Gimme 5 for phonics!

Letter rings have been sent home and will be useful tool at school and at home.

In general, I use the "Montessori 3 part lesson" method to introducing letter-sound concepts with preschoolers. Since My Time & More Preschool only meets once a week, I think it is helpful if parents can practice phonics at home.

I will be adding the ASL sign and the phonic sound in the form of a video clip on my blog for each letter of the alphabet as we introduce it in class.

This is from the Montessori mom website BTW:

"With slow and deliberate movements, show your child two of the concepts you wish to teach (using appropraite manipulatives).

step one:

Point to one of the concepts, like the "s" letter card and say this letter says "sss" Make the sound clear and short. In class I usually repeat it 5 times and have the child say it 5 times as well. Work on this one concept until you think you child "gets" it. Then do the same process with the other concept, like the "a" letter card and say this letter says "ah" Work on just this concept until you think the child gets it.

step two:

Ask the child, can you give mt the one that says "sss?" Can you give me the one that says "ah?" If your child can do this correctly (I usually do it five times and "mix" up the cards, side by side, top and bottom, left and right, etc) go to step three. If your child has trouble go back to step one.

step three:

Point to one of the letters and say, "what sound does this one make?" If your child has difficulty, go back to step two.

Be positive, patient and non-critical. Keep the phonics lesson short end with a high five!