Teaching Tips

Teaching Tip for April, May '07

As the year end approaches, it is time to start thinking about assessments. Be sure you have assessed your students for letter sound identification and letter formations. Remember, it is the lower case letters they need to recognize and be able to print. That is what they see most and use most in reading/writing tasks. If they are struggling with either of these skills, focus on lower case and letter sounds for the next couple of months. If your assessments require you to test upper case and letter names, I suggest you identify those children as at-risk and put them on an IEP. Your rationale can be the fact that most of these children have short and/or long term memory issues and will probably struggle to remember 26 letters/sounds. We don't want to burden them with 52 of each so let's focus on what they most need.

Itchy's Alphabet game cards or our Interactive Games CD are great for providing the necessary drill and practice, in a fun way, to establish these skills. They are great for parents to use at home, too!