Using Word Families With Beginning Readers
When working with children who are just beginning to sound out words, I have had great success using word families. Shortly after a child discovers that C -A -T spells cat, it can be enormously rewarding to introduce B-A-T amd M-A-T. Often a child’s eyes grow as big as saucers as he realizes the relationship between the three words. He makes a connection and sounding out BAT, CAT, FAT, HAT, MAT, PAT, RAT and SAT is not nearly as difficult as he originally thought. Soon he has eight new words to be proud of (rather than just one).
On the Storytime Standouts Beginning to Read page I include Word Family Flip Books for short vowels. Print the pages and cut out the individual letters. Cut out the larger rectangle along the lines. Make a pile of letters (check that they are all the right way up) and staple them to the left of the word ending. Encourage your beginning reader to ‘build’ on her knowledge that C-A-T spells CAT by flipping the letters and substituting the consonant. She’ll create many more words and feel a thrill of success.
There have been many, many books written that focus on word families. A search of “Fat Cat” might produce a dozen or more results. I’m delighted to let you know about a series that combines spinning word wheels, picture clues and early reader books. The word wheels are sturdy and easy to spin. They each create eight words: the wheel for Bug in a Rug produces bug, hug, dug, jug, mug, pug, tug and rug. Beginning readers will need some help decoding the story but will find the illustrations helpful and will soon notice that the word family words are printed using red ink. if ‘reading’ with an older family member, the child could be asked to ‘read just the red words’ until familiar with the vocabulary. Good fun and a helpful resource for those who are just beginning to read.
Fat Cat at Amazon.ca
Jen the Hen at Amazon.ca
Dog in the Fog at Amazon.ca
Bug in a Rug at Amazon.ca
August 19th, 2007 at 1:05 pm
I just read a cute story, Ladybug Baby Bug, to my 15-month old. He can’t read yet, but the bold, primary colors used on the cover and illustrations pull him in and keep his attention while I read. The illustrations must be stimulating his brain development and the reading has to be sinking in over time. I found the book, Ladybug Baby Bug to be a great bedtime story. It really seems to interest him over and over again. I’d recommend it to anyone with a small child who cannot read yet and up to 6 years old (early readers). The family care and love theme leaves this this age range with a positive message. It’s always great as a mon knowing you’re passing the time with your child in a positive, supportive way. There’s a lot of repetitive words and phrases which make it grab and hold the attention of little ones.
August 23rd, 2007 at 10:09 pm
I’m interested to read your suggestions “Loving Mom.” The other comment you left was signed “Loving Aunt.” I think two comments about the same book = one too many. Is there a degree of self-interest in your comment?