Seoul_to

Teaching phonics classes definitely can be amusing at times. Lately, as I've been in the midst of teaching one part of how to read, I just might be known to throw in the occasional slightly inappropriate word such as "freak" or "suck". It's hard not to do this, as the kids have no idea what they're saying and it's just so damn amusing. I write things on the board and they get in the habit of raising their hands to read in order to earn cool stickers. While they're waiting though, usually a good half of them start shouting out whatever it is that I've written.

"Teacher, teacher! Freak! Freak!"

Don't shake your head either. You'd be laughing just as hard as I, if you were here and had the opportunity.....

Some of the kids definitely learn the letter sounds much more easily when we teach them motions to go along with the the letters too. They learn the initial alphabet, with motions and sounds for all the short vowels and consonants. From there they learn blends such as "bl" or "gr" and how to sound them out together. After that in come long vowels, which also have their own set of motions to tip the kids off what things should sound like. So, today I was reviewing the difference between short a as in "rat" and long A as in "rate". The motion for a short a is tapping the top of your head. The motion for long A is holding your hands together over your head like a big A. Anyhow...we were doing this review activity with a list of words (or made up ones) as such:

1. sat sate
2. rat rate
3. bat bate
4. mat mate
5. mal male
6. can cane
7. van vane

The kids had to volunteer and come up to listen to me and circle the correct word. Each student took a turn and I would turn to the others and have them motion what they wanted me to say, tapping for short a or putting their hands together over their heads for long A. Picture a group of nearly 10 kids frantically pounding the tops of their own heads wanting me to say "sat" instead of "sate". It was more than a little funny.

"ok....alex. Come on up."
I turn around......
"what do you want?"
They start madly beating the tops of their heads or slapping their hands together over their heads.
Hehehe....even funny now as I write this.

Seoul_to_Soul
		~ Monday, October 13, 2003 Teaching phonics classes definitely can be amusing at times. Lately, as I've been in the midst of teaching one part of how to read, I just might be known to throw in the occasional slightly inappropriate word such as "freak" or "suck". It's hard not to do this, as the kids have no idea what they're saying and it's just so damn amusing. I write things on the board and they get in the habit of raising their hands to read in order to earn cool stickers. While they're waiting though, usually a good half of them start shouting out whatever it is that I've written. "Teacher, teacher! Freak! Freak!" Don't shake your head either. You'd be laughing just as hard as I, if you were here and had the opportunity..... Some of the kids definitely learn the letter sounds much more easily when we teach them motions to go along with the the letters too. They learn the initial alphabet, with motions and sounds for all the short vowels and consonants. From there they learn blends such as "bl" or "gr" and how to sound them out together. After that in come long vowels, which also have their own set of motions to tip the kids off what things should sound like. So, today I was reviewing the difference between short a as in "rat" and long A as in "rate". The motion for a short a is tapping the top of your head. The motion for long A is holding your hands together over your head like a big A. Anyhow...we were doing this review activity with a list of words (or made up ones) as such: 1. sat sate 2. rat rate 3. bat bate 4. mat mate 5. mal male 6. can cane 7. van vane The kids had to volunteer and come up to listen to me and circle the correct word. Each student took a turn and I would turn to the others and have them motion what they wanted me to say, tapping for short a or putting their hands together over their heads for long A. Picture a group of nearly 10 kids frantically pounding the tops of their own heads wanting me to say "sat" instead of "sate". It was more than a little funny. "ok....alex. Come on up." I turn around...... "what do you want?" They start madly beating the tops of their heads or slapping their hands together over their heads. Hehehe....even funny now as I write this. posted by ~B~ at 6:19 AM