Letter E Virtual Workshop

Have you played the game "wipe out" with your preschooler? I share this FUN GAME today in the letter E virtual workshop.

In my virtual workshops I teach letters, sounds, and reading skills for Pre-K learners as well as children who struggle with speech and reading. The instruction provides multi-sensory and phonemic rhymes, songs, and hands-on activities with reading and writing suggestions for a total learning!

Let's enjoy teaching together!  

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Creative Ways to Keep the FOCUS of Your Young Reader

Finding fun and creative ways to keep a young reader engaged and focused is always a goal of mine.  I regularly work with children that have learning difficulties and attention issues.  While using my Amazing Action Alphabet Beginning Reader, I have found 3 tried and tested ways to make reading more enjoyable while keeping a child's focus. 

1.

Make a "peak-hole" or "window" to keep their focus and concentration on each specific word.  It is amazing how eliminating all the other words clears up the mind and the child can read and focus better.

2.

Children LOVE using gadgets to help make reading more enjoyable.  Try using a tongue depressor with an eyeball indicating where to "look and read."

3.

Spooky witches fingers aren't just for Halloween!  Try using one for your child to use as they track and read.  

The more enjoyable it is for the learner, the more enjoyable it is for the teacher!  WIN / WIN!

Walking Like an Elephant & Vowel Fun

If you teach in the order I suggest teaching letters, numbers and themes you are about ready to introduce letter E.  I talk about the order to teach themes using the See Hear Do Products in a prior post HERE.

Letter E is the last VOWEL I introduce, and since many children struggle with the differentiation of e, u, and i I like to review these short vowels with a vowel graph.  Have the children help categorize random toys using the MIDDLE sound they hear.  I used the Amazing Action Alphabet Flash Cards found in the Amazing Action Alphabet Activity Book.  I made a basic chart with 5 columns.  Gathered some small toys...and away we went!

Your kids don't have to know how to read yet.  Just make this a fun game and annunciate each vowel sound to make this process easier...Caaaaat!    Some of the items I used were: can, cat. ham, hen, pen, lid, pin, doll, dog, block, cup, and bus. 

E the elephant is one of my favorite letters to teach!  I absolutely LOVE this idea from Martha Stewart.   It goes right along my E Day Circus Theme!  

{thank you Martha Stewart}

Try learning a POEM about circus elephants.  I think this one is too cute from Everything Preschool!

A circus elephant I went to see (Hold hand over eyes like binoculars)

He had four legs and was bigger than me. (Hold up four fingers and then point to self)

He had two ears big and round (Show two fingers and make a circle with hands)

And one long nose that made a sound /e/ /e/ /e/ (Make elephant trunk with arm)

One of my favorite books to go along with the Circus theme is:

Elephants on Board by Susie MacDonald

Such a clever book about Elephants getting a flat tire on the way to the circus.  Do you use a Circus theme?  What are some ideas you like to do?  Do tell!

p.s.

I think this snack is the cutest thing I've seen all day?  

{thank your Ready Set Read}

Exercise Your Nose :D

Reading takes practice, practice and more practice.  Using the Amazing Action Alphabet Activity Book we completed the dot-to-dot, and we colored and cut out our E the Elephant.  I wanted to enhance this activity today by making E the Elephant exercise his NOSE while reading many words...

hen

pen

den

set 

    met...

These are just a few words to support the letter and sound /e/.   Just print out a word strip using words you want to practice and attach it to E the Elephant's trunk like I did here.  Don't limit yourself to words!  You could practice numbers or even letter names! Now roll up the word strip, and as your child reads the words unroll the the word strip little by little...reading each additional word.  In and out goes the word strip on the trunk.  Your noes is working up a sweat!! Excellent work!

E The Elephant Exercises!

Who said learning our letters and sounds doesn't break a sweat???  They obviously haven't met my friend E the Elephant!  Bring out your hand weights and get exercising!

Have your child lift the weights just like E the Elephant does in my Amazing Action Alphabet Book.  and while pumping your iron say... /e/ /e/ /e/ !  

I am NOT Exaggerating when I say that is Extraordinary Exertion!  :)