Teaching Letter Recognition - A Complete Lesson

,Appropriate for Whole Class,  Small Group,  and Individual Presentations

contains multisensory and cooperative learning activities

This lesson \  also contains worksheets, reading sheets, timed readings and flash cards.

Please note: To accommodate  a variety of learning challenges, the flash cards are written in black and white, without pictures, and key words.  The emphasis is  placed on memorzing the letter name rather than any visual distraction.  

Please click the link below to download the  lesson.

Letter Recognition

Mix Process+ Content + Feeling to Create Success

• Process Defines the Method of Teaching. 

When planning a lesson, the instructor has many processes, sometimes  referred to as structures or activities, from which to choose. Large and small group  instruction, computer assisted instruction, and cooperative learning are examples. Each strategy can work with almost  any curriculum.

  The challenge is matching the student or students to a process that is most effective. The following video, made quite a few years ago as a student project, provides examples of classroom activities that  integrate student success and peer engagement. The content is reading. However,  each activity may be used across the curriculum. The Thirteen Activities link that follows includes directions for implementing specific activities.

Student Project   redirect link

Thirteen Activities    redirect link

Content

Defines what is taught

Whether a classroom teacher, tutor, or parent, there is seldom  an opportunity to select content. However, the instructor often has a choice of delivery. Following is a mixed  list of approaches used by many instructors. Rreaders are welcome to add  favorite methods  in the comments scetion.

1. Link the subject to everyday life.  For example, when learning about ounces, weigh different objects, such as candy bars, to discover if the package information matches their findings. OR Ask a question such as: What would happen if the First Amendment of the Constitution  was erased?

2. Create a syllabus telling students the timeline for reading each chapter.

3. Design a rubric stating exactly what students are expected to learn.

4. Make a list of study questions  telling students what they are expected to learn.

5. If there are questions at the end of the chapter,  instruct students to read the questions before reading the chapter.

6. If vocabulary words are listed at the beginning or end of the chapter, review the meaning and use of the words before assigning indepent reading.

7.  Review and discuss chapter  headings with the class before assigning  independent reading.

 

• Feeling is  the Most Important Component of each Lesson. 

Many stress factors which inhibit learning are often out of a teacher's control. If a student is hungry, has not slept, worried about being "jumped" after class, is expected to read a sixth grade text when he or she can only read on a second grade level, are but a few examples.  For those who want to investigate stress and learning, please follow the link below.

Stress and Learning  indirect link

• 

Structure and content  are available tools  to assist in reducing stress. Feelings  are attached to every learning event and have a direct impact on the assimilation and retention of information.

 

• When learning is fun and tension free, information is  easily assimilated.

Mix Content, Process, and a positive feeling tone to creat teacher/student success.

 

Stages of Reading Development

 Stages of Reading Development

The quality of reading is not measured by how soon a child begins to read but by how well he or she reads when ready.  

 Students learn in different ways and in synchronization with their own personal growth and development. 

 Reading acquisition  rates can differ from child to child within a single family.  For example,  one child may begin reading at age four while another does not begin reading until age six. Parents may be surprised to notice that both children are reading at the same level at age eight. w

With these thoughts in mind, following are the stages of reading development.

Birth to Kindergarten

Children learn to understand the spoken word, speak learned vocabulary, enjoy looking at picture books, having books read to them, and naming pictures  found in books. 

Kindergarten and Grade One

Students learn the names of the letters and the concepts of sound/symbol and symbol/sound relationships, linguistic patterns, the blending of sounds, and the recognition of certain sight words.

Grads Two and Three

Students expand decoding skills and deriving meaning from text as well as  increase reading fluency.

Grads Four Through Eight

Students learn information that goes beyond their life experiences. They apply expanded vocabulary to interpret and analyze points of view in a variety of contexts.

Grads Nine Through Twelve

Students develop complex language structures, interpret multiple points of view, learn advanced vocabulary and construct their own meanings through analysis and synthsis.

Additional Resources

Please click the redirect page below the title.

The Four Stage approach Here

Center for Improving Literacy

Fact Sheet

 Aboout the Author

 Jacqueline Jo Rhoades

 Jacquie began her life in Chicago and moved to Pomona, California at an early age. After growing up in the country, surrounded by orange trees and truck gardens, she began her  career as a teacher, write of curriculumr, and workshop presenter, in and out of the  United States. She now resides with her family  near her childhood home.   

 ,In addition to ,earning  a Master of Science degree in education from Mt Saint Mary’s College Los Angeles and a Bacelor of Science degree in sociology from Long Beach State University, Jacquie has received numerous awards from local and national leaders and organizations.

 Jacquie has taught general,  special education, and reading  in  elementary and secondary settings. Additional positions:  literacy leade, program specialist,  adjunct professor at Sonoma State University and Dominican College San Rafael. Additionally, she served as an  education specialist for the California Sepecial Education Resource Network.\

Teaching Tools Blog: www.readingcompany.us

Published Books: Simle Cooperation in the Classroom, The Nurturing Classroom, Social and Academic Activities for the Cooperative Classroom, Lessons from Cherry Creek, Outcome Based Learning: A teacher's Guide to Restructuring the Classroom, Rhoades to Reading levels A, B, C, D, Language Arts and Simple Cooperation

Curriculum is based on the theory and practice of the fClassroomllowing pioneers in education:  Madeline Hunter, David and Roger Johnson, Ana Gillingham, Maryanne Frostig, Reuven Feuerstein,  Ray Barsch, Donald Deschler, and Renee Herman.  While diverse,  each approach demonstrates students learn at different rates and in different ways; yet, when given a chance they  can learn.  

A special thank you to Jeannie and Ken Womack, Jenna Kreeger, and Tonianne Merante for editing the Rhoades to Reading program. My gratitude goes to Dr. Maria Palacio for permitting sixteen teachers to field test the curriculum , and to Dr. Linda Gamble for supporting our efforts. A number of lessons from Rhoades to Reading are posted on this blog.