Letter Land

marieyuen

Hi, everyone!
Do any mami was using letterland to teach you little ?
Any things to share?
Jokey2828, asything share with us?
I 've seen a big improvement in Phoebe after using it for these months.
I'd like to share with you all later.

Perth

Dear Maria,
Nice to see you again. I have printed out your picture code cards you posted here for use. thanks.

I have one question. if our kids is in traditional school their dictation does not follow the level of phonic they have taught. They would have to dictate phonically difficult words like 'foot', 'teach'.

What you suggest if he come across phonically difficult word that he has to dictate? How i can taught him to dictate such words?

kctammy

Hi all,

Since my little baby is too young to go further, I practice teaching letterland in my sisters' kids recently. They are 6 and 7 years old. They are learning quite well, especially the younger one. They both could recognize the different words with the begining sound of bl,cl,fl,gl,pl and sl. For example, they could tell me 'bl' when they hear the word of 'black'.

I am very happy to see their progress!

Jokey2828

Hi Perth,

剛在另一個BK topic 上跟大家分享過囡囡如何學串英文字，現在讓我在這裡轉載一次吧。

我囡囡學校提議的方法是: Look, Say, Cover and Write。 方法很簡單，首先望着個單字，然後讀及串出來，跟着把字遮蓋或擦去，叫小朋友寫出來。

字要串得好，平時小孩便要多閱讀英文書， 如果她能自行閱讀的話，基本上是認得那個要串的字的 (除非那個字很深，並不是她的程度)。那麽她再跟剛才寫完的字比較，便會察覺到不同的地方，而作出改正。字可能還是錯的，不過她也能發覺，再次更正。

學拼音是一種好方法，但是如果個字很深或者不跟拼音規律的話，便會有麻煩了。其實我也有用Letterland Phonics 幫小朋友串字，主要是那些難記的字。例如有一次她要默個eight字，首先我教她 “EI” sounds “A”，跟着我講了一個 Golden Girl, Harry Hat Man 和 Ticking Tess 的故事給她聽，說 Harry Hat Man 有兩美相伴，高興得忘記了說話，而 Golden Girl 是一個好孩子, 她倍着 Harry Hat Man也不說話，所以 eight 字聽不到 /g/ 和 /h/ 音。

當她會串的字多了，我便提議她寫信 (通常都是給媽媽的)。對於她己經學串過的字，我會要求她寫得正確；至於未學過的字，我會讓她自己作，如果她問我， 我就串給她聽。這樣做可以引起小朋友寫字的動機和興趣，也就是他們學串字的目的呢!

在美國，小朋友在 First Grade 才寫字。我嘗試找尋有關的資料，發現一個 native child 學寫字的方法跟香港的有很大分別，他們並不偏重串字。Here is what I found in a book about first-graders in America:

“Although invented spelling is still common and acceptable at this age, the teacher will be checking to see that your child's inventions follow some kind of logic. He may not spell words correctly, but the choices he makes should make sense in some way.”

相反, 很多書教小朋友如何愛上writing. For a first-grader:

“Writing is about both composition and the mechanics of putting letters on paper and following the conventions of print. First-graders should have lots of self-expression in personal narratives, stories and brief journal entries, and for practical purposes. As he labors to write something by using the phonics and word-learning skills he has just been taught, he makes these skills his own. Children may also be more likely to pay attention to the shapes of letters and the correct spelling of words as they try to communicate with others in writing.”

照我理解，ESF的學校從來都不會改正學生的spelling，他們認為小朋友大了便會自動更正wrong spelling，然而他們卻很注重writing for meaning。

在香港，情況真的有些ridiculous, 所以愛寫字的學生遠比討厭寫字的少。話說回來，家長還是要面對現實，如果沒有其他辦法，我想只好叫小朋友重復抄寫那些要串的字, 因為這樣可以幫助記憶，不過就要盡量令到這種tedious work 有趣味一點了。

家長們, 齊努力吧!

Jokey2828

evelyn317

照我理解，ESF的學校從來都不會改正學生的spelling，他們認為小朋友大了便會自動更正wrong spelling，然而他們卻很注重writing for meaning。

Hi Jokey2828

Thanking for your sharing.

I fully agreed with the above, since I worked with the expatriate for almost 10 years, they used to write tonight = tonite, cause = coz', because they write the sound of the word.  However, as you mentioned:

在香港，情況真的有些ridiculous, 所以愛寫字的學生遠比討厭寫字的少。話說回來，家長還是要面對現實，如果沒有其他辦法，我想只好叫小朋友重復抄寫那些要串的字, 因為這樣可以幫助記憶，不過就要盡量令到這種tedious work 有趣味一點了。

家長們, 齊努力吧!

RaineMummy

HI all,

I also bought letterland ABC book and CD (more than 6 months ago) but there is no much effect to my daughter (at that time she's 3.5, now she's 4).  She knew the sounds of Annie Apple to about Hairy Hat Man and she will lose interest in continuing listening to the remaining.  I try to begin from Golden Girl the next time, but she insist to start again with Annie Apple.  I opened the CD whenever we go out in a car so that she cannot escape. She likes the songs and again when the CD goes to around LUcy Lamp Lady, she will lose much of her attention.  

I know a lot of mummy here is experienced in using letterland materials, can you pls give me more hints?
Should I learn all the letterland character's story and tell my daughter?

Grateful for your valuable advice.

ALAL

I begin with ABC book and read my son all the stories therein. My son like listening to stories. I have not brought CD nor VCD.

ALAL

I read the ABC book  to my son and have not bought CD or VCD

alicewong

Dear All,
I have bought Letterland ABC few months ago. May I know the following Qs:
1) many moms here recommend Prog 1 teacher guide and Prog 2 teacher guide. I have looked up the letterland's catalog, there is only one teacher guide (yellow in color, cost 34.99 pounds), is it the one, which includes both prog 1 and prog2? or is it the old version?

2)If i buy the teacher guide, does it include the scripts of handwriting songs and alphabet songs?

3) my daughter is only 2 yrs old, I wonder which one is more suitable for her: first reading flash card or picture code card.

as i am currently in UK,  i would like to buy more products here before i return to HK coz i think the price will be cheaper.

many many thanks

alice

kittylock

Hi alicewong,

Regarding your questions:
1) A modified version of Letterland emerged since 2003. I think the Teacher's guide you menetioned (one single book which is yellow in colour) fall into the rank. For classic version, there are altogehter 2 Teacher's guide namely "rogramme 1 Teacher's guide" and "rogramme 2 Teacher's guide" respectively.

2) Yes, you will find the scripts of handwriting songs and alphabet songs in the guide

3) As far as I know, the picture code card is better to be used along with the Teacher's guide. If you've bought the guide, it will be more effective to buy also the picture code card in conducting letterland activities. But I think a 2-year old kid is still too small to do the blending.

alicewong

Dear Kittylock,

Thanks for your reply. As suggested that some of the things are overlapped for early years handbook and teacher guide, I decided to buy the teacher guide (new version). However, If I want to make sure that my pronounciation is correct, what should i buy? early years handbook CD? or the only one CD-rom? coz It will also includes alphabet songs and handwriting songs. I want to buy tooo many things but still worry that she might not like it...
maybe the people in UK do not worry about pronounciation, that's why the early years handbook CD could only be bought in the letterland.com but not amazon or ebay.

many thanks

kittylock

Dear Alice,

I've bought the Early Years casette. But I found it seems boring and not as good as it claimed to be.

btw, I would suggest you buying the one and only one Letterland software (CD-ROM) which includes both the sound of each letterlanders, alphabet songs, hand-writing songs and games.

marieyuen

Perth:

In my opinion, those phonically difficult words are explained in Programme 2 "oo" sound and "ea" sound "e" short sound and "e" long sound, I would have a jump to tell the story about these word in order to explain these words.
In the view of children they won't know which part should be learn first and which parts are in Programme 2, so they are just some funny stories, it won't make any different to them.
BTW, when I taught about [size=medium]"when two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking" to my daughter, I use the Between the Lions songs to explain it, and it wonderful, please note the following link:


http://pbskids.org/lions/songs/two_vowels_rp.html

[size=medium]When Two Vowels Go Walking

When two vowels go walking
The first one does the talking
In "boat" you hear the "o" and not the "a"

In "meat" you hear the "e"
The "a" sits quietly
The second vowel you see but you don't say

But...
Shh!

Just the two of us together
In "train" and "pail" and "rain"
The "a" speaks up; the "i" does not
But...
Shh! Let me explain

When two vowels go walking
The first one does the talking
In "brain" you hear the "a" but not the "i"

In "soap" the "o" is clear
The "a" you never hear
In "say" you say the "a" and not the "y"

But...
Shh! Isn't it neat?
But...
Shh! It can't be beat!
But...
Shh! It's such a dream!

Don't mean to boast
But here's a toast
We're quite a team!

When two vowels go walking
The first one does the talking
I'm sorry, number two, it's such a shame

Although it gives you pain
The rule is very plain
When two vowels walk
The first one says its name!

But...
Shh!

Yes, when two vowels walk
The first one says its name!

Perth 寫道:
Dear Maria,
Nice to see you again. I have printed out your picture code cards you posted here for use. thanks.

I have one question. if our kids is in traditional school their dictation does not follow the level of phonic they have taught. They would have to dictate phonically difficult words like 'foot', 'teach'.

What you suggest if he come across phonically difficult word that he has to dictate? How i can taught him to dictate such words?

marieyuen

kctammy:
Happy to hear your good news in using Letterland, my daughter Phoebe have great improvement too!
The teachers in the kindergarten tell me they don't know Phoebe knows how to read-aloud (she can read out words but most of the time she don't know the meaning).
But one day they saw her holding a card and whispering, then one of the teacher walk near her and listen what her's whispering about. They surprise to find that she is holding a card( i don't know what's it) to read.
I think she feels happy that she can read-aloud english that make her with a kind of confidence in learning english and reading english story books too.

Share with you later!

FXPC

Hello marie,

"when two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking"

I use the same principle to teach my son too.

My son can understand the rule using phonics and I didn't stick to one phonics system (sometimes, letterland, sometimes Longman Phonics for kids.). He can read most of the words by applying the rules that he knows.

For those of special words which do not follow the simple phonics rules, I would ask my son to memorise them as these are the "Naughty Word".
(My son always asks me why are these words so Naughty!!!!          )

包包媽咪

Hi marieyuen,

好多謝您既分享

我一直用letterland幫我既
小朋友溫習英文默書,發覺成效唔錯,
但係前幾日派左上一次默書時,
串錯左 toes, knees 先知道原
來我小朋友對”oe” “ee”
有d混亂, 剛剛讀到您既message
時候, 發覺您既分享可以解決我既
疑問, thanks.

請問可唔可以請教您一個問題呢?
我小朋友對 silence magic e
唔係好了解,我教小朋友串“please”
呢個字既時候, 除了 “ea” 有困難
外, 還常常忙記了最後的
silence magic e, 請問有冇方法
可以令人容易記得呢?

謝謝


題外話, 前幾日去圖書館既
時候,見到有letterland 既故事
書,有興趣的話可以去睇睇

marieyuen 寫道:
Perth:

In my opinion, those phonically difficult words are explained in Programme 2 "oo" sound and "ea" sound "e" short sound and "e" long sound, I would have a jump to tell the story about these word in order to explain these words.
In the view of children they won't know which part should be learn first and which parts are in Programme 2, so they are just some funny stories, it won't make any different to them.
BTW, when I taught about [size=medium]"when two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking" to my daughter, I use the Between the Lions songs to explain it, and it wonderful, please note the following link:


http://pbskids.org/lions/songs/two_vowels_rp.html

[size=medium]When Two Vowels Go Walking

When two vowels go walking
The first one does the talking
In "boat" you hear the "o" and not the "a"

In "meat" you hear the "e"
The "a" sits quietly
The second vowel you see but you don't say

But...
Shh!

Just the two of us together
In "train" and "pail" and "rain"
The "a" speaks up; the "i" does not
But...
Shh! Let me explain

When two vowels go walking
The first one does the talking
In "brain" you hear the "a" but not the "i"

In "soap" the "o" is clear
The "a" you never hear
In "say" you say the "a" and not the "y"

But...
Shh! Isn't it neat?
But...
Shh! It can't be beat!
But...
Shh! It's such a dream!

Don't mean to boast
But here's a toast
We're quite a team!

When two vowels go walking
The first one does the talking
I'm sorry, number two, it's such a shame

Although it gives you pain
The rule is very plain
When two vowels walk
The first one says its name!

But...
Shh!

Yes, when two vowels walk
The first one says its name![quote]
Perth 寫道:
Dear Maria,
Nice to see you again. I have printed out your picture code cards you posted here for use. thanks.

I have one question. if our kids is in traditional school their dictation does not follow the level of phonic they have taught. They would have to dictate phonically difficult words like 'foot', 'teach'.

What you suggest if he come across phonically difficult word that he has to dictate? How i can taught him to dictate such words?

[/quote]

evelyn317

silence magic e

各位媽咪

係pbs有個網頁係介紹phoenic，同mariayuen 所講o的theory一樣，仲有埋卡通短片，我將個網址save o左係屋企部computer，

FXPC

Hello,

You can also try to visit this website,

www.starfall.com

There are lots of the flash animation teaching kids phonics and also lots of the rhyming story books.

(**My son learns the concept of "silent magic e" from this website. That's really helps a lot.)

包包媽咪

Hi evelyn317 and FXPC,

Thanks a lot.

包包媽咪

evelyn317

www.starfall.com

呢個網頁都useful同interesting喔。