Helper Words

The Orange Helper Words

Here are the orange "Helper Words" from the new level that we are on. Helper words are sight words (words that can't be sounded out, such as "gone, the, have, one") and words that are in the Hooked on Phonics stories that we haven't learned how to sound out (such as words with the silent E and other blends we haven't learned yet).

These words are taught as a whole word (no sounding out involved). We have 2 zipper pouches (.97 at Wal-mart) that we keep these in. The purple pouch is for all the words that she knows very well. The teal pouch is for words that she doesn't know yet or struggles with.

This is our "game" that we play with these words. Each day she gets to hold the purple bag and I hold the teal one. I'll pull out one word at a time and if she reads it right away, she gets the word to put in her purple bag. She loves it when I act upset when she gets to keep one of my words from the teal bag.

Another way to teach the helper words is with the "Mixed-Up Whole Word" Game.

Games - Overview

Most of the games that I have posted can be used with anything you want to teach - letters, sounds, words, colors, shapes etc. I have also listed where I received the game idea from. Most of the books that I got ideas from are out of print, but I'm sure you want still find them on ebay or the library. There are over 35 different games listed under Games - Explanations, so make sure that you click "older posts" when you get to the bottom of a page, so you don't miss any games.

Review of Games

Click on the link above for a quick review of most of the games that I played with my boys. Any new games that I played with Hannah are covered on the blog.

Here are some notes from when I was teaching my son to read:

• I would never criticize Takeshi. If he got one wrong I would simply say the correct answer. He would or wouldn’t repeat it, either way I would say “great job” or “very good”.

• Sometimes he would say a word/letter/sound that I didn’t think he knew and I would say, “How did you know that ____?” Takeshi would just smile, he thought it was so fun to trick me :)
  
  
• A lot of times Takeshi would say, “I’m the mama.” And you’re “Kakeshi”. I would still get him to write or say it himself by saying “Mama, can you show me how…” or “Mama, what is this?” Takeshi would be more than happy to help me.
  

Games - Mixed-Up Whole Words

This is our Mixed-Up Sight Word game. Hannah loves to play this!

We are using Glenn Doman's method of teaching from his book "How to Teach Your Baby to Read".

We have 9 flashcards measuring 3 1/2 x 8 1/2. A single word is printed on each one in large letters. First I say the words to her for a couple of turns until she knows them. Like this:

Each day we take out the oldest word add one new word. The first words I picked were: Mommy, Daddy, Hannah, Takeshi and Ernest (her brothers). The next words that I picked are out of easy reader books that Hannah will be reading (after she learns these words).

Here is our video of us playing the game. We put the 9 flashcards down, and Hannah reads them. Then I mix them up quickly and say, "They are all mixed up... you can't read them now!" Hannah of course comes over and reads them again, and again.

Here is another version of the "Mixed-Up Whole Words". Here Hannah says the words once and then has Twyla say them the second time.

We play this game 2-3 times a day, mixing them up about 4-5 times in each sesson.