First Sound / Beginning Sounds...

One of the important beginning skills in kindergarten literacy is the ability to isolate the first sound or beginning sound of a word. It is important for your child to be able to hear a word and then tell you the first sound they hear. For example, if you would say "cow" then your child should be able to say the first sound back to you "/c/" not the letter name. You can practice this for about 5 minutes a day anywhere. You can practice while cooking dinner, standing in line, shopping, in the car, etc. All you have to do is say a word and ask your child to tell you the first sound. You can use family member names, various food items, game titles, television shows, etc. When you say the word to your child, say it in a normal tone and at a normal speed. I would only concentrate on first sound. When you notice your child has the ability to identify the first sound, then you move to ending sounds of the word. If your child does not say the correct sound, then tell them the beginning sound and ask them to repeat it to you. For example, if you say "What's the first sound in cow?" and your child says "/mmm/," you should say "I hear the /c/ sound. What do you hear?" and have them say "I hear /c/ at the beginning of cow." You can also go to the DIBELS page and check for more information regarding First Sound Fluency: http://bit.ly/cs3KH2