One of the activities I do during spelling exercises is - a word ratio chart- the most recent word chart I did with Courtenay was for the sound /j/ - it has 4 different choices - dge (comes after a short vowel), ge(final spelling), g (comes before a stick vowel - y, i, e) and j(usually in the front of the word). I present them with objects that represents the keyword for each sound. I gave her a toy fridge, green giant (Shrek), hinge (hole puncher), jet. I ask them to tell me the story for each sound - "g says /j/ for giant- can tell them to trace the glitter letters and say the story. I show them the paper with four columns, they fill in the sounds and the rules/concept to help them differentiate the sounds when I say it. Let them draw a picture too in that area, keyword that is going to help them represent each sound. After saying each word, they need to repeat and lift up the correct object and tell me why they think it's that sound. For example: I say "badge", which /j/ sound is in that word? Courtenay says 'dge' and raises the toy fridge up in the air. I ask "How did you know Courtenay?" "because it has a short vowel a, and we use 'dge' after a short vowel" says Courtenay. It is important to have them sound as they spell onto their chart.
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One of the biggest difficulty for my OG math students is: they have difficulties creating visual and/or mental math concepts. In school, they are pretty much trained to memorize concepts rather then to understand them visually. For example: asking my students what is 3 times 5, they will probably tell me quickly that it equals to 15. I ask them how they came up with that answer? most of the time they said it's because they remembered it. When I tutor, the 1st 10 mins is mostly reviewing all known and learned math concepts/terms....all concepts I teach is done using all senses - visual, tactile/kinesthetic, auditory. For math review I will usually put equations, vocab onto cue cards and ask them to tell me the answer or meaning. If they got the sum wrong, I will have them write the equation down onto the white board, then ask them to write the equation out 3 times differently (drawing pictures, using tables/graphs or word problems). This helps them visualize the equations and also improve in their mental math problem solving abilities. Having ongoing review will give you opportunities for the child to show you how much they learned and show you if your teaching strategy works for them. Be flexible, don't give up on the student, it doesn't always take one lesson for mastery of a concept..remember to keep your lessons multi-sensory..and make math meaningful!
For this sequencing activity I use the mneunomic: My very educated mother just served us nachos. I use the styrofoam colored balls I made into the different planets to stick on my 3-D chart which has the mneunomic and the names of the planets written on it (with glitter glue). Then I take out a plate with nacho cut-outs from poster paper and a paper plate with a cheese cut -out (represents the sun) and have them order the planets and say the mneunomic. After they get it correct, I'll tell them they won a plate of nachos/cheese - which is probably their favorite part. The first time I do this sequencing activity, I will not concentrate on the correct spelling of the planets - main goal is for them to remember the sequence with the mneunomic. For their record page I have stickers of the planets and have them stick it on the paper and write down the mneunomic.
I have used this ELEFUN game as a review and game for new sounds or concepts I teach. I cut out butterflies out of tissue paper and write the sound or concept onto them and put them into the machine (20-30). I will usually have like a 30 sec timer and turn on the machine for them to catch as much butterflies. After each round, we take a look at the butterflies we caught and have like a point system (for example: 2 pts for 4 letter words) and they have to say the sound or concept out loud and have write it down for a record. It is a fun activity for children, they are being active and developing their gross motor skills and also practicing concepts learned. For example, I used this ELEFUN as a review for suffixes learned - I made like a bag of butterflies with one wing with a word - 'dig' and the other wing with the suffix ing and they have to write it down and then write/say the result - digging. The point system was if they had to use the doubling rule it would be 5 pts, if they didn't use the doubling rule then it'll be 2 pts. This is a great activity to work on math skills - addition too. Enjoy!!
I wanted to share an activity that I do for most of my students, to help them remember all the vowels. Here is the vowel face - a, e(eyes), i (noise), u(mouth) and o (circle shaped face) and sometimes y (tie) and w (hair). I cut all the letters out in foam paper and have them make the face and say the story of the vowel face. Then after, they do a record page for their binder and also make one out of glitter glue on a take home cue card. It is a fun way to remember the vowels .....when the children forget the vowels, all I have to say is - vowel face - they seem to always remember it this way instead of just by memorizing. I hope this vowel face will help you in teaching/introducing the vowel sounds to your little ones. Have fun!!!
Making a weekly math journal will help children make sense of math. Let them write about instances where they used their math skills or write about a new concept they learned in class and how they would use that concept in daily life. This also helps them with creative writing. I let them use their proofreading skills to correct any spelling, grammar or punctuation mistakes. It is a great way for them to reflect on why math is important in our daily lives. It is surprising when I ask : why do we learn math for? to children...most of them don't even know how to answer, until you ask them really direct questions that relate to math - what time is it? how long did it take you to come to class? What is the difference in height between me/you? By asking this question to your child, it can show you how much understanding they have of math.....
I use finger lights, which u can buy in a dollar store (4 for $1), and let the student pick the color and have them strap it onto their index finger (pointer finger). Instead of just standing with one arm on their shoulder and using their writing hand to trace the letter in mid-air....I let them use these finger lights to trace on a white board under dim light and then have them trace the letter facing me while I mirror them with a finger light. This part is my student's favorite part when she tries to blind me with her finger light. Try this out, it is a great way for children to learn the large movement of writing and to learn the formation of cursive or printed letters. When tracing keep using the grass, sky and ground to help them with verbalizing the motion. For example: printed small letter a - "start at the top of the grass and make a loop all the way back to the top of the grass and go straight down to the bottom of the grass. This will help them with kinesthetic memory of the formation. I've also used this method in introducing 3 yr. olds to writing chinese characters.
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AuthorDora Cheung - Certified OG Tutor, Masters of Educ. Admin., Early Childhood Education, +20 yrs of teaching experience. Married with 3 boys - 13 yrs, 11 yrs and 8 yrs old. Archives
December 2019
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