READING FOLDERS

Purpose

Direct
The child becomes familiar with the various ways the key phonograms are written in the English language. He becomes aware that some sounds may have more that none spelling – a key to reading.

Control of Error
The backs f the cards and the booklets.

Age
4 1/2 – 5 years onwards

Materials
A series of folders each of which represents one of the key sounds of the English Language which can be written in more than one way. On the outside of each folder is the appropriate symbol. Thirteen folders cover the key sounds – ai, ee, ie, oa, ue, au, ou, oy, er, e, f, j, s. Inside of each folder are cards about 15cm x 10cm. Each card shows in red, one of the various ways the particular sound may be written, while on the reverse side the key symbols appear in blue. The child can use this as a control of error. Besides the cards each folder contains a set of booklets with one word per age. The words n the booklets are written in two colors with the phonogram in red.

Presentation 1: Cards and Booklets

Materials
– The basket of folders
– A folder

Presentation

1. Remove the cards and booklets.
2. Place the card with the phonogram that the child knows, under the folder.
3. Place the booklet that goes with it in front of the child and familiarize the child with it.
4. Have the child read the first booklet.
5. Conversationally discuss any words the child might not know.
6. Show a second way of symbolizing the sound and place it in front of the child.
7. Tell the child that these two letters make the same sound. They make the sound “ai”.
8. Repeat as with the first booklet.
9. Repeat for the third sound and booklet.
10. Introduce the fourth way of making “ai”.
11. Tell the child that these two letters also make the sound “ai”.
12. Indicate the dash and say, “This is the place where we put anther letter.”
13. Place the “m” in front of the ‘a’ and the “t” from the letter dish over the dash. Cover the “e” with your hand and sound out “mat” with the child. Uncover the “e” and say that this is called a silent “e”. When we see it, it changes the “a” to an “ai”. Read “mate” with the child.
14. Give the child the booklet to read the few examples.

Exercise
The child works with the folders that have been introduced to him as shown in the presentation. The child can still work with the folders he has been shown as the directress shows him others.

Presentation 2: Looking in books for Phonograms

Materials
– Slips of cards
– A book

Note
Check for a book that will have words with the specific phonogram and not too much text.

Presentation

1. Show the child the prepared slips with each way to make a given sound.
2. Bring a book to the table.
3. Tell the child that there are many words that use these letters to make the sound.
4. Look for words that use the phonogram in the title and pages of the book.
5. Show the child to place the slip over the words and to slide it over to check each word.

Exercise 1
The child works with the material as shown in the presentation.

Exercise 2
The child can make a list of all of the words he has found with the two letters. He can also make a booklet of these words.

Presentation 3: Sorting

Materials
– Two folders of cards

Presentation

1. Choose two folders to work with (for the first one, choose ‘ai’ and ‘ie’).
2. Place the folders out with the booklets to the left, out of the way.
3. Mix the cards from the two folders.
4. Give the cards to the child to sort.
5. The child says the sound and places it below the appropriate folder.
6. Repeat until all of the cards have been sorted.
7. Turn over all of the cards on one column and check the back to see if it was a correct sorting.
8. Check the other column in a similar manner.
9. The child can repeat.
10. Once done, the child can put away the work.

Exercise
The child can work with any two folders as shown in the presentation. Once he has worked a lot ith two at a time, he can move his way up to working with all of the folders

Presentation 4: Moveable Alphabet and One Folder

Materials
– One mat
– Moveable Alphabet
– One folder

Presentation

1. Place the Moveable Alphabet in the top left corner of the mat.
2. Ask the child to show all the different ways to make a particular sound by representing it in the Moveable Alphabet.
3. Once done, check with the cards.
4. If the child is interested, he can be presented another sound.

Exercise
The child can work with one or more folders and check with the cards.

Presentation 5: Dictation

Materials
– Two mats
– Moveable Alphabet
– One folder

Presentation

1. Place the Moveable Alphabet in the top left corner of the rug.
2. Ask the child to show all the different ways of making a sound (do this on a horizontal mat).
3. Space them all out.
4. The directress chooses words from the booklets to dictate to the child to spell.
5. The child listens to the word and with the Moveable Alphabet, spells out the word under the correct letters that make the sound.
6. To add interest, choose two words that sound the same but are spelled differently, such as mail and male. But be sure to explain what the word means in each case.