As a family we created a Rhyme Poster with words that Brooke can rhyme. We keep it in the kitchen so that is a common topic of discussion. Jake and Kate enjoyed helping with it too.
About Me
- The Miller family
- I am just a mom: a mom of three kids and one of them is hearing impaired. We are a busy family and I am a very busy mom. I want my hearing impaired daughter, Brooke, to have every advantage so I try to incorporate as many lessons and strategies into our every day life. Most of the teaching I do with Brooke is incorporated into our daily routines and parent-directed play. This blog will include some of our formal lessons but mostly it will be learning to listen in the everyday.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Thursday, October 6, 2011
This is a simple rhyming sound. I like how it repeats the rhyme 3 times to allow the child to hear it over and over. We sing this little tune when we find words that rhyme during everyday life.
Hat....Cat....These words rhyme
Hat....Cat....These words rhyme
Hat....Cat....These words rhyme
So rhyme along with me
More rhymes:
bed/red
hat/cat/bat/rat/sat/mat
duck/truck/stuck
shoe/blue
hand/sand
frog/log
dad/sad
brother/mother
We find all sorts of simple words and go from there....sometimes when we take a walk the children will find things that rhyme and bust out in the song...I am so proud when that happens! I also do not discourage the nonsense words, as they are still rhyming; for example, Brooke always wants to rhyme the word tongue....so we just make up some non-sense words that rhyme with tongue.
Hat....Cat....These words rhyme
Hat....Cat....These words rhyme
Hat....Cat....These words rhyme
So rhyme along with me
More rhymes:
bed/red
hat/cat/bat/rat/sat/mat
duck/truck/stuck
shoe/blue
hand/sand
frog/log
dad/sad
brother/mother
We find all sorts of simple words and go from there....sometimes when we take a walk the children will find things that rhyme and bust out in the song...I am so proud when that happens! I also do not discourage the nonsense words, as they are still rhyming; for example, Brooke always wants to rhyme the word tongue....so we just make up some non-sense words that rhyme with tongue.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
More rhyming
Play a guessing game to introduce the concept of rhyming words. Have your child close her eyes and try to think of the animal that you’re describing. Give her several hints, ending with a word that the animal’s name rhymes with.
For example, you might say, “I’m thinking of an animal with whiskers and a long tail. This animal likes to catch mice. Its name rhymes with the word ‘pat'." Have your child say the animal name then stress the rhyming word: "That is right. 'cat' rhymes with 'pat'. cat...pat"
Another example would be, “I’m thinking of an animal who sleeps through the long winter. This animal is very large, and sometimes it likes to eat honey. Its name rhymes with the word ‘hair'." Have your child say the animal name then stress the rhyming word: "That is right. bear' rhymes with 'hair'. bear...hair"
Try this: " I am an animal who is a pet. It has four legs, a wagging tail, and likes to chew on a bone. Its name rhymes with 'log'." Have your child say the animal name and then stress the rhyming word.
Or: "I'm thinking of an animal that is an insect. It flies through the air and travels from flower to flower to collect nectar. It has a stinger so be careful. Its name rhymes with 'tree'.
Or these pairs:
fox-socks
mouse-house
bat-sat
frog-hog
cow-wow
snail-pail
bug-slug
whale-scale
fish-dish
snake-lake
Read more: http://www.brighthub.com/education/early-childhood/articles/42631.aspx#ixzz1ZeoLZPkK
For example, you might say, “I’m thinking of an animal with whiskers and a long tail. This animal likes to catch mice. Its name rhymes with the word ‘pat'." Have your child say the animal name then stress the rhyming word: "That is right. 'cat' rhymes with 'pat'. cat...pat"
Another example would be, “I’m thinking of an animal who sleeps through the long winter. This animal is very large, and sometimes it likes to eat honey. Its name rhymes with the word ‘hair'." Have your child say the animal name then stress the rhyming word: "That is right. bear' rhymes with 'hair'. bear...hair"
Try this: " I am an animal who is a pet. It has four legs, a wagging tail, and likes to chew on a bone. Its name rhymes with 'log'." Have your child say the animal name and then stress the rhyming word.
Or: "I'm thinking of an animal that is an insect. It flies through the air and travels from flower to flower to collect nectar. It has a stinger so be careful. Its name rhymes with 'tree'.
Or these pairs:
fox-socks
mouse-house
bat-sat
frog-hog
cow-wow
snail-pail
bug-slug
whale-scale
fish-dish
snake-lake
Read more: http://www.brighthub.com/education/early-childhood/articles/42631.aspx#ixzz1ZeoLZPkK
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Rhyming
Brooke is having a very difficult time grasping the concepts of rhyming. We have tried playing lots of rhyming games but the idea of rhyming is too complicated for her.
I decided to try this game to help her get the simple concept of rhyming so she will feel really successful.
Tell your child, "We are going to play a rhyming game. Rhyming words have the same sound endings. I'm going to point to something on my body, and say a word. You're going to say the body part that rhymes. Okay?"
Give her two examples: Point to my leg and say "This is my beg. You say no this is your leg."
Pointing to my nose I say "This is my rose and you say no this is your nose."
Here's a list of body parts and rhyming words:
deer-ear
pail-nail
sack-back go-toe
gum-thumb
put-foot bye-eye
deck-neck
see-knee bear-hair
fin-chin
band-hand peek-cheek
farm-arm
feel-heel
I decided to try this game to help her get the simple concept of rhyming so she will feel really successful.
Tell your child, "We are going to play a rhyming game. Rhyming words have the same sound endings. I'm going to point to something on my body, and say a word. You're going to say the body part that rhymes. Okay?"
Give her two examples: Point to my leg and say "This is my beg. You say no this is your leg."
Pointing to my nose I say "This is my rose and you say no this is your nose."
Here's a list of body parts and rhyming words:
deer-ear
pail-nail
sack-back go-toe
gum-thumb
put-foot bye-eye
deck-neck
see-knee bear-hair
fin-chin
band-hand peek-cheek
farm-arm
feel-heel
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Kindergarten Sight Words
I started a new blog to catalog and share the different ways we practice our kindergarten sight words. Check it out here if you are interested!
Sunday, September 11, 2011
try a whisper
If Brooke seems to be "tuning me out" during one of our lessons or while listening to a book as I read, I try whispering the same thing. The change in my tone and volume usually attracts her attention and helps to refocus her listening.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Auditory Memory
This week Brooke and I are working on auditory memory. Auditory memory is the ability to remember words, numbers, phrases that you hear. Using the game Cariboo as an incentive, I gave Brooke a series of random words for her to listen and repeat.
This is how we do it:
1. I will give Brooke 4 words that she knows such as elephant, umbrella, hat, shoe. Once she repeats them to me in the correct order, she can pick a card and use the key to open the door in the game.
2. We started with 5 words (which I thought she could do) but she was really struggling with it. Since I want her to feel successful, I dropped down to 4 words.
This is how we do it:
1. I will give Brooke 4 words that she knows such as elephant, umbrella, hat, shoe. Once she repeats them to me in the correct order, she can pick a card and use the key to open the door in the game.
2. We started with 5 words (which I thought she could do) but she was really struggling with it. Since I want her to feel successful, I dropped down to 4 words.
3. Here are a few other lists:
football, tree, orange, ice cream
bee, truck, boat, soccer
rainbow, sun, mailman, fox
book, flower, duck, apple
4. You can play this with any game you like. Before your child's turn, just ask her to repeat a list of words.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Listening and Coloring
I printed a coloring sheet from the 4-H cloverbuds activity I gave Brooke some directions with 3-4 critical elements for coloring the sheet such as:
5. Color the pool toy on the top of the pile purple.
1. Color the man's hat red. (Brooke started to color the boy's hat so I had to stop her and we talked about the man and the boy)
2. Color the boy's hat yellow
3. Color the canoe green with orange polka dots. (Brooke needed help with "What is a canoe?"
4. Color the car's headlights yellow
3. Color the canoe green with orange polka dots. (Brooke needed help with "What is a canoe?"
4. Color the car's headlights yellow
5. Color the pool toy on the top of the pile purple.
6. Make a little smoke coming out of the back of the car (I didn't think she would get this one but she pleasantly surprised me)
7. Write your name on the top of the page
8. Draw a sun in the top corner of the page
9. Color the car your favorite color and color the tires black (She did the tires first and then made the car a rainbow of colors)
10. Draw a smiley face on the front door of the car (She asked "What is a front door?" and then drew the smiley face)
Since she didn't like my color choices very much, we printed another copy and she told me how to color it. From memory, she had me color the same things but I noticed some vocabulary words what we need to work on:
1. She called the man a "boy"
2. She didn't know the name of the door handle but was able to describe that we "push it to get into the car"
3. She called the headlights, "lights"
4. She called the tires, "wheels"
5. The woman was a "girl"
6. She didn't know the name of the "fender"
7. She called the canoe a "boat"
So, we will work on some "car parts" as vocabulary this week! I learned a lot about her sentences and vocabulary from this activity. Her best direction was: "Color the boat brown with blue polkadots" which is 4 critical elements - I was impressed
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Extending Vocabulary
One piece of advice we received during our visit to Chapel Hill on Monday was to work on extending Brooke's vocabulary. For example she know the word "same" but doesn't understand the word "alike". She uses "big" and "small" really well but needs to add some more synonyms for those words. So we have been trying a few new things around here that incorporate into our daily life. With a little focus by me, we are extending her vocabulary.
1. Use active listening to show your child you are listening; create opportunities for your child to comment and add to your thoughts. Create pockets of time in which you really talk with your child. When Brooke brings up and idea or topic, I try to keep the conversation going for a few minutes and include her brother and sister. She loves to talk about things so she really enjoys these conversations.
2. Restate what your child says, using slightly more advanced, new vocabulary. For example, if she says, "Did you see that house by the water? It was big!" respond by saying, "I did- the cabin next to the creek was gigantic!"
3. As your child talks, ask "how" and "why" questions to help her extend and analyze her thoughts. Wonder out loud, for example, how the cabin was build or why the family chose to build it on the creek. Doing so allows your child to use new vocabulary to talk about abstract thoughts, rather than simply talking about the concrete objects that are right in front of her.
The more Brooke is able to hear and understand, the more likely she will begin to use the new words in her vocabulary.
1. Use active listening to show your child you are listening; create opportunities for your child to comment and add to your thoughts. Create pockets of time in which you really talk with your child. When Brooke brings up and idea or topic, I try to keep the conversation going for a few minutes and include her brother and sister. She loves to talk about things so she really enjoys these conversations.
2. Restate what your child says, using slightly more advanced, new vocabulary. For example, if she says, "Did you see that house by the water? It was big!" respond by saying, "I did- the cabin next to the creek was gigantic!"
3. As your child talks, ask "how" and "why" questions to help her extend and analyze her thoughts. Wonder out loud, for example, how the cabin was build or why the family chose to build it on the creek. Doing so allows your child to use new vocabulary to talk about abstract thoughts, rather than simply talking about the concrete objects that are right in front of her.
The more Brooke is able to hear and understand, the more likely she will begin to use the new words in her vocabulary.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Our appointments
Brooke had an audiology appointment today at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Though it is a four hour drive from our home, the care we receive is well worth the trip.
To begin our appointment Brooke goes into the testing booth. It is really small sound-proof room with all of the equipment needed to test Brooke's hearing.
Without her hearing aids, Brooke listens for sounds that come through those blue and red wires clipped to the back of her dress. The tubes from the wires are placed into her ears through her ear molds. The therapist wears headphone and can hear the audiologist who sits in the booth through the window. The audiologist plays "beeps" and Brooke places a token into the pig when she hears the sound. The "beeps" are played along different frequencies until she hears it and responds.
Then we move into another room for her hearing aids to be programed. The audiologist uses Brooke's responses from the testing booth and the computer will programs her hearing aids to her exact needs.
This is Brooke with Paula, our audiologist. Paula has taken exceptional care of us over the last 3 years.
To begin our appointment Brooke goes into the testing booth. It is really small sound-proof room with all of the equipment needed to test Brooke's hearing.
Without her hearing aids, Brooke listens for sounds that come through those blue and red wires clipped to the back of her dress. The tubes from the wires are placed into her ears through her ear molds. The therapist wears headphone and can hear the audiologist who sits in the booth through the window. The audiologist plays "beeps" and Brooke places a token into the pig when she hears the sound. The "beeps" are played along different frequencies until she hears it and responds.
Then we move into another room for her hearing aids to be programed. The audiologist uses Brooke's responses from the testing booth and the computer will programs her hearing aids to her exact needs.
This is Brooke with Paula, our audiologist. Paula has taken exceptional care of us over the last 3 years.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
My Special Family
"God doesn't give children with special needs to strong people; He gives children with special needs to ordinary, weak people and then gives them strength. Raising a child with special needs doesn't TAKE a special family, it MAKES a family special." - found this on a friend's facebook status and love it!
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Rhyming - Phonemic Awareness - Step 2
Play The Name Game
Just play with line one at first. You can begin with any name or word--but run it through your mind first, to eliminate words that result in unwanted rhymes.
Honey, honey, Bo-bunny Banana-Fanna-Fo-funny Fee-Fie-Mo-money --Honey!
Bear, Bear, Bo-ear Banana-Fanna-Fo-fair Fee-Fie-Mo-mare --Bear!
Jake, Jake Bo-Bake Banana-Fanna-Fo-fake Fee-Fie- Mo- Make -Jake!
Just play with line one at first. You can begin with any name or word--but run it through your mind first, to eliminate words that result in unwanted rhymes.
Honey, honey, Bo-bunny Banana-Fanna-Fo-funny Fee-Fie-Mo-money --Honey!
Bear, Bear, Bo-ear Banana-Fanna-Fo-fair Fee-Fie-Mo-mare --Bear!
Jake, Jake Bo-Bake Banana-Fanna-Fo-fake Fee-Fie- Mo- Make -Jake!
Brooke, Brooke, Bo-rooke, Banana-Fanna-Fo-Frooke Fee-Fie-Mo-Mrooke- Brooke!
Kake, Kate, Bo-Bake, Banana-Fanna-Fo-Fate Fee-Fie-Mo-Mate-Kate!
Mommy, Mommy, Bo-Bommy Banana-Fanna-Fo-Fommy Fee-Fie Mo-Ommy- Mommy!
Stick, stick, Bo-bick, Bannana-Fanna Fo-fick, Fee-Fie Mo-mick --Stick!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Rhyme - Discern and supply rhyming words
Step 1: Rhyme - Discern and supply rhyming words
The first step in phonemic awareness is to recognize rhyming words. Brooke still doesn't completely grasp the concept of rhyming words so we continue to word on this skill in a variety of different ways. Today we played with some rhyming itsy-bitsy miniatures. 
Lesson:
1. Set out 4 objects with 2 that rhyme. Set one on the rhyming objects at the top and the other three objects below.
2. Say: "This is a snake. Say snake."
3. "What word rhymes with snake?"
4. "Listen to the words: Does cake rhyme with snake? Does hat rhyme with snake? Does pan rhyme with snake?"
5. Brooke usually shakes her head yes or no so I have her repeat: "Yes, snake rhymes with cake."
6. Set out 4 new objects. Set one on the rhyming objects at the top and the other three objects below.
7 . Say: "This is a bug. Say bug."
8. "What word rhymes with bug?"
9. "Listen to the words: Does bug rhyme with rug? Does bug rhyme with van? Does bug rhyme with stone?"
10. Have her repeat: "Yes, bug rhymes with rug."
Modifications:
1. I notices that my rhyming pairs were the first choice in these pictures. Of course, move the rhyming object to the second or third choice as well.
2. Use picture cards from flash card decks or games to create some rhyming pairs.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Jake is home from school
Today is the first day of summer vacation for Jake. He is now a second grader and I need a plan for the summer!
I have purchased a few workbooks and his teacher has send home a few workbooks that they class didn't finish during the year. So....every time he annoys, aggravates, bothers, harasses, perturbs, provokes, teases, or troubles his sisters he has to do some pages in his workbooks!
It is 10:10am on the first day of summer vacation and the poor child is on his second page! These are pages he is capable of completing without any parental assistance! Maybe this summer he will become a genius!
I have purchased a few workbooks and his teacher has send home a few workbooks that they class didn't finish during the year. So....every time he annoys, aggravates, bothers, harasses, perturbs, provokes, teases, or troubles his sisters he has to do some pages in his workbooks!
It is 10:10am on the first day of summer vacation and the poor child is on his second page! These are pages he is capable of completing without any parental assistance! Maybe this summer he will become a genius!
Monday, June 6, 2011
S - ounds
Today we did a little phonemic practice my breaking words into 2 smaller phonemes and then saying it "fast" to get the words. Let me give you some example:
1. Lets go get in the \c\ .... \ar\. Say it fast: "car"
2. Would you like a \dough\....\nut\? Say it fast: "doughnut"
3. When Jake gets home from school we will \sw\....\im\. Say it fast: "swim"
4. Will you pick up that \st\...\ick\? Say it fast: "stick"
You get the point.
Kate was really great at this and often knew the word before I even said the last part. Brooke had a difficult time with saying the 2 sounds fast. She would still say to 2 separate sounds instead of the complete word. We will keep working at it: it is a great auditory and pre-read skill.
1. Lets go get in the \c\ .... \ar\. Say it fast: "car"
2. Would you like a \dough\....\nut\? Say it fast: "doughnut"
3. When Jake gets home from school we will \sw\....\im\. Say it fast: "swim"
4. Will you pick up that \st\...\ick\? Say it fast: "stick"
You get the point.
Kate was really great at this and often knew the word before I even said the last part. Brooke had a difficult time with saying the 2 sounds fast. She would still say to 2 separate sounds instead of the complete word. We will keep working at it: it is a great auditory and pre-read skill.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is one of the most common chronic health problems in this country.
But hearing loss often goes unnoticed and a child with the hearing problem is probably not aware of it. Why does hearing loss go undetected?
Frequently, hearing loss is:
Gradual.
Loss of hearing can develop so slowly that you're not aware of any change from year to year. A loss of one or two decibels per year is not noticeable, but after 10-20 years of such change, you can have a distinct-albeit unnoticed-problem.
Partial.
You can develop a hearing loss for high pitched sounds that affect the clarity of speech but still have normal hearing sensitivity for low pitched sound so you hear speech and background noises at a relatively normal loudness. That's why a person with such loss may say, "I can hear people talking-I just can't understand them."
Painless.
Usually, there is no feeling or sensation that alerts you to a change in hearing-especially if it is slowly progressive.
Invisible.
The person with a hearing loss doesn't look any different and you can't detect hearing loss by looking into someone's ears. Only an audiological evaluation can determine whether a hearing loss is present.
Because of these characteristics, it's easy for a child with gradual onset hearing loss to go undetected. If you suspect your child may have hearing loss, ask your pediatrician and request an evaluation by an audiologist. And remember, the first step is not to get hearing aids, but simply to have a professional hearing test by your audiologist.
I began noticing some language delays with Brooke around the age of 2. I never thought it would be hearing loss; I knew she wasn't deaf because she would respond to my voice, but didn't think about the spectrum of hearing loss. At the age of 2, I asked for a speech evaluation at her 2 year check-up. My pediatrician thought I should wait until she was 3, but I persisted. I went through the county's early intervention program for a speech evaluation and they were the first to mention a possible hearing loss.
Once she passed the newborn hearing screening, I didn't think that hearing loss could develop gradually. Now I know and want to share to help with early detection.
This article was originally submitted by
Dennis Hampton, Ph.D. and subsequently edited by AAC.
But hearing loss often goes unnoticed and a child with the hearing problem is probably not aware of it. Why does hearing loss go undetected?
Frequently, hearing loss is:
Gradual.
Loss of hearing can develop so slowly that you're not aware of any change from year to year. A loss of one or two decibels per year is not noticeable, but after 10-20 years of such change, you can have a distinct-albeit unnoticed-problem.
Partial.
You can develop a hearing loss for high pitched sounds that affect the clarity of speech but still have normal hearing sensitivity for low pitched sound so you hear speech and background noises at a relatively normal loudness. That's why a person with such loss may say, "I can hear people talking-I just can't understand them."
Painless.
Usually, there is no feeling or sensation that alerts you to a change in hearing-especially if it is slowly progressive.
Invisible.
The person with a hearing loss doesn't look any different and you can't detect hearing loss by looking into someone's ears. Only an audiological evaluation can determine whether a hearing loss is present.
Because of these characteristics, it's easy for a child with gradual onset hearing loss to go undetected. If you suspect your child may have hearing loss, ask your pediatrician and request an evaluation by an audiologist. And remember, the first step is not to get hearing aids, but simply to have a professional hearing test by your audiologist.
I began noticing some language delays with Brooke around the age of 2. I never thought it would be hearing loss; I knew she wasn't deaf because she would respond to my voice, but didn't think about the spectrum of hearing loss. At the age of 2, I asked for a speech evaluation at her 2 year check-up. My pediatrician thought I should wait until she was 3, but I persisted. I went through the county's early intervention program for a speech evaluation and they were the first to mention a possible hearing loss.
Once she passed the newborn hearing screening, I didn't think that hearing loss could develop gradually. Now I know and want to share to help with early detection.
This article was originally submitted by
Dennis Hampton, Ph.D. and subsequently edited by AAC.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
AG Bell Parent Advocacy Training
agbell.org offers a free Parent Advocacy Training to prepare parents for an IEP meeting. Parents can complete the 1 1/2 hour course on the computer. It offers legal information of the school systems responsibilities and information on the parents' role in creating and implementing an IEP. It is clear, easy to understand, and offers examples and videos of IEP meetings. Below is the course decription.
Description
After completing the P.A.T. program, parents will have a basic understanding of education law and how to negotiate appropriate applications to help develop an effective Individual Education Program (IEP) plan. P.A.T. also features actual demonstrations on how IEP meetings are conducted. Make sure you know your rights when working with your child’s school district so that everyone comes out a winner – especially your child.
Objectives
•Know the Law
•Know Your Rights Under the Law
•Know How to Use the Law to Advocate for Your Child’s Educational Needs
•Know How to Secure Ongoing Support and Services for Your Child
Description
After completing the P.A.T. program, parents will have a basic understanding of education law and how to negotiate appropriate applications to help develop an effective Individual Education Program (IEP) plan. P.A.T. also features actual demonstrations on how IEP meetings are conducted. Make sure you know your rights when working with your child’s school district so that everyone comes out a winner – especially your child.
Objectives
•Know the Law
•Know Your Rights Under the Law
•Know How to Use the Law to Advocate for Your Child’s Educational Needs
•Know How to Secure Ongoing Support and Services for Your Child
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Confidence
As a mom of a child with a disability, I need to be aware of Brooke's self-confidence. I want her to be able to stand up for herself, self-advocate, and not think of her hearing loss as a weakness.
I need to be careful of how I talk with my 3 children. Making statements such as "Brooke can't hear because it is too noisy in here" or "Say it loud enough for Brooke to hear" are just constant reminders that hearing is hard for Brooke. It is better to make listening a family issue instead of a Brooke-issue. Saying things like "It is hard to hear someone from far away, please move closer" or "It's hard to listen when it is this noisy" or "Everyone should be looking at the person speaking" put the focus on the issue of listening instead of on Brooke's disbability.
I need to remind myself of this often and think before I speak!
I need to be careful of how I talk with my 3 children. Making statements such as "Brooke can't hear because it is too noisy in here" or "Say it loud enough for Brooke to hear" are just constant reminders that hearing is hard for Brooke. It is better to make listening a family issue instead of a Brooke-issue. Saying things like "It is hard to hear someone from far away, please move closer" or "It's hard to listen when it is this noisy" or "Everyone should be looking at the person speaking" put the focus on the issue of listening instead of on Brooke's disbability.
I need to remind myself of this often and think before I speak!
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Yucky!
Using a gallon size Ziploc bag, create a monster. I printed this monster from The Listening Room. To play, gather 12-20 itsy-bitsy miniatures; they can be food items, vehicles, clothing, etc since monsters eat just about everything. Play and "I Spy" type game by saying, "I see something yummy to eat....." and give a description of one of the itsy-bitsy miniatures.
Once your child finds the item, pretend to but mustard or ketchup or BBQ sauce on it and eat it up by placing it in the monster's mouth. Then let your child have a turn to describe an item.
Brooke had some great descriptions today. For French Fries she said, "You hold it with your fingers, it is red and yellow." She described the ice cream cone by saying, "It is white and brown and has a cone." I thought those where great descriptions!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Answering questions about a story
objective:
a. to listen to 5-6 sentences and answer a who, what, why, where question without visual clues
Points to remember:
1. In therapy, her teacher reads the pages, asks the questions and then shows her the picture after she answers the question but a home that doesn't work. Brooke wants to see the pictures and says, "No questions for Brooke" if I try to read without her seeing the pictures. So, at home, She looks at the pictures while I read and I'll ask her a question that she can't find the answer in pictures - which makes it a little harder for mommy!
2. Browse the books in the library that you think will work best for your family. I usually check out about 5-6 books each week.
Lesson:
1. Look at the front cover of the book.
a. to listen to 5-6 sentences and answer a who, what, why, where question without visual clues
Points to remember:
1. In therapy, her teacher reads the pages, asks the questions and then shows her the picture after she answers the question but a home that doesn't work. Brooke wants to see the pictures and says, "No questions for Brooke" if I try to read without her seeing the pictures. So, at home, She looks at the pictures while I read and I'll ask her a question that she can't find the answer in pictures - which makes it a little harder for mommy!
2. Browse the books in the library that you think will work best for your family. I usually check out about 5-6 books each week.
Lesson:
1. Look at the front cover of the book.
and ask some pre-reading questions: Where is the title? What do you think the book is about? What do you see in the illustrations?
2. The first page reads: There's a cow in the road! And it sure is a shock when I first wake up at seven o'clock. I asked Brooke, "What time did she wake up?"
3. Another page reads: He's twitching his tail and tossing his mane. He's a handsome horse But a little bit vain. "I asked What kind of horse is he?"
4. There's a pig in the road! At the end of the line As I gobble my toast at seven thirty-nine. I asked, "What did she eat for breakfast?"
5. There's a crowd in the road! And it sure feels good To wait all together in our neighborhood. I asked, "Why are they waiting?"
Modifications:
1. Try to do this will all the books you read. You don't need to ask a question on every page, but do remember to ask a few to make sure your child is LISTENING to the story but just looking at the pictures.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Rhythm repeat
This is a great activity to help your child learn to listen:
Clap a rhythm and ask your child to imitate it. Start with a simple 3 clap rhythm; do a variety of them. Then try some 4 or 5 clap rhythms. Try doing it with your backs to each other so she can not see you clap. You will probably be impressed with what you child is able to imitate. This will help with auditory discrimination and phonics as your child starts to put sounds together to read or write words. And it is a fun activity to fit into your everyday routines to help your child learn to listen!
Clap a rhythm and ask your child to imitate it. Start with a simple 3 clap rhythm; do a variety of them. Then try some 4 or 5 clap rhythms. Try doing it with your backs to each other so she can not see you clap. You will probably be impressed with what you child is able to imitate. This will help with auditory discrimination and phonics as your child starts to put sounds together to read or write words. And it is a fun activity to fit into your everyday routines to help your child learn to listen!
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Funny Voices
Here is an easy auditory activity to play with your child:
Talk to your child and let her talk back to you in different intensities of voice: softer, louder and with different intonations.
Just use common everyday phrases:
1. "Would you like some orange juice with your waffle?" spoken in a whisper
2. "Look at the beautiful white blossoms on the tree near the car" spoken like you are singing
3. "Don't forget your backpack." spoken like an opera star
This is so much fun and your child will have fun listening. Encourage her to say some things really loud or with funny intonations.
A great travel time activity that promotes learning in the everyday!
Talk to your child and let her talk back to you in different intensities of voice: softer, louder and with different intonations.
Just use common everyday phrases:
1. "Would you like some orange juice with your waffle?" spoken in a whisper
2. "Look at the beautiful white blossoms on the tree near the car" spoken like you are singing
3. "Don't forget your backpack." spoken like an opera star
This is so much fun and your child will have fun listening. Encourage her to say some things really loud or with funny intonations.
A great travel time activity that promotes learning in the everyday!
Friday, May 13, 2011
Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z
For more letter lunches:
Find B-I here and Find J - P here
Qq lunch included a quesadilla with salsa, quiche, question mark sandwich with letter Q Cheeze-Its and a Q sugar cookie. The note is addressed to Qt pie!
Rr lunch was a rectangle (cheese filled cracker), raisins, Ritz, Roll-up, raspberries and rainbow Skittles.
Ss lunch was Super with an S-sandwich, salad, strawberries, Snickers, Spongebob Square Pants cake decoration, and strawberry milk.
Tt lunch is Terrific: tuna and tortilla chips, turkey roll-up, tangerines, and tomatoes.
Uu lunch is u-noodles, umbrella made from bread, cheese and a candy cane, pineapple upside-down cake yogurt, carrots under an umbrella, cookies under an umbrella, and saltines with the letter U drawn with food markers.
Vv lunch included vegetables, veggie chips, V-sandwich, vanilla wafers (rectangles and circles) and vanilla pudding.
Ww lunch was wonderful with waffles, whales (really Goldfish, but close enough, worms, watermelon, white beans, and water to drink.
Xx lunch was a xylophone with a mallet, pretzel in an "x" shape and "carrots" in an x shape - that was a hard letter!
Yy lunch was Yummy! There was yogurt with strawberries, a Y sandwich, yellow lemon-heads, a York peppermint patty, and yellow pineapple chunks.
Find B-I here and Find J - P here
Qq lunch included a quesadilla with salsa, quiche, question mark sandwich with letter Q Cheeze-Its and a Q sugar cookie. The note is addressed to Qt pie! Rr lunch was a rectangle (cheese filled cracker), raisins, Ritz, Roll-up, raspberries and rainbow Skittles. Ss lunch was Super with an S-sandwich, salad, strawberries, Snickers, Spongebob Square Pants cake decoration, and strawberry milk. Tt lunch is Terrific: tuna and tortilla chips, turkey roll-up, tangerines, and tomatoes.Uu lunch is u-noodles, umbrella made from bread, cheese and a candy cane, pineapple upside-down cake yogurt, carrots under an umbrella, cookies under an umbrella, and saltines with the letter U drawn with food markers. Vv lunch included vegetables, veggie chips, V-sandwich, vanilla wafers (rectangles and circles) and vanilla pudding.Ww lunch was wonderful with waffles, whales (really Goldfish, but close enough, worms, watermelon, white beans, and water to drink.Xx lunch was a xylophone with a mallet, pretzel in an "x" shape and "carrots" in an x shape - that was a hard letter!Yy lunch was Yummy! There was yogurt with strawberries, a Y sandwich, yellow lemon-heads, a York peppermint patty, and yellow pineapple chunks.
Zz lunch is zucchini frattata, zucchini muffins, a Zebra cake (Little Debbie's zebra cakes), a Z toast, and a bunch of zoo animal crackers.
For more letter lunches:
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
1,2,3 Listen
Objective:
Your child should point to the picture of the arm. If not, rewind the audio file and listen again.
4. Continue with the other 10 questions. Brooke was able to get about 4 of the 10 by listening the first time, a few we listened to twice, and a few she didn't get at all.
Modifications:
1. You can make up sentences yourself if you prefer not to use the recorded voices. Recorded voices are more difficult so make sure your child is ready.
2. There are lots of other topic choices such as transportation, weather, feelings, daily routines, Halloween, and more. We will be doing more of these too!
a. to listen to a short sentence then pick the appropriate picture from a worksheet
b. listen and understand recorded voice.
c. We used this site to download the audio file and the worksheet: Body Parts
Points to Remember:
1. Download the "What's Wrong" audio file. You will need Windows Media Player to listen.
1. Download the "What's Wrong" audio file. You will need Windows Media Player to listen.
2. Then print off the included worksheet. I choose the worksheet with 2 answer choices but there are others such as 3 answer choices or connect the answer to the picture. I felt the 2 choices was an appropriate one for Brooke.
Lesson:
1. Tell your child that you are going to listen to some sentences on the computer and then ask her to show you a picture about the sentences she heard.
1. Tell your child that you are going to listen to some sentences on the computer and then ask her to show you a picture about the sentences she heard.
2. I used 2 envelopes so Brooke could only see the 2 pictures that we were working on.
3. Play the audio file. There is a pause button to stop it in between the questions.
The first questions states: "I have a cut on my arm." "What happened?" "I fell off my bike."
Once your child listens, pause the audio file. Ask your child to point to the picture that shows what the people were talking about.
Once your child listens, pause the audio file. Ask your child to point to the picture that shows what the people were talking about.
Your child should point to the picture of the arm. If not, rewind the audio file and listen again.4. Continue with the other 10 questions. Brooke was able to get about 4 of the 10 by listening the first time, a few we listened to twice, and a few she didn't get at all.
Modifications:
1. You can make up sentences yourself if you prefer not to use the recorded voices. Recorded voices are more difficult so make sure your child is ready.
2. There are lots of other topic choices such as transportation, weather, feelings, daily routines, Halloween, and more. We will be doing more of these too!
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Silly Mistakes - Phonemic Awareness - Step 1
Silly Mistakes
We said some nursery rhymes by replacing a word with another word. For example, Jack and Jill went up the pickle. Today we are going to say the words in the in the wrong order such as The first little pig built a straw of house and ask your child to catch your error! (Silly mom or dad.)
For example:
1. Hey, Diddle Diddle the cat in the fiddle,
the dish ran away with the spoon
The cow jumped over the moon
The little dog laughed to see such a sight
2. One, two buckle my shoe,
three, four shut the door
nine, ten, a big fat hen
five, six pick up sticks
seven, eight lay them straight
3. Hickory, Dickory Dock
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck one
Hickory Dickory Dock
The mouse ran down
These are quick and easy to do! We did them while we were walking across the parking lot to Target. Your child should say, "That is not right." or "No, it is this way." to show she noticed the mistakes. Play often!
We said some nursery rhymes by replacing a word with another word. For example, Jack and Jill went up the pickle. Today we are going to say the words in the in the wrong order such as The first little pig built a straw of house and ask your child to catch your error! (Silly mom or dad.)
For example:
1. Hey, Diddle Diddle the cat in the fiddle,
the dish ran away with the spoon
The cow jumped over the moon
The little dog laughed to see such a sight
2. One, two buckle my shoe,
three, four shut the door
nine, ten, a big fat hen
five, six pick up sticks
seven, eight lay them straight
3. Hickory, Dickory Dock
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck one
Hickory Dickory Dock
The mouse ran down
These are quick and easy to do! We did them while we were walking across the parking lot to Target. Your child should say, "That is not right." or "No, it is this way." to show she noticed the mistakes. Play often!
Friday, May 6, 2011
123 Listening
objective:
a: to listen and understand single words on a computer
b. to point to the correct answer with two options
Points to Remember:
1. Download the audio file and the "choose from 2 pictures" worksheet from the 123 Listening website. There are other options such as choose from 3 pictures or matching numbers to picture worksheets if you need to make the activity more challenging for your child
Lesson:
1. Tell your child that today you are going to listen to a word on the computer. When you hear the work, point to a picture of it on the paper. I covered up all the other questions except for number 1 so that Brooke was not looking at the entire page but only number 1.
a: to listen and understand single words on a computer
b. to point to the correct answer with two options
Points to Remember:
1. Download the audio file and the "choose from 2 pictures" worksheet from the 123 Listening website. There are other options such as choose from 3 pictures or matching numbers to picture worksheets if you need to make the activity more challenging for your child
Lesson:
1. Tell your child that today you are going to listen to a word on the computer. When you hear the work, point to a picture of it on the paper. I covered up all the other questions except for number 1 so that Brooke was not looking at the entire page but only number 1.
2. Play the audio file. For number 1, it says "arm". you child should then point to the picture of the arm on the worksheet. The audio file says the word only one time; there were a few times that I needed to go back a play the file again.
3. This was a little frustrating for Brooke. She would say, "I didn't hear it." with a pitiful look on her face. We only did up to #8 and then stopped. She need 3 of them repeated and on #3 after 2 repeats of the word "finger", I said it for her and she was able to get it.
4. I also did this with Brooke's twin sister Kate who has normal hearing. She was able to complete all #10 questions without repeating or having difficulty. So, I know that Brooke is developmentally able to do it and we will continue to practice.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Five Little Chicks
objective: a. to answer questions about a simple story
b. to listen to the story on a recorded device with background noise
Points to Remember:
1. Brooke spent time listening and answer questions about a story. Then we started listening to a story on a cassette tape; now we are listening to the story on a cassette tape with background noise. This required that Brooke really begins to focus on her listening skills.
2. Record your voice reading the book. Remember to pause after each page since you will be pausing the tape after each page.
Lesson:
1. Listen to one page at a time without allowing your child to see the pictures in the book.
2. Ask a question. For this book, there was a different object that the chicks were looking at such as: a bug, a butterfly, a strawberry.
3. Ask, what did the chicks see?
4. Once your child answers, show her the page in the look.
5. Rewind the tape and listen again if necessary.
Modification:
1. There are lots of children's books on CD/cassette. Most have background noise such as music or sound effects. These will work great.
2. Extend the lesson into a fun craft or snack. We make a chick out of a left-over Easter egg!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Silly Mistakes - Phomenic Awareness - Step 1
Silly Mistakes Read a familiar poem or story . . . but make any kind of Silly Mistake that will be obvious to your child. For example, You might replace a word with nonsense: Jack and Jill went up the pickle or say the words in the wrong order: The first little pig built a straw of house or even swap sounds: The clock struck one, The mouse ran down, Dickory, Hickory, Hock Ask your child to catch your error! (Silly mom or dad.)
Today we replaced words to practice our listening:
1. Humpty Dumpty sat on a chair
2. Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, humpty Dumpty had a great fall, all the king's horses and all the king's monkeys, couldn't put Humpty together again.
3. Old Mother Hubbard went to the refrigerator to give her poor doggie a bone
4. Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard to give her poor doggie a bone, but when she got there the cupboard was bare, so the poor kitty had none.
5. Little Miss Brooke sat on a tuffet
6. Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet, eating her applesauce, along came a squirrell and sat down beside her and firghtened Miss Muffet away.
We had so much fun with this activity!
Here are some Christmas Silly Mistakes we did in December.
Today we replaced words to practice our listening:
1. Humpty Dumpty sat on a chair
2. Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, humpty Dumpty had a great fall, all the king's horses and all the king's monkeys, couldn't put Humpty together again.
3. Old Mother Hubbard went to the refrigerator to give her poor doggie a bone
4. Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard to give her poor doggie a bone, but when she got there the cupboard was bare, so the poor kitty had none.
5. Little Miss Brooke sat on a tuffet
6. Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet, eating her applesauce, along came a squirrell and sat down beside her and firghtened Miss Muffet away.
We had so much fun with this activity!
Here are some Christmas Silly Mistakes we did in December.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
/d/ and /g/ initial sounds
Objective:
a. to practice sounds with the same place
b. /b/, /d/, and /g/
Points to remember:
1. The sounds /b/, /d/, and /g/ are very similar. When you make the sound the only difference is where you make the sound. Try it! The /b/ is made with your lips, the /d/ is make with the tongue, and the /g/ is made back of the tongue
2. It may be difficult for your child to hear the difference in the sounds and/or to make the sounds correctly.
Lesson:
1. Practice making some non-sense words first. Ask your child to repeat after you.
baa dee
goo bay
die boo
bye gee
doo gay
2. Then add repeated sounds such as
baa baa dee
goo goo bay
die die boo
bye bye gee
doo doo gay
3. Once mastered try the sounds alternating:
baa dee baa
goo bay goo
die boo die
bye goo bye
doo gay doo
4. Then 3 sounds repeated, such as
baa baa dee dee
goo goo bay bay
die die boo boo
bye bye goo goo
doo doo gay gay
5. Then alternate those sounds - this is where is gets difficult for Brooke
baa dee baa dee
goo bay goo bay
die boo die boo
bye goo bye goo
doo gay doo gay
6. Practicing this speech babble with your child will help her to hear and remember a series of sounds. So that when she hears a word that is new to her, she will be able to remember it and repeat it. It also helps her to practice making sounds correctly
7. Here is a sheet we found that we have been practicing with since Brooke has some difficulty with /d/ and /g/ sounds.
a. to practice sounds with the same place
b. /b/, /d/, and /g/
Points to remember:
1. The sounds /b/, /d/, and /g/ are very similar. When you make the sound the only difference is where you make the sound. Try it! The /b/ is made with your lips, the /d/ is make with the tongue, and the /g/ is made back of the tongue
2. It may be difficult for your child to hear the difference in the sounds and/or to make the sounds correctly.
Lesson:
1. Practice making some non-sense words first. Ask your child to repeat after you.
baa dee
goo bay
die boo
bye gee
doo gay
2. Then add repeated sounds such as
baa baa dee
goo goo bay
die die boo
bye bye gee
doo doo gay
3. Once mastered try the sounds alternating:
baa dee baa
goo bay goo
die boo die
bye goo bye
doo gay doo
4. Then 3 sounds repeated, such as
baa baa dee dee
goo goo bay bay
die die boo boo
bye bye goo goo
doo doo gay gay
5. Then alternate those sounds - this is where is gets difficult for Brooke
baa dee baa dee
goo bay goo bay
die boo die boo
bye goo bye goo
doo gay doo gay
6. Practicing this speech babble with your child will help her to hear and remember a series of sounds. So that when she hears a word that is new to her, she will be able to remember it and repeat it. It also helps her to practice making sounds correctly
7. Here is a sheet we found that we have been practicing with since Brooke has some difficulty with /d/ and /g/ sounds.
Modifications:
1. Other sounds with place differences are /p/, /t/, and /k/ as well as /m/ and /n/ and /f/ and /s/. Listen to your child and see if she struggles with these sounds - then make sure to practice!
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Reggie the Rhyming Rhino
Scholastic has a great website for practicing rhymes. There are topic choices for working with the rhymes such as words at a store, restaurant, zoo, or museum.
Once you choose your topic, the rhyming practice begins. Reggie, the rhyming Rhino, gives a word and 3 possible rhyming words. Nothing too hard.
This is how I use the site with Brooke:
1. I say, "This is a light. Does light rhyme with kite? Does light rhyme with bed? Does light rhyme with flower?"
2. If the answer is the first choice, I'll say, "Yep, light rhymes with kite. But let's check the other answers. Does light rhyme with bed? No. Does light rhyme with flower? No. Yep, you are right, light rhymes with kite.
3. Then I have Brooke repeat it by saying, "Light rhymes with kite."
4. I have control over the mouse and will then click on the answer. The site then says, "Light rhymes with kite." for another auditory reinforcement.
We only play for 5 or so minutes at a time but since the site is so easy to accesses, we can do it anytime she is ready to rhyme
Practice rhyming with Reggie.
Once you choose your topic, the rhyming practice begins. Reggie, the rhyming Rhino, gives a word and 3 possible rhyming words. Nothing too hard.
This is how I use the site with Brooke:
1. I say, "This is a light. Does light rhyme with kite? Does light rhyme with bed? Does light rhyme with flower?"
2. If the answer is the first choice, I'll say, "Yep, light rhymes with kite. But let's check the other answers. Does light rhyme with bed? No. Does light rhyme with flower? No. Yep, you are right, light rhymes with kite.
3. Then I have Brooke repeat it by saying, "Light rhymes with kite."
4. I have control over the mouse and will then click on the answer. The site then says, "Light rhymes with kite." for another auditory reinforcement.
We only play for 5 or so minutes at a time but since the site is so easy to accesses, we can do it anytime she is ready to rhyme
Practice rhyming with Reggie.
Listening Game
Objectives:
a. to identify common household sounds
a. to identify common household sounds
Points to Remeber:
1. Can your child close her eyes and identify sounds around the house--a door shutting, footsteps, water running, silverware being put away? Make sure she can before moving on to other phonemic games.
Lesson:
1. There are different Listening Games. We have Listening Lotto: Sounds at Home 
2. The game comes with a CD of 29 common household sounds.
3. Choose a lotto card and start the CD. Each sound is played 2-3 times. When your child identifies the sound, have her place a marker on the picture.
4. Each lotto card is different so there are opportunities to hear and identify quite a lot of sounds. 
5. We play until the card is full.
Modifications:
1. Make sure you are pointing out sounds to your child and helping her to identify them in everyday life. For example, when you hear a siren approaching, point out the sound and ash if she hears it. Then ask her what she thinks the sound might be.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Table Learning
These are some of the other things we do during the day. I call this time of our day Table Learning since the kids are at the table with me to help and instruct them.
Learning Poster I use this teaching poster every morning. On it I have an envelope to stick our home0made letter books, a letter poem, the Awanna memory verse for the week, our nursery rhyme, and a spot for letter flashcards, number flashcards, shape flashcards, and color flashcards.
Letters
We complete a Capital Letter craft for each letter. I print out a block letter and fill it with items that begin with the sound. For letter Nn, we filled it with numbers. Letter Ll we filled with ladybug stickers.
Sounds and Auditory Activities
Here we are sorting itsy-bitsy miniatures by beginning consonant sounds
Writing
Patterns
Sometimes we do patterns at the table before give it to the kids as a magnet tray.
Thinking Skills
In this activity, we are looking for one that is different.
Computer Skills
Big Brother
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