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SGL Notes Newsletters>
SGL Notes - vol. IX
February 10, 2004
Solid Ground Learning Notes – vol. IX
Hi Everyone,
I hope you got something out of the SGL Notes on Dyslexia.
It is such an interesting learning style. This month I
have decided to get practical and write about Phonemic
Awareness and how it helps in reaching readers, in
particular, learners with dyslexia.
Phonemic awareness and phonics are similar in that they
both have to do with sounds.
Phonics refers to the relationships between letters and
their sounds that are used for writing and reading. It is
based on the premise that each letter (or combination of
letters) has its own (or in some case, several) sound(s).
Why did they have to make our language so complicated?
Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear and tell the
difference between words, sounds, and syllables in speech.
There are 4 elements of phonemic awareness. Here are some
suggestions for developing these skills:
1. Rhyme: Children can recognize rhyme when they hear it.
They are also capable of making rhymes of their own.
Practice this ability with rhymes such as ‘Down by the Bay’
where the children add their own verses such as ‘Have you
ever seen a whale with a polka-dot tail?’
Down by the bay, where the watermelons grow,
Back to my home, I dare not go,
For if I do, my mother will say,
‘Have you ever seen a goat
Sitting in a boat
Down by the bay?’
2. Hearing syllables: Encourage children to learn the
concepts of syllables by having them clap out their own
names, family and friends’ names, etc. Later have them
come up with words that have 2, 3 and 4 syllables and clap
them out.
3. Blending: This is an important concept, but one that is
full of exceptions. Teach your children to sound out words
such as ‘c – a – t’ for cat. When words don’t follow the
rules, they get ‘sent to jail’. These words, such as ‘of’
and ‘the’ that don’t follow the sounding-out rules belong
in a separate category that must be memorized.
4. Segmentation: This is learning words ‘sound-by-sound’.
Say the words slowly, i.e. ‘ba-na-na’. The tricky bit with
this is that letters that aren’t heard won’t be written
(another complication of the English language).
Providing your child has developed auditory processing
skills, you should achieve some success in teaching your
child to read by developing their phonemic awareness. If
your child has some auditory processing issues (auding or
auditory dyslexia is much more common than visual dyslexia)
then this is where the work must begin.
Sensory motor integration activities (balance board,
mini-trampoline, rotation board, passing stick, etc.) are
paramount in developing the neuropathways necessary to
process information – to learn to learn.
SOI assessments flush out the various types of dyslexia and
indicate precisely the areas that require extra attention.
Also, Solid Ground Learning has sensory motor integration
equipment and a handbook to help you develop your child’s
ability to process information.
Remember; don’t let your child become defined by his or her
dyslexia. These children, like all children, need to be
encouraged to pursue the areas in which they excel,
especially in those areas for which they have a passion.
If you or your group would like more information on
learning styles and/or sensory motor integration please
feel free to contact me. I am available to give
presentations on these topics and others related to how we
learn.
Also, if you are interested in having your child or
yourself SOI assessed please contact me for more
information.
Quote for the Day:
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in
moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at
times of challenge and controversy.”
- Martin Luther King
Until next time,
Jennifer Sackley
SOI Practitioner
Solid Ground Learning
solid.ground@shaw.ca
www.solidgroundlearning.com (or if you prefer, .ca)
If you do not wish to receive my monthly e-mails, please
advise me and I will immediately remove you from my address
book.
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