Teaching your kids using sounds

Phonological awareness is to be able to use and work the sounds in language. Once a child has phonological awareness then it becomes easier for him to recognize letters and eventually words. Using the sound of the words he would know that words such as big, bag and bell all start with the sound of “b”. He would also be able to tell that words such as cat, bat, and fat sound alike and rhyme. He would notice that sentences are made from words and words are made up from letters. According to studies, the ability of children to learn how to read usually depends on how much they can associate words with the sounds or their phonological awareness during their early age.

At an early age you have to make sure that know the basics of reading such as repeating rhyming words, poems and even songs. Let them identify rhymes and teach them how to make their own rhyming words. You can even let them play rhyming games to make it easier for them. Emphasize also the beginning of words that are the same through alliteration such as cat, cap, can etc.

You can always engage into activities that can help your children to learn about the sounds of words. You can start by choosing particular books which you can focus and where you can associate sounds, rhyming words and alliteration. You can teach your kids songs and nursery rhymes that will help them remember the words and emphasizing the rhyming words. You can also encourage them to alter words from a song or from a verse to let them make their own.

Playing is a good way for children to learn. Let them play with words to make them familiar with it. Their names are a good way to start learning about letters. Aside from the letters, it is also helpful to teach young children about prints. You can associate the prints that they can see around to the words that you teach them. Visual recognition is a very useful tool to learn more about words. Giving them alphabet blocks, toys and books that they can play with will help a lot for them to remember the words that they are learning.

By understanding the surroundings around them, they can be able to relate the words that they are learning. You should also be able to let them understand the words that a print represents. Teach them the purpose of different prints and let them learn more about them through writing.

Other materials such as books, printed materials, photographs, pictures, posters, calendars, labels and signs in their surroundings will be a good aid for them to learn and associate words with pictures. You can also let them play with other things such as menus, play money, recipe books, paper and pen, coloring books, stickers, truck, and other toys with printed words. Through these your children will surely learn more and it will be easier for them to speak and learn how to read.

For more info see: How to start a day care