Lang 26. Sandpaper Letters

Shu-Chen Yen's On-Line Montessori Albums

LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT ALBUM

26. SANDPAPER LETTERS

MATERIAL:

Lower-case consonant letters (manuscript) cut from sandpaper and mounted on red backing (masonite or other very durable material.) Lower-case vowel letters (manuscript) mounted on blue backing. Sandpaper container with lower case letters - m, t, a, h. Table (the 'sound' table).

PREPARATION:

1. Check the availability of the materials.

2. Consider the readiness of the child.

3. Consider the readiness of the adult.

PRESENTATION:

1. Invite the child, name the Sandpaper Letters, show where they are kept, and select two or three sandpaper letters (ex. s m t or the letter in his name, friend's name, or name of the family) to the table. Place them on a table at which you can sit together.

2. Sensitise yours and the child's fingers (see SENSITIZING THE FINGERS in the Sensorial Activities).

3. Show the child how to feel the letters, using a light, continuous touch of the index and middle fingers of the dominant hand, how to hold the board steady with the other hand, and how to sit up straight against the backrest of the chair with both feet on the floor. (To illustrate the proper lightness of touch, touch the child's arm as you would the Sandpaper Letter).

4. Using the sound (ex. m) on one of the three boards, select few words which beginning sound has the sound (ex. m) in it: m-ug, m-op, m-ap, m-other, m-irro, you may ask the child to find some words the beginning sound - m, then say to the child: " Would you like to see what the sound (m) look like?"

5. Place the board with that phonogram directly in front of you and the child. Pronounce the phonogram while you feel the letter(s), following the same pattern of movement that you would use if you were writing the letter(s), and invite the child to do the same. Say the phonogram while you feel the board again. Invite the child to trace the letter as you has shown.

7. Introduce the other two boards in the same way, and give a Three Stage Lesson, associating these sounds of speech with their symbols. In each stage, whenever the child points to or names one of the boards, the child should feel it and say the sound. After the third stage of the Lesson, ask the child to give you few words which have the sounds in, using each of the three sounds in turn.

8. Return the letter boards, tell the child that they can be taken down and used by the child at any time.

9. Privately record the letters that the child has learned.

NOTE:

1. Present all the Sandpaper Letters boards, in groups of three, as in the presentation, until the child has learned them all. Occasionally include in a lesson one already introduced, to be sure earlier ones are not forgotten.

2. Each letter is presented to the child by its sound rather than by its name. The child learns letter names indirectly. If the child tell you: " This is (ex. C)." You may tell him "Yes, but the sound of this name is "k".

3. When working with sandpaper letters it is well never to take the child's hand to show him how to trace, as this usually causes muscular tension. If he has trouble tracing, show him again by tracing the letter yourself and asking him to imitate your procedure.

4. There are several ways to make sound booklet:

a. Booklet for the child to write down the sound he has learned.

b. The rubber letter chop, and picture chop (ex. m - the shape of moon) can be used for the young children who can't write properly.

CONTROL OF ERROR:

1. Tactile - tracing out of the sandpaper.

2. Directress.

3. Another child.

POINTS OF INTEREST:

1. The feel of the sandpaper.

2. Learning the sound of the letter.

3. Making the sound booklet.

DIRECT AIMS:

1. To help the child associate the sounds of speech with their written symbols.

2. To develop visual and tactile perception of letters.

3. To foster visual memory.

INDIRECT AIMS:

1. To prepare the child for reading and writing.

AGE:

3 + Up.

LANGUAGE:

Trace; the sounds of each letter, and the words have the sounds in.

COMMENTS:

An possible orders of presentation: s m t a p f c a c h m p t b l i g n d b l n r s u h j k w o u v d e f g j v, etc. y z x q e

VARIATIONS AND EXTENSIONS:

1. Trace the letter on the rug, in the air or on the back of the child.

2. You may ask the child naming the objects in the classroom and ask the beginning sound and track the Sandpaper letter.