| Using 14 "at" Flashcards To Teach Reading: | | | | check his reading against the pictures. |
| This exercise helps your child increase the speed with | | | | Making Flashcards Of Words: |
| which she reads the words she has a grip on so far. | | | | Your child has had a lot of practice with "at" words, so |
| Write each of the words flat, chat, brat, spat, splat, and | | | | now he needs a set of flashcards. Write each of the |
| drat on a separate index card. | | | | at words on a separate index card (bat, cat, fat, hat, |
| Add these new flashcards to the eight flashcards you | | | | mat, pat, rat, and sat) and encourage your child to read |
| made before (bat, cat, fat, hat, mat, pat, rat and sat) so | | | | his cards to family members and friends. |
| you have a set of 14. You can use the dialogue in bold | | | | If your child likes to write, let him write his own cards. |
| text when following these steps with your child: | | | | Many children prefer an adult to write the cards for |
| 1. Spread the cards face down on the table. | | | | them because adults do a neater job, but if your child |
| 2. Turn them over one at a time and read them to me. | | | | makes his own cards, he feels even more proud of |
| 3. Turn them back over and jumble them up. Can you | | | | them. |
| still read them to me? | | | | Use flashcards for practicing skills, but flashcard |
| 4. Walk around the room and see if you can still read | | | | games and drills should augment, not replace your one |
| them to me. | | | | on one instruction. |
| In step 4 your child can do whatever action you like - | | | | Building "at" Into Words Like "flat": |
| jump up and down ten times, knock on the front door, | | | | To help consolidate your child's understanding of sound |
| have 20 swings on the swing - remember your | | | | chunks, ask him to make bigger "at" words by adding |
| options are open to any activity that makes it fun and | | | | more letters to "at", including blends like "fl" and |
| challenging for your child. | | | | partners like "ch". |
| Buying Reading Flashcards For Your Child: | | | | You help your child make the six words flat, chat, brat, |
| After you've practiced with a few homemade | | | | spat, splat and drat in this exercise. Before beginning, |
| flashcards and your child has the hang of them, move | | | | try the strategy of presenting her with a challenge that |
| on to commercial flashcards. You can buy whole | | | | you know she can accomplish. Tell your child you have |
| packs of flashcards in school supply stores and many | | | | a challenge you're not sure she's up to. |
| bookstores. | | | | Preparation: Have "at" written on one whole index |
| Most of these flashcards have a word on one side | | | | card. Cut three other index cards inhalf. On each of |
| and a corresponding picture on the other, so you read | | | | the six halves, write one of these six pairs of letter: fl, |
| hat and turn the card over to see a picture of a hat. | | | | ch, br, sp, spl, and dr. In this exercise, your child makes |
| You can use these cards easily and effectively, if you | | | | the words flat, chat, brat, spat, splat, and drat. Use the |
| know how. | | | | direct dialogue given in bold text as a guide. |
| Start with commercial flashcards by selecting from the | | | | 1. Put "at" down in front of you. |
| pack only words you need, the ones you have already | | | | 2. Spread the other cards around "at". |
| had some practice with. Right now, you'd select from | | | | 3. Choose a card and slide it over to the front of "at". |
| the pack focusing only on the short "a" words. Have | | | | 4. Say "What word have you made?" |
| your child read a word and then turn over the card to | | | | 5. Repeat steps 3-4 with the remaining letters. |