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WORLD-CLASS TEACHING TIPS
The feature article in this issue is comprised of some wonderful teaching tips from a kindergarten and first-grade teacher in Taiwan (as well as revealing the results therein), and a neat tip from a reading specialist in California.
Also included are the *how* and *why* details about a huge sale just launched with a very popular product. Read all about it!
And tying in to this -- an important new announcement!
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Featured Article: WORLD-CLASS TEACHING TIPS
SALE! SALE! SALE!
NEW PRODUCT ANNOUNCEMENT
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WORLD-CLASS TEACHING TIPS
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Rudi Kerkhoff is a kindergarten and first-grade teacher in Taiwan,
and has used Phonics Pathways for a number of years with great
success. Here is what he had to say:
*I began with students six and seven years old. Well, after only
foud months we started our first story book and never looked
back since. K3 has surpassed my wildest dreams as they read
far better than any class at school. They put students who've
been studying for up to six years to shame.
*I always tell them that being able to read makes you really smart.
They enjoy hearing that and several of my students with older
brothers and sisters twice their age told me with pride in their
voices that they can read but their older siblings cannot. A lot
of parents are amazed that their little kindergarteners can read
at such an early age, even before they are quite at ease with
Chinese characters.
*A funny story: I was substitute teaching an older class that
had been learning English for at least six years. When I told them
my K3 class could read better and more fluently they didn't
believe me. Just then Sunny, a K3 student, passed by and I
called her in. We then held a reading contest and little Sunny
beat the whole class! She really made my day.*
Great results from a terrific teacher! Here are two of his special
teaching tips:
(1) *I divide the class into two teams. Two students stand with
their back to the whiteboard while I write a word. When I say *go*
they turn around and the first one to read the word gets to throw
the die. The winner throws the die and the number is written on
their side of the whiteboard.
*All scores are added, and the highest score wind. I know it
doesn't seem fair as at times the team with the least read words
can still be the winner due to the higher points, but students
love it as they don't see it from that point of view.*
(2) *Another game I play (with older students) is the writing
game. Again there are two teams. I say a word and two members
of the opposite teams have to write it on the whiteboard. The
fastest writer gets to throw the die. (Of course the word has to
be correct!)
*However, there is a catch. If I say *week 2* then the students
will have to write *week* and *weak*. In other words, the sounds
of the words are the same so I want them to write both words.
Another word such as *by 3* means they'll have to write *bye,*
*by,* and *buy*. I get excellent results as the students really
enoy it and I get to see where they might need help!*
And finally, here's a great idea from Lindsay Pavel, a great reading
coordinator in California. She shares how she celebrates various
milestones with emergent readers:
*Every time we come to a review page I make a big deal about
a *graduation* and I have given little ribbons, or some such thing,
to the students. The first graduation is after page six (short-
vowel sounds) the second is page twenty-six (two-letter blends).
Some sections are only two pages long, but if it says REVIEW at
the top of the page, I make a big deal out of it.*
Talk about wonderful encouragement! Thanks for this, Lindsay.
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SALE! SALE! SALE!
(And NEW PRODUCT ANNOUNCEMENT)
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PYRAMID Reading Exercises is now on sale -- reduced from $21.95
to only $10! Yes that's right -- ten dollars!
The reason for that is that Jossey-Bass/Wiley has purchased the
publishing rights to this book, and at their request I have greatly
expanded it by almost one/third with all-new sections including
advanced pyramid practice and multisyllable word games as well.
Pyramid will be re-issued under its new title, *Reading Pathways.*
This book will be available January 1st, but you can already get a
sneak preview and see sample pages on my website.
What this means is that I have a fair amount of Pyramid books
left over that I will not be able to sell beyond the end of this year.
And so I have put them all on sale accordingly!
They can be ordered by credit card or check only, either from
my website or directly through Rayve Fulfillment. (Be sure to
make the check out to Rayve Fulfillment, NOT to Dorbooks!!!
Rayve Fulfillment: rayvepro@aol.com, or 800-852-4890. Check
with them for shipping charges and whatever tax charge
may be applicable.)
Orders may no longer be placed with The Intrepid Group, as
Dorbooks has closed it's operation with them. All books and
games have now been transferred to the Rayve warehouse.
If any of you are not familiar with Pyramid, sample pages can be
seen on my website. While Phonics Pathways teaches reading
with unpredictable text to ensure learning, Pyramid develops
reading fluency with predictable text that begins with one word
and slowly becomes longer with more complex phrases and
sentences.
The lessons in Pyramid parallel those of Phonics Pathways, and as
soon as a student is able to read three-letter words they are
ready to begin Pyramid. Just have them read as far as they are
able -- for some students it may be only two words, or even one
-- just the top line. They really enjoy seeing how far down they
can read, and look forward to doing it again so they can read
even farther down the Pyramid.
Pyramid is actually an excellent diagnostic tool as well -- when you
find those students who are able to read single words with ease
but cannot move beyond that, or do so with great difficulty, you
can almost be certain they have a tracking problem. In that case,
exercises such as those in Pyramid will help them immeasurably!
Lindsay Pavel, Reading Program Coordinator, writes:
*Pyramid is the fastest way to accelerate reading speed and
accuracy once students have learned short-vowel sounds and
how to blend letters together. I have seen students read their
first pyramid over and over again jut to bask in the wonder and
glory of reading. After that, no one can stop them from reading!*
Remember, too, you can put the pages on an overhead and use with
the whole class.
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That's it for this issue of Phonics Talk. We hope you have enjoyed
reading it, and that you will feel free to share it with others. And
please enjoy the lovely Fall weather while it's here -- all too soon
we'll be complaining about the cold, snow, and rain!
Time goes by, and life goes by, much too fast -- may I share a poem
I once wrote when our beloved cat died and when, for a short time,
I thought I had breast cancer?
Laughing, dancing, autumn shapes
We swirl through brightly-colored leaves
My loyal cat and I . . .
Dry leaves slowly twist and fall,
Huddled fur -- kindly pain-glazed eyes
My dear true friend -- farewell!
A crimson autumn leaf am I
Golden, dancing, glowing bright . . .
Not yet my time to drop!
Blessings,
Dolores
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