February 2004 – “Teaching Tips” Updates

from Cupp Publishers, Inc. Online Monthly Newsletter –

Section Two February 2004 –“Teaching Tips” from Cindy

A. Sound blending words – This information is VERY important!

If you have any students who cannot sound blend a word, please follow these suggestions:

  1. Students must be automatic on both the initial consonant sound (onset) and the vowel and final consonant sound (rime or word family). Example: If you want a student to sound out the word cat, the student should automatically say /c/ /at/. If students are not automatic on both the consonant sound and the “a” rime you want them to use when sounding out the word, stop phonics instruction until students are automatic on both the onset and rime.
  2. It is very important that students automatically know the “a” rimes. I have written a little song that will help students learn these “a” rimes. See Section Six below– Teacher, Teacher- Teach Me to Read™
  3. The teacher will select a three-letter word beginning with a consonant sound the student knows automatically. The word must contain an “a” rime the student knows automatically as well. The student will practice sound blending the onset and rime and then say the entire word together. For example: /c/ /at/ /cat/.
  4. As new consonant sounds and “a” rimes are introduced, students MUST become automatic on these sounds and rimes before he or she tries to use them in sound blending words.
B. Oral Fluency Practice

If students are not fluent readers, the following suggestions might be helpful:

  1. “Sing” Hop’n Pop - When students practice saying their words during Hop’n Pop, ask them to sort of sing the words. Their voices should not stop between words.
  2. Tape record reading - Tape record students individually reading a paragraph from Dr. Cupp Readers® booklet. Students should practice the paragraph and then tape record their reading again.

Oral Fluency Practice - continued

  1. Echo reading – One student reads the paragraph or sentence. The teacher calls on the next student to echo back or re-read the text.
  2. Buddy Reading - Students take turns reading the paragraph to a buddy.
  3. Reading for an audience – Students think of a situation where they might orally read in front of an audience, brother, sister, etc. Students practice reading and then actually read in front of an audience.
C. Game – Vowels Rock

Students and teachers at Tyrone Elementary helped me refine this game.

They also helped me name the game.

Preparation: Teachers will prepare a card deck of three-letter words that have an “a” in the middle. Example: cat bag man tap

Prior student knowledge: Students should know how to sound blend a word

with an “a” in the middle. Students should also know the short vowel

sounds automatically.

Steps:

  1. The teacher holds up any word card with a three-letter word containing a short “a” sound. The first student sounds the word out. The teacher tells the student to pretend the “a” was erased and the letter ___ was put in its place. The teacher names any of the other four vowels. The student must be able to substitute the new vowel sound and say the word. Example: The word shown is tap. The student sounds out the word tap. The teacher then says, “Take out the ‘a’ and replace it with an ‘i’.” The student must then be able to say tip.
  2. If the student answers correctly, the teacher says, “Short ‘i’ rocks.” The student then turns to the child sitting next to him or her and names the next vowel. The next child must then substitute the new vowel. If the student is correct, the teacher responds with, “_____rocks.” The game continues until everyone has a turn. If a child makes a mistake, the teacher helps the student say the word correctly. The student corrects the error and continues with the game.
D. Hop’n Stop

This is a game variation for Hop’n Pop. Students work as a team to catch Hop’n Pop in their reading groups.

Preparation: The teacher needs a timer and a list of sight words.

Steps:

  1. The timer is set for the Goal Time for saying the sight words.
  2. The timer is started and the first child goes down the first list of words and says as many words as possible. If the student makes an error, the teacher stops the child and helps the student correct the error. The next student then picks up where the first student was stopped. The second student says as many sight words as possible until an error is made. When the second student makes an error, the error is corrected and the game is picked up by the next student.
  3. Students continue to say the words as quickly as possible until either the timer goes off or the word list is completed and the Goal Time is met.
  4. If the students beat the timer, they catch Hop’n Pop! If one student says all the words without missing a word, then the team gets a bonus point. The game continues until all students have a turn.
Section Seven Teacher Teacher – Teach Me to Read™

I wrote this little song as I was driving on I-16 about half way between Metter and Dublin….so you could call this the Halfway to Dublin Song or Teacher Teacher-Teach Me to Read™.

Preparation – The teacher will need a set of cards that has all the “a” rimes the students have learned. For example: If students know only two rimes, such as /at/ /an/, then make duplicate copies of these two rimes. You need seven cards. Cards could be /at/ /at/ /at/ /at/ /an/ /an/ /an/. As students learn additional rimes, then replace the duplicates with the new rime.

If you like to use chart paper instead of cards, then list all the “a” rimes the students should know. If students know fewer than seven “a” rimes, then the teacher will write duplicate rimes. When students are singing Teacher, Teacher, the teacher will point to the rimes on the chart paper or chalkboard.

Teacher Teacher – Teach Me to Read™ continued-

Sing the following words to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star or the ABC Song….both have the same tune.

Teacher Teacher

Teach me to read.

Short “a” rimes are what I need.

at, an, at, an, at, an, at

an, at, at, an, an, at, at

Continue to sing the song and mix up the rimes after singing each verse. You must have seven rimes or it won’t work.

You may also substitute the following:

Teacher Teacher

Teach me to read.

Consonant sounds are what I need.

Students would then sing the consonant sounds. You must have seven consonant sounds or it won’t work. Mix-up the consonant sounds as you sing the song the second time.

or

Teacher Teacher

Teach me to read.

Short vowel sounds are what I need.

Students would then sing the sounds for the short vowels. You must have seven vowels or the tune won’t work. Repeat two of the vowels.

or

Teacher Teacher

Teach me to read.

Sound blending words is what I need.

/c/ /at/ /cat/ and /b/ /at/ /bat/

/m/ /an/ /man/ and /f/ /an/ /fan/

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Dr. Cupp Readers® Teacher’s Manual.