Phonological Awareness Development for Preschoolers (online)

August 2021 Page 1 of 2 Handout 1

Planning, Practice and Reflection and Virtual Reflection (Components 2 and 3) Directions

Congratulations! You have successfully completed the Online portion of the Phonological Awareness Development for Preschoolers training (Component 1).

Be sure to have your Component 1 Certificate available as you will need it for component 3

This course consists of 3 components to meet the criteria of the emergent literacy course requirements for VPK Instructors.

Component 1 - instructor-led training

Component 2 - participant planning, practice and self-reflection (PPR)

Component 3 - virtual reflection (VR)

Below are the next steps towards completing Components 2 and 3 of the training and receiving the 5 hrs. credit (.5 CEUs).

Complete Component 2 - Planning, Practice and Reflection (PPR)

1. Select one of the identified activity plans, relevant to the standards you are currently teaching in your classroom. Activity Plans are included below or may be downloaded and printed from the DEL website at http://www.floridaearlylearning.com/vpk/vpk-providers/professional-development-training/vpk-professional-development-teacher-resources/activity-plans

Identified Activity Plans are located in the Language and Literacy Domain dropdown menu:

Compound Word Piece It Together

Compound Word Snakes

Sound Detective

The Name Game

Before you begin the selected activity:

2. Read, review and practice the steps in the activity plan several times to familiarize yourself with the content, instructional steps and learning standards.

3. Ask for guidance from a fellow teacher or director if you are unclear of the steps within the activity plan. 4. Collect any materials and resources needed to implement the selected activity plan. 5. Select the best time of day and setting in which you want to present the lesson to the children. 6. Determine if you will conduct the activity with a small group or the whole class. 7. Conduct your activity with the children.

Phonological Awareness Development for Preschoolers (online)

August 2021 Page 2 of 2 Handout 1

Complete Component 3 - Virtual Reflection (VR)

1. Register, attend and participate in a VR Session

2. Select the calendar date and time that best meets your schedule.

http://www.floridaearlylearning.com/vpk/vpk-providers/professional-development-training

3. Select and register for a VR session using the Course Reference # in the “Online Course Virtual Reflection

(VR) Calendar.

4. Two days prior to the VR Session, you will receive a ZOOM link and further directions from the VR host.

Be sure to check clutter, SPAM or JUNK folders.

5. Participant Responsibilities during VR session.

Check-in to the VR session using the chat box feature by entering your name and uploading a copy

the Certificate for the ONLINE portion (Component 1) of the training that you attended.

Please come prepared to share with the group. Sharing lessons learned and highlights from your

lesson, demonstrating the implementation of the activity plan.

Be fully present and engaged during the VR session.

o Camera on and facing participant (we need to see your face ).

o Microphones may be muted and unmuted as participant shares with the group.

o Participation in conversation via microphone or chat box.

Please do not participate at a time when you are supervising children or driving a vehicle.

The session facilitator will monitor and award the .5 CEUs based on participant’s contribution to the reflection session.

Participation and Engagement: The Division of Early Learning will award 5 hours or .5 CEUs to all participants who have completed the three components of the training and were actively engaged during the Virtual Reflection (VR) Session. Throughout the VR session the host will provide multiple opportunities for participants to contribute via group conversations, the chat box and polling questions. Participants must be present and have their camera on throughout the entire session.

The Name Game Activity: Children hear the syllables in their classmates’ names and hit the floor with a rhythm stick for each syllable.

Objective

The children will recognize the syllables in their classmates’ name.

Targeted Standards

IV. Language and Literacy IV.F.2.d. Combines syllables into words (e.g., “sis”+ “ter”= sister) http://www.floel.org/standardsresource/standards.html#d=IV&a=four_year_olds

Procedures

Lesson 1. Give each child a pair of sticks.

2. Explain to the children and demonstrate how to chant a name and while saying each syllable beat the floor or “drum” once.

3. When going through the children’s names, introduce each name and then chant it four times while “beating” each syllable.

4. Repeat step three while going through the class roster.

Materials Needed

Rhythm sticks, 1-2 per student (unsharpened pencils can be used as a substitute), object to represent a drum, one

per child (e.g., margarine tubs, lids, circles cut from cardboard)

Checking for Understanding

Children will demonstrate their understanding of the lesson by:

recognizing each syllable in a name by “beating” each syllable while saying the name.

Scaffolding -Begin with 2 syllable words and increase to 3 syllable words. -Provide additional opportunities for individuals or small groups of children who may be struggling to hear the number of syllables. -For children with more experience, find words with four syllables for them to practice with.

Extensions -Dramatic Play: Add the rhythm sticks to the dramatic play area for the children to practice beating out the syllables in their names and other words. -Reading/Literacy: Add books that focus on finding the syllables in words so the children can practice clapping, stomping or beating each syllable. -Music: Add songs that help children sound out words

to find the syllables.

VPK ACTIVITY PLANS

Sound Detective Activity: Children wear a detective’s hat as they segment and blend the onset (first sound) and rime (the vowel and all the sounds that follow the onset) in words. Children use a magnifying glass to search for the picture that matches the Rime Picture Card on the Rime Picture Board game board.

Objective

The children will segment, blend, and match the onset (first sound) and rime (the vowel and all the sounds that follow the onset) in words.

Targeted Standards

IV. Language and Literacy

IV.F.2.f. Combines onset and rime to form a familiar one-syllable word with and without pictorial support (e.g., when shown several pictures and adult says “/c/” + “at,” child can select the picture of the cat)

http://www.floel.org/standardsresource/standards.html#d=IV&a=four_year_olds

Procedures

Before You Begin the Lesson

1. Create a detective hat for each child using construction paper. 2. Create Rime Picture Cards by gluing a variety of common pictures to index cards. The

pictures should represent simple illustrations of one‐syllable words that are familiar to the children (e.g., hat, bat, cat; bug, rug, mug).

3. Create Rime Picture Boards (similar to a BINGO board) by making a 4x4 (see Figure 1) or 3x3 grid (see Figure 2) out of poster board. Be sure that the pictures on the board have a matching Rime Picture Card.

Materials Needed

Detective hats, magnifying glasses, index cards, glue, scissors, markers, construction paper, poster board,

pictures of one-syllable words (e.g., cat, hat, bat)

Rime Picture Board, Rime Picture Cards, Objects to cover pictures on Rime Picture Boards (e.g., beans,

coins, small blocks)

Checking for Understanding

Children will demonstrate their understanding of the lesson by:

segmenting words into their onsets and rimes and finding matching pictures on the Rime Picture Boards.

Scaffolding -Use the same pictures on the rime board and the picture cards. -Create Rime Picture Boards with more than two or three targeted rimes pictured.

Extensions -Literacy Center: Add the Rime Picture Cards, Rime Picture Boards, and magnifying glasses. Allow the children to play the Sound Detective Game independently or with teacher assistance as needed.

VPK ACTIVITY PLANS

Sound Detective Activity: Children wear a detective’s hat as they segment and blend the onset (first sound) and rime (the vowel and all the sounds that follow the onset) in words. Children use a magnifying glass to search for the picture that matches the Rime Picture Card on the Rime Picture Board game board.

Targeted Standards

IV. Language and Literacy

IV.F.2.f. Combines onset and rime to form a familiar one-syllable word with and without pictorial support (e.g., when shown several pictures and adult says “/c/” + “at,” child can select the picture of the cat)

http://www.floel.org/standardsresource/standards.html#d=IV&a=four_year_olds

Procedures –Continued

Before You Begin the Lesson 4.Show the children how the Sound Detective game is played. 5.Place Rime Picture Cards face down on the table in a stack. 6.Choose a Rime Picture Board, a detective hat, and a magnifying glass. 7.Select a Rime Picture Card and say the word that names the picture (e.g., “cat”). 8.Segment the word into its onset and rime (e.g., “/k/ -at”) out loud to the children. 9.Blend the onset and rime sounds in the word ( e.g., “cat”). Ask the children to repeat the word after you by blending the sounds ( e.g., “cat”). 10.Show the children how to use a magnifying class to search on the Rime Picture Board for the picture that matches the Rime Picture Card. 11.When you find the correct picture on the Rime Picture Board, orally segment the word for the picture into its onset and rime (e.g., “cat, /k/ -at”), place an object (e.g., bean, coin, block) on the picture then say, “Mystery solved!” Sound Detective (Small Group) 1. Place Rime Picture Cards face down on the table in a stack. Give each child a Rime Picture Board,.. a detective hat, and a magnifying glass. 2. Before you begin playing, ask each child to name the pictures, with teacher assistance as needed, on his/her Rime Picture Board. 3. Ask the children put on detective hats and hold their magnifying glass. 4. Taking turns, each child selects the top Rime Picture Card and says the word that names the picture (e.g., “cat”). 5. The child segments the word into its onset and rime (e.g., “/k/ -at”), with teacher assistance as needed. 6. Next the child the blends the onset and rime sounds in the word ( e.g., “/k/ -at, “cat”), with teacher assistance as needed. 7. Then the child uses his/her magnifying glass to search on the Rime Picture Board for the picture that matches the Rime Picture Card. 8. When the correct picture is found on the Rime Picture Board, the child orally segments the word for the picture into its onset and rime (e.g.,

“cat, /k/-at”), and places an object (e.g., bean, coin, block) on the picture then says, “Mystery solved!” 9. Repeat steps four through eight until all of the pictures have been covered on each child’s Rime Picture Board.

VPK ACTIVITY PLANS

Compound Word Snakes Activity: Children learn how to make compound words by combining two words and how to separate a compound word, de-leting one part of the word and determining which part of the word is left.

Objective

The children will combine two words to make a compound word. The children will delete a word from a compound word.

Targeted Standards

IV. Language and LiteracyIV.F.2.b. Combine words to make a compound word (e.g., “foot” + ”ball” = “football”)IV.F.2.c. Delete a word from a compound word (e.g., “starfish” - “star” = “fish”)http://www.floel.org/standardsresource/standards.html#d=IV&a=four_year_olds

Procedures

Before You Begin the Lesson

1. Ahead of time, cover the slinky with the athletic sock and attach the items to create aface on the Compound Word Snake. Mount pictures onto index cards. Laminate, if possible.2. Attach a piece of Velcro (hook end) near the front and near the tail to attach the picturecards.3. Be sure there is Velcro (loop end) on the back of each of the picture cards.

Day 1

1. Explain to the children that a compound word is a word made up of two smaller words.

2. Demonstrate how to make compound words using the Compound Word Snake. Attachtwo of the picture cards to the Compound Word Snake, one on each end, while thesnake is stretched out (e.g., Be sure to attach the first word on the end of the snake thatis on the teacher’s right side and the second word on the end of the snake that is on theteacher’s left side. This will allow them to see the pictures in the correct order from leftto right, as they sit facing the teacher.).

Materials Needed

Slinky, athletic socks, item to make a snake face (e.g., wiggly eyes, red tongue), Velcro, compound word

picture cards (sample cards provided)

Checking for Understanding

Children will demonstrate their understanding of the lesson by:

-combining two words to make a compound word-deleting a word from a compound word.

Scaffolding -Using the familiar word cards, the teacher will workwith individual or small groups to reinforce theactivity.

Extensions -Art: Allow children to draw a picture of two wordsand put them together to make a compound word.-Reading/Literacy: Add books with compound words.Add the Compound Word Snake and picture cards sochildren can practice making words with theirclassmates.-Music: Use songs that include compound words(e.g., Syllable Song (Put Two Parts Together) andThere’s a Starfish Hidden Under My Bed, both from theCD entitled, Little Ears: Songs for Reading Readinesswith Fran Avni).

VPK ACTIVITY PLANS

Compound Word Snakes Activity: Children learn how to make compound words by combining two words and how to separate a compound word, deleting one part of the word and determining which part of the word is left.

Targeted Standards

IV. Language and LiteracyIV.F.2.b. Combine words to make a compound word (e.g., “foot” + ”ball” = “football”)IV.F.2.c. Delete a word from a compound word (e.g., “starfish” - “star” = “fish”)http://www.floel.org/standardsresource/standards.html#d=IV&a=four_year_olds

Procedures –Continued

Day 1 Continued 3. Stretch out the Compound Word Snake with the picture cards facing the children. Say the name of each picture for the children, and then ask them to repeat each word (e.g., “cow,” “boy”).4. Push the Compound Word Snake together so that the picture cards are next to each other and ask the children what word is created when they are combined (cowboy).5. Hold up the picture card with the compound word cowboy and ask the children to say the word “cowboy” with you.6. Repeat steps 3-6 until you have used all of the picture card sets to create compound words.Day 2 1. Remind the children that on yesterday they combined two words together to create compound words.2. Explain that on and today they will be taking compound words apart.3. Hold up a compound word picture card (e.g., cowboy) and ask the children say the compound word aloud (e.g., “cowboy”).4. Ask the children which picture cards make up the word ‘cowboy’ (e.g., cow, boy). are needed to break ‘cowboy’ into two words (cow, boy).5. Attach two of the picture cards to the Compound Word Snake, one of each end. While the snake is pushed together (e.g., Be sure to attach

the first word on the end of the snake that is on the teacher’s right side and the second word on the teacher’s left side. This will allow themto see the pictures in the correct order from left to right, as they sit facing the teacher.).

6. Next, stretch out the Compound Word Snake, so that the two picture cards (e.g., cow, boy) are not together.7. Ask the children which part of the compound word (e.g., cowboy) would be left if you took away the word “cow” (remove the cow picture

card). The children should respond “boy”.8. Reattach the word “cow” to the Compound Word Snake. Ask the children what part of the compound word would able left if you took away

the work “boy” (remove the boy picture ) The children should respond “cow”9. Repeat steps 5-8 of this day until you have used all the compound word sets.

VPK ACTIVITY PLANS

Compound Word Picture Card Sets

star fish starfish

cow

boy

cowboy

bird house

birdhouse

wheel chair wheelchair

book bag

bookbag

basket ball basketball

butter fly butterfly

sun flower

sunflower

Compound Word Piece It Together Activity: Children learn to make compound words by combining picture puzzle pieces of individual words to create a

compound word.

Objective

Targeted Standards

The children will blend individual words into compound words.

IV. Language and Literacy IV.F.2.b. Combine words to make a compound word (e.g., “foot” + “ball” = “football” http://www.floel.org/standardsresource/standards.html#d=IV&a=four_year_olds

Procedures

Before You Begin the Lesson 1. Print and cut puzzle pieces on cardstock. Laminate, if possible.

Lesson (small group or one-on-one) 1. Explain to children that a compound word is a word make up of 2 smaller words. 2. Demonstrate by taking 2 puzzle pieces. Say each word for each piece, match the pieces

together and say the compound word made. 3. Have children put the puzzle pieces face up on a flat surface. 4. Children can combine pieces to make a compound word. 5. Have children say the word on each puzzle piece, blend together and say the new

word. 6. Continue until all puzzles are complete.

Materials Needed

Compound word puzzle pieces

(sample pieces provided)

Checking for Understanding

Children will demonstrate their understanding of the lesson by combining two words to make a compound word.

Scaffolding

Using the familiar word cards, the teacher will work with individual or small groups to reinforce the activity.

Extensions

Art: Allow children to create their own puzzle pieces and then put them together to create compound words.

Language/Literacy: Use the puzzle pieces to move to word deletion. Children can put the pieces together and then say the compound

Page 1 of 2 VPK ACTIVITY PLANS

Page 2 of 2 VPK ACTIVITY PLANS

Phonological Awareness Development for Preschoolers

Word Awareness Activities September 2021 Page 1 of 2 Handout 10

Listening

Children begin to distinguish individual words in language first by listening and identifying sounds.

They follow examples are from the Fee, Fie, Phonemic Awareness activity book by Mary Hohman.

These activities focus children on listening to sounds and will help them hear and identify more subtle

sounds that make up words.

Exploring with sounds – Sound-making

During small group time provide a collection of materials for “sound-making.” Wooden blocks, chop

sticks, tin cans, metal spoons, keys on a ring, paper plates, etc. Talk to the children about the kind of

noises they can make (loud, soft, fast, and slow).

Noticing environmental sounds – Stop and listen

Several times throughout the day, stop and ask the children to “listen.” What do you hear? You can do

this both inside and outside. It’s a good way to quiet children down when announcements are needed.

This is a good activity to do at rest time, snack or meal time or on a sounds walk around the school.

Locating Sounds – Where’s the sound?

Create sound boxes that contain a bell, marbles, stones, rice, or other noise-makers. During morning

circle, have a child go to a part of the room and shake the box while the other children close their eyes.

The teacher asks a child to identify what part of the room the sound came from.

Identifying voices – Who am I?

Similar to locating sounds, but this time one child is blindfolded and one child is chosen to be “the

voice” and goes to a part of the room and says something. The child who is blindfolded tries to guess

where the sound is coming from and who said it.

Listen for a word or phrase – Magic Word

As a transition, give the children a word to listen for. Tell them that when they hear the word, they can

line up (go to centers, wash their hands...). For example, you might say, “The magic word is “caboose.”

I love watching the trains go by. Sometimes I wonder what’s in all those cars. Maybe one carries

cauliflower (pause). My favorite part is when the caboose goes by.”

Phonological Awareness Development for Preschoolers

Word Awareness Activities September 2021 Page 2 of 2 Handout 10

Segmenting words in sentences

When segmenting sentences, it is best to begin with short, 2-3 word sentences. As children progress,

you can add longer, more complex sentences to the mix. Providing oral practice with tricky lines from

familiar rhymes and books that your children have been tracking (e.g., "Couldn't put Humpty together

again") will further develop their understanding of words and syllables.

Using manipulatives

Provide children with concrete manipulatives that can stand for a word, such as a block or a Unifix

cube. Give each child six or seven of these to use to represent the words in the sentence that you say.

After saying a sentence, model by thinking aloud how you repeat the sentence word by word, with

clear pauses between each word. Show children how to move one cube for each word, making sure to

encourage moving them from left to right. After children have arranged their blocks, ask one child to

repeat the sentence and point to each block while saying each word.

Oral word awareness

Recite a familiar rhyme as a group, asking each child to stand for as each word in the rhyme is said.

While the children sit in a circle, the first child says the first word of the rhyme and stands up, the

second child says the second word in the rhyme and stands, etc. Continue until the entire rhyme has

been recited. If you have gone all the way around the circle and everyone is standing before you've

finished saying the rhyme, the children can again by sitting down as they say the words until the rhyme

is over.

Phonological Awareness Development for Preschoolers

August 2021 Page 1 of 2 Handout 2

The content below is relevant to the learning and implementation of Phonological Awareness instructional strategies within the preschool classroom.

1. Language is a complex system and includes forms of expression such as listening, reading, speaking

and writing.

2. Early literacy is children’s understanding about reading and writing prior to learning how to read or write.

3. There are five key elements of early language and literacy development.

Oral Language/Vocabulary

Emergent Reading and Writing

Quality Learning Environment

Integrated Content

Purposeful Planning and Progress Monitoring

Resource(s):

• Key Elements in Early Language and Literacy Development handout

4. Phonological Awareness is the ability to pay attention to the sounds in spoken language and is one of the strongest predictors of later reading abilities. Children who are phonologically aware are more likely to learn to be successful readers later on. Many children have been exposed to sounds in their language and often enter early childhood programs with well-developed skills in phonological awareness.

5. There is one standard and six benchmarks that address phonological awareness which are located in the Language and Literacy Domain of the Florida Early Learning and Developmental Standards 4 Year Olds to Kindergarten (2017) under the Emergent Reading component.

Resource(s): • Phonological Awareness Standards

6. Educators need to plan appropriate instructional activities for each phonological awareness level (benchmark) as children are ready and review these skills throughout the year, which include but are not limited to nursery rhymes and songs.

Word Awareness o Listening o Segmenting o Rhyming and Alliteration

Phonological Awareness Development for Preschoolers

August 2021 Page 2 of 2 Handout 2

Syllable Awareness o Compound Words - Blending/Segmenting and Deletion Tasks o Regular Words - Blending/Segmenting and Deletion Tasks

Onset and Rime o The onset is the initial phonological unit of any word and the term rime refers to the string of

letter sounds that follow. o Children’s combine onset and rime to form familiar one-syllable word with and without

pictorial support.

Resource(s):

Word Awareness Activities handout

Rhyming and Alliteration Activities handout

Syllable Awareness Activities handout

Onset and Rime Activities handout

7. Blending tasks are generally easier than segmenting tasks, which are easier than deletion tasks.

8. The components of quality instruction are key in supporting children in reaching expected developmental learning outcomes. They include:

Know your Standards

Purposeful planning

Progress Monitoring

9. For children who are English language learners a basic proficiency in English may be necessary in order for them to be successful in the development of phonological awareness.

10. Teachers should intentionally plan developmentally appropriate PA learning experiences and use teachable moments throughout the day to give children many opportunities to practice these skills.

Phonological Awareness Development for Preschoolers

August 2021 Page 1 of 2 Handout 3

Glossary of Terms

Alliteration – the repetition of usually initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words or syllables. Alphabetic Principle – is the concept that our written language is a code for sounds. It involves connecting letters with their sounds to read and write. Benchmarks – reflect the level of skill and knowledge a child should demonstrate at the end of the experience for each age range. Benchmarks establish goals for children that maximize their chances for success. Blending sounds – combining individual sounds in order to accurately represent a spoken word (e.g., the blended sounds /d/ /o/ /g/ represent the word dog). Components – are the organizing concepts of each domain and represent the major topics to be addressed within each age range. Compound words – are formed when two or more words are joined together to create a new word that has an entirely new meaning. Deletion – involves manipulating spoken words by deleting specific phonemes Emergent Literacy – relates to a child’s knowledge of skills that lead to reading and writing before the child can actually read or write. These experiences produce behaviors that change over time and result in conventional literacy during middle childhood. Emergent reading – reading-related experiences and actions that occur before a child reaches the conventional literacy stage in middle childhood (e.g., a child shows interest in being read to and told what written words mean and develops an understanding of how to use books and other printed materials appropriately). Emergent writing – writing-related experiences and actions that occur before a child reaches the conventional literacy stage in middle childhood (e.g., a child draws pictures or symbols to represent words). Environment – the circumstances, objects or conditions by which one interacts with and their surroundings(e.g., the indoor and the outdoor area). Florida Early Learning Developmental Standards, Birth to Kindergarten – are a comprehensive set of early learning guidelines for children birth to five, formally adopted by the State Board of Education and promulgated into rules by the Division of Early Learning (formerly known as the Office of Early Learning) in Fall 2017. They are organized into eight domains. Each domain is divided into components, sub-components (where applicable), standards and, where appropriate benchmarks. Isolation – is knowing that a word is made up of a sequence of sounds and that the individual sounds in words can be differentiated from one another. Beginning sound isolation is simply pulling the first sound off of a spoken word

Phonological Awareness Development for Preschoolers

August 2021 Page 2 of 2 Handout 3

Literacy – the ability to read and write Onset – first sound(s) before the rime (vowel sound to the end of the word) (e.g., In the word dog, the onset is /d/ and the rime is “og”). Oral language – spoken language; it involves speaking and listening. Oral language is the foundation for early literacy development. Phoneme – The smallest phonetic unit in a language that is capable of conveying a distinction in meaning, (e.g., /m/ of mat and the /b/ of bat). Phonemic awareness – the understanding that words are made up of individual sounds or phonemes and the ability to manipulate these phonemes by either segmenting, blending, or changing individual phonemes within words to create new words. Phonological awareness – the auditory awareness that language is composed of sounds and the understanding of the relationships among these sounds (e.g., words in sentences and syllables in words). It is a listening skill. Rhyme – a match between the sounds of two or more words or word ending (e.g., spoon, moon). Rime – the vowel and any sounds that come after the vowel in a one-syllable word (e.g., the rime of cat is /at/; the rime of cheese is /ez/). Standards – the expectations of what children on a developmental trajectory should know and be able to do by the end of each age range Segmenting - the ability to divide a spoken word into its component sounds (phonemes) (e.g., dog has three

sounds /d/ /o / /g/. Syllable – a unit of spoken language consisting of a vowel sound or a part of a word that contains a vowel (e.g., ba-na-na, cow-boy) Vocabulary – all of the words of a language. There are two types of vocabulary: receptive vocabulary (child’s listening vocabulary) and expressive vocabulary (child’s spoken language).

Phonological Awareness Development for Preschoolers Resource List

September 2021 Page 1 of 1 Handout 5

The following articles, research and resources support the implementation of this learning strategy.

Florida Early Learning and Developmental Standards: Birth to Kindergarten http://flbt5.floridaearlylearning.com/

Florida Center for Reading Research Student Center Activities https://fcrr.org/student-center-activities/pre-kindergarten

Regional Educational Laboratory Southeast Emergent Literacy Professional Learning Community https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/southeast/elplc

VPK Professional Development Teacher Resources: Activity Plans, Florida Division of Early Learning http://www.floridaearlylearning.com/vpk/vpk-providers/professional-development-training/vpk-professional-development-teacher-resources/activity-plans

Just Read, Families!, Just Read, Florida! https://www.fldoe.org/academics/standards/just-read-fl/families

Rhyming Games, PBS Kids https://pbskids.org/games/rhyming

Reading Foundational Skills: Phonological Awareness, WEDU PBS https://florida.pbslearningmedia.org/subjects/english-language-arts-and-literacy/reading-foundational-skills/phonological-awareness/?selected_facet=grades:PreK-K

Phonological Awareness Activities, University of Florida Literacy Institute https://education.ufl.edu/ufli/files/2020/03/PA-Activities.pdf

Phonological and Phonemic Awareness: Introduction, Reading Rockets https://www.readingrockets.org/teaching/reading101-course/modules/phonological-and-phonemic-awareness-introduction

Literacy Teaching Toolkit: Phonological Awareness, Victoria State Government https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/discipline/english/literacy/Pages/default.aspx

Phonological Awareness Development for Preschoolers

Rhyming and Alliteration Activities September 2021 Page 1 of 2 Handout 6

Rhyming

Listening for Rhymes

• Read rhymes and poems to children on a regular basis throughout the day. Repeat rhymes and poems that children enjoy and use them in a variety of activities.

• Sing rhyming songs and fingerplays with children on a regular basis throughout the day. • Read rhyming stories to children on a regular basis throughout the day. Be sure to read the book

first before reading it aloud to children and make a note of the rhymes. We read stories to children for different purposes. So be sure to read the rhyme, poem or story several times for fun or to build vocabulary or comprehension before using it as a word awareness activity.

Naming Rhymes

Make a note of the rhyming songs children love to sing and use and them to do the following

activities:

• Identify rhyming words by using the word rhyme.

“Hickory, dickory dock. The mouse ran up the clock. Do you know what? Clock and dock both

have the same sound at the end –/ock/. Clock and dock rhyme!”

• Fill in the missing rhyme.

“Hickory, dickory dock. The mouse ran up the ______.”

• Substitute non-rhyming words for familiar rhyming words

“Jack and Jill went up the road to fetch a pail of water. Do Jill and road rhyme? No, they do not.

What word could we use instead of road to rhyme with Jill? YES, hill. Hill and Jill are rhyming

words!”

Transition Activity: ready to move on to the next activity in your classroom? Call on children to give a

rhyming pair that will allow them to transition to the next activity. Or sing the following song, "I know

two words that rhyme, I can sing them all the time, ____ and ____, I know two words that rhyme" and

have the child fill in the blanks!

Rhyming musical chairs: here's one to test your brain! Set up chairs like you would for traditional

musical chairs. As the children move around the chairs, keep up a steady stream of rhyming words. It's

ok if you run out of "real" words and use silly made-up words too. When you say a word that doesn't

rhyme, the children sit down...the child without a chair is eliminated, a chair is removed and you go on

to the next rhyming sequence.

Phonological Awareness Development for Preschoolers

Rhyming and Alliteration Activities September 2021 Page 2 of 2 Handout 6

Alliteration

Alliteration Picnic: Make meal or snack time into a picnic using alliteration words. Try serving "tasty

tomatoes, leafy lettuce, sassy strawberries, crazy crackers, awesome apples, moo milk, or jungle juice."

After you finish eating, sing a few rounds of "I'm going on a picnic" using your alliteration snacks.

Finish up your picnic fun by getting out some bouncing balls for the kids to play with!

A Bag Full of Surprises: Fill a small brown paper bag with small items (plastic figures, blocks, shapes,

etc.). Form a circle as you sit with the children on the floor or ground and pass the bag around the

circle, until each child has a turn. After each child selects an item have him/her say a word that rhymes

with the item or starts with the same letter as the item.

Zany Zoo: Talking about the zoo this week? Have the children come up with names for the animals

using alliteration. Think, "Bob the Baboon, Gary the Gorilla, or Donald the Dingo!” Take it a step

further and have the kids dress up as their animal for a zany zoo party.

Tricky Transition: This alliteration activity will amp up the fun during transition times. The teacher asks

the children to line up for recess when they hear her say a particular “same sound” phrase, such as

“noisy Nana’s noodles.” Preschoolers love silly words, so be creative. Use the same “same sound”

phrase for other transitions that day (e.g., snack time or clean-up time). For a variation on this activity,

give directions to individual children using alliteration. For example, “Put on your coat when you hear

your name: brave Betty, kind Karl.”

Notable Names: Children’s knowledge of language typically begins with their name. Ask the children to introduce themselves to the other children using alliterative puppets. Give each child a paper bag and ask him/her to print his name, some children will need help, and draw his/her picture on it. Talk about descriptive words that sound the same, such as “athletic Alice” or “helpful Harry.” Use a large cardboard box to serve as the puppet stage. Each child brings his/her puppet to the stage and says, for example, “Hi. I’m strong Sarah.” The teacher extends the alliteration with a sentence that children finish, such as “Strong Sarah sat on a _____,” and the children might add “stool.”

Phonological Awareness Development for Preschoolers Phonological Awareness Instruction – Step by Step

Onset and Rime Activities September 2021 Page 1 of 1 Handout 7

Onset and Rime are technical terms used to describe phonological units of a spoken syllable. A syllable

can normally be divided into two parts: the onset, which consists of the initial consonant or consonant

blend, and the rime which consists of the vowel and any final consonants. For example, in the one-

syllable word fun – the onset is /f/ and the rime is /un/. Remember all the practice you provided for

children with rhyming and alliteration? Applying that knowledge to onset and rime is a key

instructional strategy.

It’s important to provide fun and engaging activities for children to practice onset and rime. Remember,

the task is for children to be able to combine onset and rime to form a familiar one-syllable word. You

can also use many of the same activities that were mentioned for combining syllables just be sure you

are using one-syllable words and breaking the word apart at the onsite and rime.

• When reading stories, as you come across a familiar one-syllable word segment the word and then

ask the children to blend the word. For example, in the story Feast for Ten by Cathryn Falwell there

are many places that familiar words are used that would also provide picture support. For

example, read the text: “Ten hands help to load the /c/ /ar/.” As you show the picture, children

will see the “car” and will be able to blend the word. Choose words throughout the text that have

a picture to support it. Again, it is best if children are familiar with the story before practicing onset

and rime tasks.

• Many syllable activities using puppets, picture cards, and objects can also be used with onset and

rime. It’s important to have an adequate list of words and pictures to help you think about and use

onset and rime words during your lesson. Remember, we don’t want children to become

frustrated with the tasks, so keep it fun and engaging.

Phonological Awareness Development for Preschoolers

Key Elements in Early Language and Literacy Development September 2021 Page 1 of 2 Handout 9

Language is a complex system that includes the ways we express ourselves, such as speaking or writing, and ways we receive information, such as listening and reading. Children make dramatic gains in their comprehension of spoken language when they are exposed to good language models and are immersed in environments rich in language, novel experiences, and conversation. If children are to learn to use language effectively, they must learn the meanings of many different words. The more words and experiences children are exposed to, the greater the child's language ability.

Oral language is the foundation for early literacy development. Early literacy is what children know about reading and writing before they actually read or write. Recent research has highlighted that early reading achievement and success in learning to read are influenced most strongly by the quality and richness of children's early experiences and opportunities with print and language. These experiences are integrated throughout the day using a variety of learning opportunities that support children in oral language and early literacy.

Quality Learning Environment

As you enter a preschool classroom, you see a well-organized and managed environment with adults engaged and interacting with children using a positive, caring tone. A variety of management charts are displayed at the child's eye level creating an atmosphere that supports a community of learners.

Picture schedule

Attendance

Classroom rules

Jobs

Learning center management

As you look around the room, you notice small, intimate spaces for children to discover learning through play and exploration. Teachers are interacting with children and engaging in conversations. The evidence of a learning theme would be apparent with content focused opportunities for children to investigate topics in science, social studies and the arts.

Oral Language and Vocabulary

Throughout the day, you hear children talking and teachers listening. Teachers make a special effort to converse with each child during learning centers, meal times, outside centers and in small groups. Two or three books are read during various times of the day in which open ended questions like, "what do you think will happen next?" or "why did the (character)...?" are used to grow children's thinking. Rich vocabulary words are chosen to teach each week and posted around as a reminder to use these words in everyday conversations so children will learn to use them too.

Phonological Awareness Development for Preschoolers Phonological Awareness Instruction – Step by Step

Key Elements in Early Language and Literacy Development September 2021 Page 2 of 2 Handout 9

Emergent Reading and Writing As you observe teachers in both whole and small group learning, you notice activities focused on emergent reading and writing.

During morning circle, the teacher models writing as children dictate the "morning message." She then asks children to identify a target letter or even a word in the message.

During small groups, children are listening for a rhyming word or clapping syllables to demonstrate their awareness of the sounds in words. Another teacher is playing a letter game that matches upper- and lower-case letters.

Integrated Content

The learning theme is apparent through charts, art work, and displays around the room. Content vocabulary in science and math is seen, as well as heard, as teachers interact and support children in their play. During learning centers, children are engaged in conversations with their peers as they play and explore learning areas. Writing materials and books are located in all learning areas for children to use.

Alphabet Center

Writing Center

Housekeeping Area

Science and Math Corner

Reading and Listening Center

Construction

Art Area

Purposeful Planning and Progress Monitoring

Teachers in a model classroom know it is important to do purposeful planning with targeted activities focused on learning goals that align with the Florida Early Learning and Developmental Standards: 4 Years Old to Kindergarten. They are constantly monitoring progress by observing and assessing to determine if additional instruction is needed or whether it is time to move on with a new learning goal. Teachers will use a variety of strategies to track children's progress like taking a few notes or even a picture to document a specific learning goal.

Phonological Awareness Development for Preschoolers Phonological Awareness Instruction – Step by Step

Syllable Awareness Activities September 2021 Page 1 of 3 Handout 8

Once children understand that sentences are made of words, they begin to learn that words are also

made of smaller units, called syllables. At this level, children learn to blend syllables together to form

words and to segment words into syllables. Children might also delete a syllable from word. In general,

blending tasks are easier than segmentation tasks, and segmentation tasks are easier than deletion

tasks.

Using Compound Words to Combine Syllables

Say it Fast! A list of compound words, can come in handy for playing this game. You can do this

orally, by saying the parts of a word to children and have them blend it back together. This would

be a great transition activity.

Partner Syllable Blending. This activity is a variation of the Say it Fast! game. First, ask two

children to crouch on the floor next to each other. Using a mystery word that no one else knows

(e.g., fireman), whisper the first syllable in the mystery word to the first child (e.g., fire), and the

second syllable in the mystery word to the second child (e.g., man). Then have the children pop

up, one at a time, and say their syllable. The group, or one child you select, guesses the mystery

word.

Syllable Blending Activities. These activities can easily be incorporated during a read-aloud. Great

books for this type of activity that features many examples of compound words is Once There Was

a Bull ...frog by Rick Walton, and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi and Ron Barrett. Make

a list of the books in your collection that use compound words.

Using Compound Words to Delete Syllables

Look for inexpensive commercial products or games that use picture card puzzles that can be

broken apart and matched to make a compound word. Be sure to play the games first in small

groups before putting them out in a center.

Be sure to use words that the children know and have used in other activities when working on

deletion tasks using compound words. It’s important to establish a consistent way to practice

deletion with children to be sure that children understand the language around the task so

children are clear on what you are asking them to do.

For example: “My word is bullfrog, say bullfrog (pause for child’s response) now say bullfrog without saying frog. (Child’s response). This is the framework to use as children practice deletion.

1. First say the word – “My word is _____.”

Phonological Awareness Development for Preschoolers Phonological Awareness Instruction – Step by Step

Syllable Awareness Activities September 2021 Page 2 of 3 Handout 8

2. Pause for the child to repeat the word.

3. Provide the task – “Now say ____________without saying _________.”

Ask for the first syllable in multiple practices. Then ask for the last syllable.

Activities Using Regular Words to Combine and Segment Syllables

As you are reading, periodically stretch out a word by syllable: (e.g., "Some animals laugh at the gangly

gi-raffe"). Then point to a child to "say it fast," or blend the word together. Then repeat the blended

word or reread the sentence to ensure that meaning is not lost, particularly if it took some time for the

child to respond. A fun way to provide blending practice is to use a puppet that talks in a very different way. Model

by having the puppet stretch words out by syllable (e.g., instead of saying "bicycle," he would say

"bi - cy - cle"). Have children practice deciphering what the puppet is saying. Again, a bag of

pictures or objects can be used as prompts. Once children are familiar with this game, they can try

picking from the bag and saying the words the way the puppet would say them.

A great place to begin to help children in segmenting syllables is by clapping children's names.

First, model by using several names of contrasting length (e.g., Joe, Maggie, Andrew, Elizabeth).

Pronounce each name, syllable by syllable, while clapping it out. Next have the children repeat the

name, clapping each syllable. Then ask the children how many syllables they heard. You can then

proceed to clap out lots of names, either together as a group or individually. Once children can clap

their names, you can put pictures of each child in a bag, or the names of each child in a bag. Next call

on individual children to pick another child's picture or name out of the bag and clap out the syllables.

The rest of the group then "checks" it by clapping it out together. When children can accurately clap

their first names (and the first names of the children in their group), they can practice clapping their

first and last names. You can also add a rhythmic chant such as:

“Bippity, bippity, bumble, bee,

Tell me what your name should be - /Sta/-/cy/” An alternative to clapping syllables and a perfect activity when children need to stretch, is a

variation of "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes." Instead of singing, however, you touch the

corresponding body part as you segment a word. For example, with the word "alligator," you

would segment the word slowly, touching your head saying "al-," shoulders saying "li-," knees

saying "ga-," and toes saying "tor." For three syllable words, you would just touch head, shoulders

and knees; for two-syllable words, head and shoulders; and for one-syllable words, head. An

easier variation that eliminates the need for four-syllable words is to play "Head, Waist, and Toes.”

When working on syllable deletion tasks follow the same procedure outlined with compound

words. You want to be sure that children understand what you are asking them to do. So it is

important to follow a consistent framework to practice deletion.

Phonological Awareness Development for Preschoolers Phonological Awareness Instruction – Step by Step

Syllable Awareness Activities September 2021 Page 3 of 3 Handout 8

This is the framework to use as children practice syllable deletion.

1. First say the word – “My word is _____.”

2. Pause for the child to repeat the word.

3. Provide the task – “Now say ____________without saying _________.”

Practice this task first with deleting the first syllable, then practice by deleting

the ending syllable.

Picture cards of multi-syllable words are quite useful, for the "mystery word" activities described

in Partner Syllable Blending and other games that reinforce syllable segmenting. Sets of multi-

syllable pictures can be found in teacher resource books (e.g., Phonemic Awareness in Young

Children), or you can select pictures from the sets of initial sound pictures that accompany many

core reading programs. Often these are large photographs that are high-interest, and they usually

contain pictures of words with a variety of syllables (e.g., astronaut, bear, candy, dinosaur). Using

clip art to make pictures is another alternative.

Small sets of picture cards can be used to play generic racetrack games. After choosing a picture,

you move forward as many spaces as there are syllables. You can also use small pictures to make

Bingo boards. After choosing a picture, you would stretch the word out by syllable (e.g., rab-bit),

and the children would mark the corresponding picture on their Bingo boards.