Take a Look at Using Rebus Chants With New Readers

Posted on August 26th, 2011 by Carolyn Hart in Learn to Read Printables, Games and Activities for Parents and Teachers, Winter Children's Books, Learning Games and Printables

Rebus chants for children who are beginning to read

Learning to Read Fun with Rebus Chants!


Have you tried rebus chants in your early literacy programs? I present programs for 4, 5 and 6-year-old children. I use a variety of materials and have had considerable success with rebus chants. I print off multiple copies of the chants, I handcolor them using pencil crayons, mount them on card stock and then laminate them.

The rebus chants are usually poems where several words are replaced with hand-drawn pictures. They are great for emergent readers because they usually include frequently repeated, predictable text AND rhyming words. The young child does not have to decode all the words – the rebus pictures fill-in-the-blanks.

In addition to giving children the satisfaction of “reading” (both text and illustrations), the poems will also support the development of phonemic awareness.

Storytime Standouts shares a snowman rebus poem for beginning readersThere are many sources of rebus chants. This is one that I created for you to download for free

image of PDF icon  Counting Snowmen Rebus

My favourites are created by Vera Trembach and published by Rainbow Horizons Publishing. Ms. Trembach offers seasonal and theme-related chants – there is truly something for everyone!

Whether you checkout the Canadian Rainbow Horizons Publishing website or the American website, you’ll find free teaching units and detailed information including previews of the chant books.


Tags: , , , , ,

One Comment on “Take a Look at Using Rebus Chants With New Readers”

  1. Vera Trembach

    Once and awhile I check and see if my books are being used. I have sold copyright and no longer publish early childhood materials but it’s nice to see sites like yours! Thank you for making my day.

More News

Learn to Read Printables, Games and Activities for Parents and Teachers

Unlimited Squirrels in I Lost My Tooth!

Unlimited Squirrels in I Lost My Tooth!

Unlimited Squirrels in I Lost My Tooth! written and illustrated ...

Phonemic Awareness

Bolstering Phonemic Awareness, Getting Ready to Read While in the Car

Bolstering Phonemic Awareness, Getting Ready to Read While in the Car

Some of the keys to learning to read are noticing ...

Terrific Chapter Books for Middle Grades and Teens

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume, a SLJ Top 100 Novel

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume, a SLJ Top 100 Novel

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume Series for ...

Translate »