steps.<br /> <br /><STRONG>2.Count with books</STRONG></P><P>Try a completion prompt: </P><P>You: “Oh wow! There are lots of polar bears on this page. Let’s see, 1, 2, 3, 4, ____” </P><P>Child: 5!<br /> <br /><STRONG>3. Practice around the house</STRONG></P><P>Have your child dial a telephone number for you when you need to use the phone. Point to the numbers and read them aloud for your child. <br /><br /> <STRONG>4. Practice out and about</STRONG></P><P>When you are walking or driving, “How many signs on the side of the road are there from here to grandmas (or school)?<br /> <br /><STRONG>5. Songs and poems are great too </STRONG></P><P> <EM>One, two, buckle my shoe,<br /> Three, four, shut the door,<br /> Five, six, pick-up sticks,<br /> Seven, eight, lay them straight,<br /> Nine, ten, start over again.<br /><br /></EM><br /></P>Ms. Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207975163784841820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259195163790425165.post-51998805038424109342011-04-12T13:08:00.000-04:002011-04-13T09:21:10.475-04:00School Readiness<P><FONT size="4"><STRONG>I Know My Shapes</STRONG></FONT></P><P><FONT size="3">Try some of these activities to help your child practice naming shapes. </FONT></P><P><STRONG>1. Make a Shape Book</STRONG></P><P>Take a few sheets of construction paper and fold them in half, and put together like a book. Have your child search in old magazines and newspapers for shapes. (triangles, circles, squares, rectangles). Cut them out and paste one shape on each page of your book.<br /></P> <STRONG>2. Tracing Shapes</STRONG><P>Cut out a circle, square and triangle from a large piece of cardboard. Give your child a large sheet of paper on which to make a picture or design by tracing the shapes .<br /></P> <STRONG>3. Making Lunch</STRONG><P>When you’re cutting your child’s sandwich, ask them if they want it in squares.<br /></P><P><IMG style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 160px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRxn5qGxwE2xBCHE530xJ5pcolNIlyys0YCjJ6ZFnEV-yLO2h-Tzl_nBe96kxchXcbucWBIjzj58gOZgLcVouJWPRQSfkymTYOlQKHNVz-2UrkQdleQbFC5kzjJkw5xF1c-3x3kn6X_R8/s200/triangle+sandwich.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592890926153874498"></P><STRONG>4. Making Shapes with Toothpicks</STRONG><P>Put toothpicks on the table and instruct them to make various shapes (ask them to make a circle and see how many actually try!)<br /></P>Ms. Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207975163784841820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259195163790425165.post-44365812770357170092011-04-10T15:37:00.002-04:002011-04-11T12:06:23.846-04:00School Readiness<span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>I Know My Colours </strong></span><p>Try some of these activities to help your child practice reciting the colours of the rainbow. </p><p><strong>1. Sing the Rainbow Song</strong><br /></p><em> Red and yellow and pink and green<br /> Purple and orange and blue<br /> I can sing a rainbow, <br /> sing a rainbow, <br /> sing a rainbow too.</em><br /> <br /><p><strong>2. Play “I Spy” with colours</strong></p><p>You: “I spy with my little eye, something that is blue”<br /></p>Child: Looks around the room and guesses what you picked.<br /> <br /><p><strong>3. Read books about colours</strong></p><p>Some great ones are: Red is Best by Kathy Stinson, Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh and Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert . <br /></p><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQWsHhCf8_YIT8tVdigDc18oOz8nlKOLT-6Cm6C-yXff4VEEEXTrVPDudIQeYxAcq-UnmThSjugsBYuVQcPTOcrU9ZK1ZApW1hyphenhyphenzk3HNLYn__hudAbk9F-CH37XG-bo1beriXHiBNh7A/s200/red+is+best.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592559976385211490" /><br /><strong>5. Everyday</strong><p>Use colours in daily conversations. For example, tell your child the colour of their snack before eating it, or their clothes before they put them on.<br /></p><strong> 6. Toys</strong><p>Play with colourful toys like building blocks and balls<br /></p>Ms. Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207975163784841820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259195163790425165.post-70000104906407393022011-04-08T15:16:00.006-04:002011-04-08T17:39:12.863-04:00Phonemic Awareness<em>2 of the best predictors of your child’s success in reading are letter knowledge and phonemic awareness. Here are some ways to help improve your child's phonemic awareness. <br /></em><p><em></em></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;">2. Phonemic Awareness </span></p><p><em>Phonemic Awareness</em> is being able to hear the individual sounds in the words we say. Children need this skill for learning to read (by blending the sounds of a word together) and when learning to spell (by breaking the word down into its individual letters). <br /></p><p><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitOE-HiL781ps78vyYGmeXYKMk6l2U65CSBGrHGrL6h7a_5UM1u25-p9iKzBwvcADMJri35X4ty3U-9PvXHxo9ctg11Qi1kcRLxHnqavX9gSqiBjqUKf5fo9kAnzAzswgyU9HndpqU0eY/s320/listening.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592553563473055058" /></p>To introduce your child to the basics of phonemic awareness, begin with rhyming and alliteration activities. Most children can successfully complete these by the age of 5, and some as early as 3. <br /><p><em>Here are some to try: </em><br /></p><ul><li>Read books that focus on <strong>rhyme</strong> and <strong>alliteration</strong>. Some great ones are: </li></ul><p><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJWQaQc2T9podZbHw7u6CaG4vV-QFdihMt8p6rsmRLlxLfuzoZmBY3pFdsrxH1PRlL6fVLhy1_wnXRSZohp5qdvMzgl7KUl17uf51Y8xWwvLEmFtvg5SahCEU6IgLYfJvxBeXf65bWaww/s320/each+peach.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592553727355281026" /></p><p align="center">Each Peach Pear Plum by J. and A. Ahlberg</p><p align="center"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 186px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIV4DdoaUo_H13nZx_PVEskm_5vgCcWL5EH_ibR0FuKpWQTSCAbmL_TSdxzXh20G2MOfrCbP19IG78eTjOkBNZZWkFnHMlr3Ofw32d11z7TpcmGLi-d8aVXrWKNoVRt-Wn48Euxxb89ls/s320/giraffe.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592553936486567986" />A Giraffe and a half by S. Silverstein</p><ul><li>Say 3 rhyming words aloud, such as, <em>cat, mat, and hat</em>. Have your child think of other words that rhyme with those words.</li></ul><ul><li>Create a Rhyming Poem. Have your child suggest words to fill in each blank:<br /><br /><em>Once I Saw <br />Once I saw a cat, <br />And it wore a funny little _________ . <br />Tra-la-la, la-la-la-la-la<br />Silly little cat. <br />Once I saw a goat, <br />And it wore a funny little _________ . <br />Tra-la-la, la-la-la-la-la<br />Silly little goat. </em></li></ul><p>If your child has mastered the rhyming tasks, then try <strong>phoneme counting</strong> activities. Most children have mastered phoneme counting by the end of the 1st grade. </p><p><em>Here are some to try:</em></p><ul><li><br />Ask your child to tell you what the first sound is in fun, fly, and friend. Have them tell you other words that begin with /f/. <br /></li></ul><ul><li>Write two words on a piece of paper, such as pat and cat, and have your child to tell you which letter is different in each word. If they are really good at this, have them listen for the last sound in each word. For instance, “What’s the last sound in foot, bat, pet?” <br /></li></ul><ul><li>Say your child’s name in individual phonemes. Have them repeat it for you. <br /><br /><br /></li></ul>Ms. Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207975163784841820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259195163790425165.post-4909118228638033502011-04-06T10:25:00.010-04:002011-04-06T15:56:45.453-04:00Letter Knowledge<p>Hi, my name is Ms. Brown and this is my first time blogging :) </p><p>I have had the pleasure of working with Jenna for almost 3 weeks now. As part of my Bachelor's of Education, I am taking an "alternative" placement in a setting outside of the typical classroom. Using all of the wonderful resources, advice and knowledge from Jenna and the Early Literacy team, I've put together some information that I have found to be useful and relevant to promoting language and literacy at home. Stay tuned for more! </p><p><em>2 of the best predictors of your child’s success in reading are letter knowledge and phonemic awareness. Here are some ways to help improve your child's letter knowledge. </em></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>1.</strong></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong> Recognizing the Alphabet</strong></span><br /></p><p>Knowing how to identify letters is an important stepping stone for learning how to read. Further, if your child can name all the letters, he or she will be better able to understand the alphabetic principle – knowing that each letter stands for a specific sound.</p><p><strong>T</strong><strong>he “Elemeno” Problem:</strong><br /></p><p>The Alphabet song is usually our first introduction to this alphabetic principal. However, about half way through the song, most children tend to combine the l, m, n, and o, to make "elemeno.” It can be difficult for your child to understand that each letter makes its own sound, when these 4 letters are made into one big nonsense word.</p><p>To make sure your child has a solid alphabetic foundation, try some of these suggestions:<br /></p><p><em>- </em>Listen to several versions of the alphabet song.</p><ul><li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8DEdrtGdS8">“ZYXs”</a> was featured on the Big Comfy Couch, and challenges your child to sing the ABCs backwards. <br /></li></ul><ul><li><br />Preview this great CD of <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/oh-when-vowels-go-marching/id299523060?i=299523065&ign-mpt=uo%3D4">ABC songs with a twist</a>. Bonus- they leave out the “elemeno” lyric.</li></ul><p>- On tongue depressors, or popsicle sticks, make a set of alphabet sticks. Have your child arrange them in order.<br /><br />- Provide many forms of the alphabet – sandpaper letters, for instance, are great tactile forms of the alphabet (see below). Or something they’re sure to love – eewy gooey letters! Place some clear hair gel in a bag, and add some food colouring. Make sure the bag is zipped tight! Have your child form letters with their finger on the outside of the bag.</p><p><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 220px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEHxyRUv2IFUNyTYtvQ60dUU3F8A1c69jszozLMKWMY8xg9g23M7XVo1ujewSuU_vTpgNa5KV9AvGj9jI0bm5wHZlGVUq26FOaITa_A2qgAi_eXeMonAyJmpzxJafoGKdkR3ZjoM_vu-A/s320/sandpaper.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592481465690092226" />- Read lots of Alphabet Books. Alphabet Books are Great Because They ...<br /></p><ul><li>Help children learn letter sequence</li><li>Help children connect a sound with a letter</li><li>Support oral language development in beginning readers<br /></li></ul><p align="center"><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 243px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8kefJfcS6w_DA-WHbISxsiFtL_V7srHEHLZzvNXOAwnvfuKg3zrUMxfSDF-QXoKcV9SPWLx-tdZUF2TdG1BNU1HPsXra7k48dv_7XC_Lp8KYuYh831pqQdBUwOzz8Au1frTPWFPofXJU/s320/chicka+chicka+boom+boom.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592482063333625570" /></p><p align="center">Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault</p><p align="center"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 242px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg478NXbegFnCsu7cZ8py9MZxKJzB96jqu9PdK8U2DqsM3CZ9gsrWkVl3g46sdGfPMdD093z2saeFV6kdDsfecKn13br_Siwl4-Zl89GguFVDjvYcl1tnH0uTyRPdW4PbhIVQa8oWs_YuI/s320/alphabeasts.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592482265879104146" /><br />Alphabeasts by Wallace Edwards<br /></p>Ms. Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16207975163784841820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259195163790425165.post-86330947579967963152011-02-02T12:23:00.004-05:002011-02-04T11:57:10.466-05:00Video Clips<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUhK0LFRXEtTUO_LZhfRz2_Ts_St2l8MmIqM8dIM27GFkFw3vKULTlLdpjVZO2WhEaIbKS2k4pKeieShJ_aKa-_qn6VUnG7uKiYaNbHUVIgxzE08p1mc5XEMyKGqMGyWk4TQXJb8RjeM/s1600/martha.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 178px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUhK0LFRXEtTUO_LZhfRz2_Ts_St2l8MmIqM8dIM27GFkFw3vKULTlLdpjVZO2WhEaIbKS2k4pKeieShJ_aKa-_qn6VUnG7uKiYaNbHUVIgxzE08p1mc5XEMyKGqMGyWk4TQXJb8RjeM/s320/martha.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569145454205484818" /></a><br />One of my colleagues, Martha Kovack, has completed a set of training videos on early literacy. Each video clip speaks to an important component of early literacy. After watching all the videos and completing a survey, you can receive a certificate of professional development. <br /><br />To get started, go to:<br /><br /><a href="http://www1.e3.ca/?q=node/197 ">Early Literacy 101: The Basics</a>miss early literacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239294536254274903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259195163790425165.post-3563022619707011782011-01-18T16:31:00.003-05:002011-01-18T16:58:53.015-05:00Math and Children's Literature<p align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM5q8NNaUzufwhQXGSXs8cien78groAazSJTrm7Z5wXIlJ7PmPy8IKLv-Frei8InfTV1HjzlhOTkPx-fmPRomQcUBSoDL6vssNHUn9TqrMuMPVvc4ZXyD_w5sLC5PKNEi6Iw2vyJcwTmk/s1600/goldilocks.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 234px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563647065330408290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM5q8NNaUzufwhQXGSXs8cien78groAazSJTrm7Z5wXIlJ7PmPy8IKLv-Frei8InfTV1HjzlhOTkPx-fmPRomQcUBSoDL6vssNHUn9TqrMuMPVvc4ZXyD_w5sLC5PKNEi6Iw2vyJcwTmk/s320/goldilocks.jpg" /></a></p><p><strong>Using literature to connect with a math lesson is a wonderful way to involve students in both literacy and mathematical thinking</strong> (Whitin & Wilde, 1992, 1995).<br /><br />When teachers link children’s literature with mathematics, children are better at explaining their reasoning and strategies, enjoy mathematics more, show greater overall persistence on difficult tasks, think more about what they learn, and experience a level of success (Clarke, 2002).<br /><br />When children’s literature and numeracy are connected in an interactive and meaningful way, students will understand the mathematics concepts readily and will sustain the knowledge (Raymond, 1995).<br /><br />Many experts have stated that combining mathematics and literacy development will lead to a child's improvement in both.<br /><br />“How children experience math has a profound effect on what they are able to learn. If we want our children to be successful in math, it is important that we create a learning environment that supports the development of understanding, positive attitudes and habits of mind that cause children to be interested, curious and eager to learn new mathematical ideas” (Kathy Richardson, Math Time).<br /><br />At first glance, the story <strong>Goldilocks and the Three Bears </strong>may seem like any other story, but if you look at it using a mathematics lens, something should immediately come to mind - <strong>the number 3</strong>! Not only is the number 3 part of the title, but the entire story is based around collections of 3 (bears, bowls, chairs, beds). Also, the number is continually reinforced.<br /><br /><strong>Not just numbers...</strong></p><p>Also, the story exposes children to ordering (small, medium, large and cold, warm, hot), correspondences between ordered sets (smallest bed for smallest bear, next for the next larger bear), patterning (repeated phrases – too little, too big, just right). WOW! What a great math book!<br /><br />Books provide a great starting point for rich, authentic mathematical thinking and mathematics lessons. Children’s literature also motivates children to explore concepts in greater depth, and encourages them to make connections among and between mathematics topics. Books also help to stimulate interest and provide real-world contexts for problem solving. Children are very quick to relate to fictional characters and situations.<br /><br /><strong>A word of advice...</strong></p><p>Before you talk about the math content in a story with children, make sure that they are very familiar with the story. You can't expand on anything without a solid foundation. Once a child has built up a good schema, you can begin drawing attention to the math in the stories you share.<br /><br /></p>miss early literacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239294536254274903noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259195163790425165.post-69994744866777964402011-01-17T17:55:00.007-05:002011-01-17T18:57:14.004-05:00The Role of Early Math<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiEGesqubuGFYHPK5NC5JTVjZu_nYomolF6vK9ApRcsLtr3nPKFPtRWvCpehfLw8cjixCpYrmKEy6oOrbWAM8p-CJpMT742t2g1TINY7kd7z58J6jFeMaTmEi88Ez8q8bRTk_FF6ZbhlI/s1600/counting"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 224px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiEGesqubuGFYHPK5NC5JTVjZu_nYomolF6vK9ApRcsLtr3nPKFPtRWvCpehfLw8cjixCpYrmKEy6oOrbWAM8p-CJpMT742t2g1TINY7kd7z58J6jFeMaTmEi88Ez8q8bRTk_FF6ZbhlI/s320/counting" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563295653031450770" border="0" /></a><br />In Canada, <span style="font-weight: bold;">more than 49% of people lack basic numeracy skills </span>(Statistics Canada, OECD, 2005). Isn't this astounding?!? Math development starts long before children enter adulthood. A large body of research indicates that the foundation of these skills start even before children enter school - before they reach 4 years of age.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Early arithmetic abilities have been found to be the strongest predictor for later school achievement</span> (Dunan et al., 2007).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Counting ability is the best predictor for the initial level of math performance</span> (from a longitudinal study from preschool to second grade by Aunola, Leskinen, Lerkkanen, and Nurmi, 2004).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkn2Yaf2GmDbPlk15NJevgcN2SbAsbKM2CcEqRV2gkA3Lb41a6PTNHOhOtaF6Kvl1qJySuvuZz0gAiwjZ1AL3xWVLQPrGkXpaRy7-tRaHhdInXYoOyDAK3p44svIAjLWmCHCMo1vop0hw/s1600/matthew+effect.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkn2Yaf2GmDbPlk15NJevgcN2SbAsbKM2CcEqRV2gkA3Lb41a6PTNHOhOtaF6Kvl1qJySuvuZz0gAiwjZ1AL3xWVLQPrGkXpaRy7-tRaHhdInXYoOyDAK3p44svIAjLWmCHCMo1vop0hw/s320/matthew+effect.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563304683380051602" border="0" /></a><br />The graph above is a visual representation of the<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_effect_%28sociology%29"> Matthew Effect</a> (Source: www.balancedreading.com). Basically, it explains that people who "have" will continue to "have" and even get more, while the "have nots" will always stay at the same level and never catch up to the latter group.<br /><br />Sounds like a good reason to start building a solid foundation from birth, right?miss early literacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239294536254274903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259195163790425165.post-65218209199428021562010-12-14T13:55:00.002-05:002010-12-14T14:08:34.349-05:00Peter Penguin<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikan8H3FSexf19nXOD9mZltkW-pfrvjUit2PZwvl1Y9_W9zurYXlm9KdAm-1MXLblVFkQpCObK2V_lmhZwGL0dAaMdiSC1lC2yWi3smFXKxM_3njzNIVS6buN0mtJokIwaMERq4_yeYio/s1600/IMG_0177.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikan8H3FSexf19nXOD9mZltkW-pfrvjUit2PZwvl1Y9_W9zurYXlm9KdAm-1MXLblVFkQpCObK2V_lmhZwGL0dAaMdiSC1lC2yWi3smFXKxM_3njzNIVS6buN0mtJokIwaMERq4_yeYio/s320/IMG_0177.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550614377902100514" /></a><br /><br />Meet my friend Peter Penguin. He is a very picky eater and he will only eat things that begin with the sound /p/. Can you help me feed him?<br /><br />Doing activities like this with your child will help them develop phonological awareness. Phonological awareness is hearing the small sounds in words. In this case, it's the /p/ sound. You can make this activity suit any sound you would like to work on with your child. <br /><br /><em>Can you think of any other animal friends who are picky eaters?</em><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaSwmbkr0Nfn0wtEGN9ZWMEYQFgFdHawfIbjz1RbiDw_seof3aA8WUgh0y1izzA7JQYehlMx_pxxXH6eNEvA4xBstgD0bsMuC87mowuDjldJODCiyfdf0NdeP0ZMQXxk-LkOWQJFP7nQs/s1600/IMG_0178.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaSwmbkr0Nfn0wtEGN9ZWMEYQFgFdHawfIbjz1RbiDw_seof3aA8WUgh0y1izzA7JQYehlMx_pxxXH6eNEvA4xBstgD0bsMuC87mowuDjldJODCiyfdf0NdeP0ZMQXxk-LkOWQJFP7nQs/s320/IMG_0178.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550614598262156546" /></a>miss early literacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239294536254274903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259195163790425165.post-81619359303958576522010-12-06T11:15:00.002-05:002010-12-06T11:20:20.928-05:00Letters to Santa<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDIfdhngDFlfVu32WT51E6xALGJZ_2NeOIE44QMGL9RVL5eADgdOmy9qqIWS66KZxOwiR7l0sCxHdkAzLhH6AkVWicTz0GC3c7eVzN1wLflKjVaXentSfw8LgBqTNpLCOZ_fJ5YRbqbeQ/s1600/santa_letter.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 247px; height: 271px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDIfdhngDFlfVu32WT51E6xALGJZ_2NeOIE44QMGL9RVL5eADgdOmy9qqIWS66KZxOwiR7l0sCxHdkAzLhH6AkVWicTz0GC3c7eVzN1wLflKjVaXentSfw8LgBqTNpLCOZ_fJ5YRbqbeQ/s320/santa_letter.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547604807932511922" /></a><br />Canada Post is in its 29th year of the <strong>Santa Letter-Writing program</strong>. This offers a fantastic opportunity for you to practice writing and mailing letters with your child. Please visit the link below to find out how you can write a letter or email to Santa with your child.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.canadapost.ca/dec/santa/writesanta/default-e.asp">http://www.canadapost.ca/dec/santa/writesanta/default-e.asp</a>miss early literacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239294536254274903noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259195163790425165.post-60016672646409493872010-12-04T10:28:00.004-05:002010-12-06T11:03:02.006-05:00Holiday Baking!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1HFBk1fxvyYTUcO-q3CBr3gjxTZaJMo8D1LYElc6P1qR-deo5PQtv_UDr9bxHuiGGmYRZ_cz6slkWj79uYZLdA3anviAXjuOzfAeMxneFQLC66oToJhzWwl-csYvoepJihnsFMyFoJLc/s1600/baking.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 170px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1HFBk1fxvyYTUcO-q3CBr3gjxTZaJMo8D1LYElc6P1qR-deo5PQtv_UDr9bxHuiGGmYRZ_cz6slkWj79uYZLdA3anviAXjuOzfAeMxneFQLC66oToJhzWwl-csYvoepJihnsFMyFoJLc/s320/baking.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547599605762760882" /></a><br />Looking back to my younger days, I fondly remember the time I spent with my aunt making cookies on Sunday afternoons. Baking is an excellent activity you can do with your child to help them prepare to learn to read, among other things. <br /><br />For younger children, pouring ingredients into bowls and mixing help them understand the concept of cause and effect. They learn to understand the concept of "hot" when something hot comes out of the oven.<br /><br />Baking helps children learn new vocabulary. Your child can try new foods to expand their palate. Also, baking serves as a fun way to explore mathematical concepts like quantity through measuring and counting. Your child will learn about the concepts "more" and "less". They can learn to read print by matching words in recipes to words on store containers like "eggs", "baking powder", "suagr", and so on.<br /><br />Bake something special with your child today. The recipe can be as simple as rice krispy squares. Spending time with your child doing something they will enjoy is something that they will remember for the rest of their lives.<br /><br /> <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">Do you have a simple recipe you can share?</span></span>miss early literacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239294536254274903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259195163790425165.post-24454687470471522322010-11-30T06:30:00.000-05:002010-11-30T06:30:02.415-05:00Mitten Weather<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS0W3l6PGHV8qtEGwGRj8Oz-VT_k6mOKrt8Iqc2ok_d8ZExQqShtcYSvTIpLat98AaDsHaGBlcTmFEd2cTiWAnOG6ltGoTYxMOS-lFe7z6RYgxoiED-R-YhZRl73FN9XuMmBeey9DCyHg/s1600/IMG_0120.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS0W3l6PGHV8qtEGwGRj8Oz-VT_k6mOKrt8Iqc2ok_d8ZExQqShtcYSvTIpLat98AaDsHaGBlcTmFEd2cTiWAnOG6ltGoTYxMOS-lFe7z6RYgxoiED-R-YhZRl73FN9XuMmBeey9DCyHg/s320/IMG_0120.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545057166690318978" /></a><br /><em>Thumb in the thumb hole, fingers all together.<br />This is the song we sing in mitten weather.</em><br /><br />It's the time of year that we begin wearing heavier layers to keep warm. Talking, singing, and reading about layering our clothing will help children understand how to stay warm. This time of year brings out many new vocabulary words.<br /><br />As a simple activity, make a paper mitten in each colour from construction paper. Children can help you tell the story, "<strong>Red Mitten, Red Mitten</strong>" which models Eric Carle's story <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdHCYgO9zh8">Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See</a>?"miss early literacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239294536254274903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259195163790425165.post-29863894939348563732010-11-29T12:07:00.005-05:002010-11-29T14:46:03.080-05:00Fostering creativity in children<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLxrs-OIqLQfENGxt0KqdPU2yRCDTnuujqa072EEaNQVfrY0U6ZhcDLCZSa7mNHWRv5VTDqCeJZgropwybWb7RKYIAsxg66kut7j4oOBfgiWtjBjp88O7QVcyR_4FbGmxErlGiffi6KYc/s1600/red+flower.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLxrs-OIqLQfENGxt0KqdPU2yRCDTnuujqa072EEaNQVfrY0U6ZhcDLCZSa7mNHWRv5VTDqCeJZgropwybWb7RKYIAsxg66kut7j4oOBfgiWtjBjp88O7QVcyR_4FbGmxErlGiffi6KYc/s400/red+flower.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545053128684747538" /></a><br />Here is an interesting story...<br /><br /><strong>The Little Boy</strong> <br /><em>Adapted from Helen E. Buckley</em><br /><br />Once a little boy went to school. He was quite a little boy and it was quite a big school.<br /><br />One morning, when the little boy had been in school a while the teacher said, "Today we are going to make a picture". The little boy was happy. He liked to make pictures. He could make all kinds: lions and tigers, chickens and cows, trains and boats. He took out his box of crayons and he began to draw.<br /><br />But the teacher said, "Wait, it is not time to begin" and she waited until everyone looked ready. "Now", said the teacher, "We are going to make flowers". The little boy was happy. He liked to make flowers so he began to make beautiful ones with his pink, orange and blue crayons.<br /><br />But the teacher said "Wait, I will show you how." She drew a flower on the board. It was red, with a green stem. "There, now you may begin", said the teacher. <br /><br />The little boy looked at the teacher's flower, then he looked at his own flower. He liked his flower better than the teacher's, but he did not say anything. He just turned his paper over and made a flower like the teacher's. It was red with a green stem.<br /><br />On another day, the teacher said, "Today we are going to make something with clay". The little boy was happy. He liked clay. He could make all kinds of things with clay: snakes and snowmen, elephants and mice, cars and trucks. He began to pull and pinch his ball of clay.<br /><br />But the teacher said, "Wait, it is not time to begin". She waited until everyone looked ready. "Now, we are going to make a dish," said the teacher. The little boy was happy. He liked to make dishes. He began to make some that were all shapes and sizes.<br /><br />But the teacher said, "Wait, I will show you how". She showed everyone how to make one deep dish. "There, now you may begin," said the teacher.<br /><br />The little boy looked at the teacher's dish. Then he looked at his own dish. He liked his better than the teacher's, but he did not say anything. He just rolled his clay into a big ball again and made a dish like the teacher's. It was a deep dish.<br /><br />Pretty soon the little boy learned to wait, to watch, and to make things just like the teacher.<br /><br />Then, it happened that the boy's family moved to another city. On the first day at his new school, the teacher said, "Today we are going to make a picture." The boy thought about how much fun it would be to draw a picture, and he waited. <br /><br />The teacher didn't say anything. She just walked around the room. When she came to the little boy, she asked him if he wanted to draw a picture. He said yes and asked her what he should draw. She said he could draw anything he wanted to. He asked her what colour he should use. She said he could use any colour he wanted to.<br /><br />The little boy looked at his blank paper and thought hard for several moments. Then, he picked up his crayons and started to draw. <br /><br /><em>Can you guess what he drew?</em><br /><br />For more information on children and creativity, please visit:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.cccf-fcsge.ca/docs/cccf/RS_15-e.pdf">Children and Creativity</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.parentsmatter.ca/document/docWindow.cfm?fuseaction=document.viewDocument&documentid=479&documentFormatId=943">Process, Not Product</a>miss early literacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239294536254274903noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259195163790425165.post-47809915759880877832010-11-25T14:21:00.003-05:002010-11-25T14:26:12.783-05:00Sparkle Box!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoagu6iEemOc4PcxrbyL_s7tPLhA5SznVbzjh7c5C94D5dhr-vz_j8ipdjLhgl7_eSsJ95GSLUnpq8GtX-ygbWXDROPeJZEV89mFxXoQbRenZg1j4M_l6R6RpUyGW4lDJ0C2wJ8IUsNSI/s1600/sparklebox_2-640x4801.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 254px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoagu6iEemOc4PcxrbyL_s7tPLhA5SznVbzjh7c5C94D5dhr-vz_j8ipdjLhgl7_eSsJ95GSLUnpq8GtX-ygbWXDROPeJZEV89mFxXoQbRenZg1j4M_l6R6RpUyGW4lDJ0C2wJ8IUsNSI/s400/sparklebox_2-640x4801.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5543570780692021922" /></a><br />Are you looking for a great website with free resources that you can use with children? I suggest you try<br /> <a href="http://www.sparklebox.co.uk/cll/story/">http://www.sparklebox.co.uk/cll/story/</a><br /><br />I have given you link to the literacy page on stories, rhymes, and reading, but there is lots more for you to browse once you get to the website.<br /><br />Please post a comment if you find something worth sharing!miss early literacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239294536254274903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259195163790425165.post-71125805592720167292010-11-22T13:27:00.004-05:002010-11-22T15:48:35.055-05:00Storytelling for Babies and Toddlers"Children need lots of experience listening to many kinds of stories such as stories about people's real life experiences, and stories that are made up. Stories that are never written down as just as valuable as stories told from books. Experience with stories helps children understand how words go together, both in sound and in print, to help build meaning".<br /><br />Source: Macaulay Child Development Centre, From Lullabies to Literacy<br /><br />We all know that younger children have smaller <a href="http://www.littleonesreadingresource.com/attention-span-in-children.html">attention spans</a>. Expecting an infant or toddler to sit through a long fairy tale is setting oneself up for failure. Instead, try developmentally appropriate stories to HELP THEM develop their attention span.<br /><br />Stories for <strong>babies</strong> can be as simple as <strong><a href="http://www.zelo.com/family/nursery/index.asp">nursery rhymes </a></strong>such as "Hickory Dickory Dock" or "Jack and Jill". You can also tell your baby what you are doing while you do it, "First we'll get the diaper, and then we'll put it on".<br /><br />Stories for <strong>toddlers</strong> can be repetitive songs or stories such as "Eensy Weensy Spider" or "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?" Alternatively, you can tell stories about when your child was born and how you felt, something you did or liked when you were very young, or when you learned to do something such as tie your shoelaces.miss early literacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239294536254274903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4259195163790425165.post-25416968074102892202010-11-19T13:42:00.001-05:002010-11-19T13:42:00.439-05:00What is Print Motivation?Print motivation is an interest in and enjoyment of books. Researchers suggest that children who are more fluent and positive about reading came from parent-child pairs who viewed reading as fun and encouraged questions and humour while reading. Children who learn that reading can be fun despite its challenges may be more motivated to persist in their efforts in learning to read.<br /><br />Family influence carries a lot of weight in literacy. A study of parents reading with toddlers found that when the interaction with the parent in negative, it carries over to the activity of reading. Children will avoid reading because of the negative experiences they associate with it (Bus et al., 1997). This tells us that it is important to promote a fun, positive, and stress-free environment when sharing books with our children.<br /><br />A child with print motivation enjoys being read to, plays with books, pretends to write, asks to be read to, and enjoys visiting the local library.miss early literacyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239294536254274903noreply@blogger.com0