Language Learning

Today we really spent a good part focusing in on language.  I took out some old flashcards from childhood with simple sight words and weclaidvthe familiar cards in the table calling out the word.  It includes a picture.  I know Lily knew all the words & Maggie surely knows some of them.  We took the moveable alphabet (print) out and spelled the word on the mat. At the far end of the table I set up chairs to sit, and a bamboo lined mat for word placement visuals. Over that I placed the handwriting without tears chalkboard.  I used this only because it has permanent lines to follow.  Maggie needs help moving on line from left to right.  After each word was spelled on the mat with the moveable alphabet the kiddos sat at the far end and I hand over hand assisted Lily with writing the word.  On the bamboo mat we spelled out the words again with the moveable alphabet as our guide to writing. I then took a separate board out for cursive practice with Lily.  For Maggie, I modeled the word correctly.  She sponge wrote the letter then traced over that with chalk independently.   I will try this technique with Lily next time.  I didn’t want to lose her interest so I kept it at a fast pace.   After writing on the boards I slid lined paper over the boards and we did practice writing on pmaper with pencil.  I worked with cursive here with Lily also.

After working with this activity twice we picked it up & moved on to the Kaufman materials & worked on articulation.  Now that Lily has her words & sentences she needs more help articulating her words so they are better understood by people outside of the family.   She did a great job practicing with me when she couldn’t quite say a sound together and allowed for promoting both visually and physically fit tongue placement.  I know little about prompting but what I do know is individual sounds.  I can’t put together words with prompting as it requires education, practice and time.  But the little information I have retained has been helpful to Lily.  Maggie is doing great with articulation.  I hear few errors if any.  At least with today’s words.

After working on articulation we moved onto something that girls had a blast with.  Pumpkins.  We didn’t have an actual pumpkin.  We had two large squash.  One was a butternut and the other a star squash.  Little did I know until recently, that a squash is a relative of the pumpkin! So it was perfect.  One had a smell similar to watermelon.  The other more pumpkin like. We included time to talk about the life cycle & the parts of the pumpkin/squash during our play time with the squash.