Environmental Print IS reading!

Did you know that my boys can read?!!

They are 2.

It's impressive.

Kidding, kind of. 

Environmental print is everywhere, and it is the first stages of pre reading.  The symbols, signs, and pictures tell your children a message. For each child it may be slightly different.

If this sounds like a foreign language to all our non teacher readers, please check out Pre-K Pages, she does an awesome job breaking it down.  And even has great ideas for pre-k teachers, or moms!

• Check out her homework assignment! Each child was asked to bring in the cover of their favorite cereal box. (The only thing I would have done different is put black dots under each word for my kids to practice touching as they read.)  And then you have an awesome repetition book! (Meaning each page says ________ eats _________.)

photo from www.pre-kpages.com

Other environmental print examples:

My boys see this:

And say Apples.

We drive through and get apple slices (they are $1.00 and the skins are peeled.)  

They have yet to realize how amazing the french fries are.

They see this:

And they say lemonade.

I am SO SO sorry if you don't have one in your state. 

Truly, you are missing out on the best company geared for family fun.

Not everything revolves around food!

Luke see's this sign and shouts "hair cut" every single time.

Which is daily.

He has been there twice.

It really is amazing.

So, I decided to make an environmental print poster. But it would be just as fun to make a book, or collage, or put it in those fun picture cubes.

Environmental Print Poster:

Large sheet of Construction Paper

ClipArt, magazine pictures, food labels, real pictures, etc

Glue

My poster:

If I really wanted to do my poster right, I would have taken pictures of the signage where we actually go, like HEB, The Mall, parks, stop signs, school, school busses, etc.
Maybe that could be my next outing with the kids. and I could turn it into a book! Ohhh... and call it The Places We Go... 

I feel the need to add more posters to the wall. And SOON.

And before you throw out your trash next week, PLEASE, I beg you.... Take 30 seconds and just read this quick page from Dr. Jean's Trashable to Teachable!  It really is reading plus so much more!

Big Trip Prep: Things That Go Book

Lately, I've been planning for our big trip home. (From China to the US.) This is going to be our toughest trip yet. Each trip brings new challenges because, as you know, every couple of months your child has new interests, needs and physical abilities (aka: jogging). So over 24 hours in and out of airports and train stations calls for LOTS of little activities.

I try to plan things that are:

• disposable
• cheap or free
• light
• quiet
• easy to pack
• engaging

Travel Activity #1: Things That Go Book (and Matching Game)

My little guy is completely obsessed "things that go." Transportation, that is, and honestly, the bigger, the better.

He gets so excited when he sees a bus, concrete mixer or dump truck that he can't get his words out fast enough! To him, they are all called 'da' or 'gu.' But he will yell it over and over again, in the sweetest, most excited, high pitched voice, pointing at the bus, truck or concrete mixer until I chime in, "Oh wow, that is a bus!!" I love it. Such simple joy.

So I created a simple Transportation Nomenclature book. This isn't fancy by any means. But, it fits all of the criteria. Also, he helped me proof read it and loved it! Score!

I will print two copies:

1. One will be bound in a folder by brads.
2. The other will be cut outs of the pictures for a matching game. (Pictures coming later!)

Transportation

Here is the preview, if it works.

To print a copy of your own, click HERE.

Enjoy!

Language Development: Goodnight Gog.

Goodnight Gog

• "You better watch out. You better not cry. Gog, is coming to town."
• What animal says "Meow?".......Gog!
• "Woof, woof!"...........Gog!
• Gog=shark
• Gog=monkey
• Gog=fish
• Gog=Lucy
• Gog=flower
• Gog=tree

Poor Carter.

He is in some budding stages of language development and everything comes out as "Gog!"

While, I love it and think it is adorable, I try to control my laughs as I often hear many "Rules" from teaching ESL (English is a Second Language) and Primary students roaming in my head.

What I love about the ESL and Primary methods is that they are just good in-your-pocket-tools for teaching language (and soooo much more) to anyone at any age! These came in handy in Norway, China and now on my 14 Month Old.

So here are some teaching tips that swirl in my head and how they can relate to encouraging language in your child:

1. Talk to and with your child! All. The. Time. and about everything you see.

2. Narrate what they are doing:

"Carter is in the tent!" "Mmmm....Carter loves to eat oranges!" "Awww, Carter is hugging Lucy." Give them the language that they don't have yet!

3. Correct by Modeling:

One thing you never want to do is "Nooooo, that isn't a gog, it's a cat." "Ha ha. Your saying it wrong. cat-t-t."

I've experienced this perfect example of what not to do while trying to speak Chinese. It can be very frustrating. I can't hear the difference in what they are saying and how I'm saying it. It sounds the same to me. And instead of learning how to say it properly, I think of how I can communicate without using that word. This is how the babes feel too.

What the good ole textbook say is that you should correct their language by modeling how to say it. A conversation will go like this:

C-"Gog! Gog!!!"

M-"Oh my, that is a cat!!! Look at that sweet cat! Do you hear the cat say meow??"

And with anyone learning a language...the more you hear it, the more you can hear it!

4. Read with you child! Keep it enjoyable.

They have very short attention spans, that grow with time. Stay at their limit. Then stretch it as their interest grows. Don't force it with a struggle! :)

Picture Walk:

If they only want to flip pages quickly. Do that and briefly talk about something in the picture. Right now, Carter has some books that he has been obsessed with for a couple of weeks. Those books we can read all the way through and he studies all of the pictures. Some newer ones he brings to me, we only flip through a few pages with me talking about the picture. This lasts all of 15 seconds until he is onto something new.

5. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

I'm sure every parent of a toddler knows this routine! There is no way around it! In every little thing they do, they like to do it over, and over, and over again. This is how they learn. Practice makes perfect.

So when you've passed the 100th tree and followed up his "gog" with a "tree" just know they are a bit closer to than where they started.

Here we are reading "Santa Clause is Coming to Town". Things to notice:

-I try to push him to read the Animal book but nooooo.

-He rejects sitting in my lap, so the video is upside down.

-I have to sing it. Embarrassing. He makes me.

-He is obsessed with the cats.

-His attention last a good :45 sec.

-Just proof it's not pretty and perfect!!

Mother Goose Mondays

Have you guys figured out my day to post is Monday?? I have this idea that I want to do a nursery rhyme every Monday, but I don't know if I will be able to stick to it... we shall see!

First, I think every home should have a good copy of Mother Goose rhymes. (It really shocked me as a teacher, how kids today don't know nursery rhymes.)  Here are a few of my favorites:

Mary Engelbreit's Mother Goose

This copy has beautiful artwork. I just love M.E.!

The Real Mother Goose

This was the copy we grew up with. Very Traditional.

Walt Disney's Mother Goose

We got this copy as a Christmas present. 

Can't go wrong with Disney. It is cute.

One of our favorite times of day around our house is when it is time to put on our shoes. The boys love saying the word shoe, picking up shoes, wearing shoes. I think they know they will get out of the house if they have their shoes on!!

So This week's Mother Goose Monday is:

There was an Old Women who Lived in a Shoe

There was an old woman who lived in a shoe;

She had so many children she didn't know what to do.

She gave them some broth and two slices of bread;

She kissed them all fondly, then sent them to bed.

First Read through: 

Older Children: Go over vocabulary. What is broth? Kissing Fondly? etc.

Younger Children: Have them sit in your lap as you read this. Then read it again and: Touch their feet when you say shoe. Shrug your shoulders and make the 'I don't know' arms for this poor sad old lady. And kiss them fondly!

Activities to extend this nursery rhyme:

Shoe Matching:

Grab pairs of their shoes, mom's shoes, dad's shoes, baby shoes, boots. Put in a pile and have them sort the shoes and see if they can find matching pairs! The older the child, the more pairs you should have!

Cardboard Shoe:

Draw the shape of a boot onto cardboard and cut it out. 

Older Children:

Punch holes around the outside to practice 'sewing' with yarn, ribbon, or a shoe lace.

Look through magazines and glue pictures of children onto the shoe.

Younger children:

Finger paint on the shoe. 

Use the shoe as a puppet as you read.

Using Food:

Toast bread and use a shoe shaped cookie cutter, or cut out your own boot shape.

Have soup for lunch and call it broth!

Bridging the Connections:

I don't know if yall read as many books as we do, but there is always a way to make connections in the books you read daily. 

We are on a BIG No David, by David Shannon; kick around here.  So, as I am reading it for the 22nd time today. I am asking questions like, "Where are David's shoes?" or "remember that poor old woman who lived in her shoe?" But it can be any book. Spot all the shoes. Point to them. Even talk about how different jobs/weather need different kinds of shoes. (Fireman, basketball star, ballet, rain boots, snow shoes, etc.)

Seriously, who knew talking about shoes would consume my day. But the things you do for your children. I mean, when will I stop shouting airplane every time I see one??