We have now completed a study of all 26 letters of the alphabet as well as 30 sight words. This is one of my favorite times in the Kindergarten school year - a time of magic and discovery as I watch my students begin to read and write. This is the time when the kids begin building with their "abc blocks" to make marvelous creations rich with meaning. Each student now has a basket of books from our time together in guided reading instruction. They are reading independently to themselves and one another. This has been an organic process that is magnificent to witness. They are so very proud of their book baskets and delighted to be able to share stories with one another.
We have also begun a routine of daily journal writing. The K kids are learning to write sentences that reflect print conventions of capitalization and punctuation. They are very proud of their ability to express their thoughts in writing and so am I.
Learning the vowel sounds is an important skill for learning to read. We put these sounds to music when we sing "the vowel song". The K kids have learned that vowels are important because every word has to have a vowel and that they make 2 sounds. As you watch us sing it for you notice that there is a hand signal that goes with each of the short vowel sounds, making it easier to remember. If your child gets stuck on a word when you are reading together, encourage her to think about the sounds in the word and then perhaps try both of the vowel sounds if necessary.
