Making Great Readers

See the Sound - Think the Letter
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Making Great Readers
Making Great Readers wants to change the way you teach reading.
 
It is a phonetic process without the confusion of letter names. 
  

It was developed by Wallace Howard in his kindergarten classroom.  Having struggled as a reader himself, Wallace developed the process that allows the student to use a kinesthetic signal to make sound-letter connections that is necessary for self-directed reading.  The philosophy of Making Great Readers is "See the Sound - Think the Letter" providing the learner with a correlation of sounds with letter shape before learning letter names.

 

  To understand this philosophy, look at the sample text and answer the questions.                                                                                    

 

            A girl was walking on a soft, sandy beach.                                     

           Each step she took made her smile. 

           I asked her, "Why are you smiling?"

           "Open your mind," she said.

           Use your eyes to see the sound.

 

 

To read this passage:                                                           

1) Did you use letter names, sounds or both?

2) How many letter names did you say to read this text? 

3) If you did, can you name the letters?

4) What percentage of this text is comprised of capital letters?

 

If you want the answers, please go to contact us for a reply.

 

 

Making Great Readers should be your reading program.  It is designed to be used in an early childhood classroom or home setting.  The initial ten-minute a day process will provide the early learner with the sound-letter connection needed for independent reading. 

 

The Making Great Readers workshop will allow you to:
 
  • understand the four components of Making Great Readers
  • learn how to implement the four sets of Sound Cards
  • learn how to help the student see sounds in text
  • learn the importance of model writing and how to implement the process in the 
        classroom
  • learn how to incorporate time for the student to practice what was seen in
        model writing
  • practice kinesthetic strategies for improving writing skills in young learners
               
               

              "It would be very upsetting to me if this program was taken away from my class.  This is the first reading program that makes sense!"

               ----- Rachel Casazza - Kindergarten teacher

               
               
               

        The Making Great Readers process consists of four components: The Sound Cards, Seeing Sounds in Text, Model Writing and Independent Writing Practice.

               

               

        1) The Sound Cards - four sets of cards that give sound-letter connections needed for independent reading.

         

               

               

                   The Picture Sound Cards introduce 35 sounds using a corresponding kinesthetic signal  using a large picture of the signal and small letters.

                                                    

                   

               The Letter-Sound Connection Cards provide the letter shapes with   the 35 sounds using large letters and small pictures.

               

               

              The Letter Practice Cards have the lower case letter on each card allowing the learner to practice the sounds without the picture cures so they can become fluent at seeing the sounds.

               

               

               

              The Combination Sound and Vowel Diagraph Cards contain 54  letter combinations that provide the last phonemes and enough information to have the ability to read.

               

               

        2) Seeing the Sounds in Text - A time for children to practice using their sounds in grade level appropriate text .

         

         

         

        3) Model Writing - The demonstration of actual transfer to sound-letter knowledge to the writing process.

         

         

         

        4) Independent Writing Practice - A time to practice writing what was seen during model writing.

         

         

         

        AND Kinesthetic Strategies for improving hand-eye coordination for beginning writers.

         

                                                                                             

                

         

        AND a BONUS section for parents to use the process at home!

         

         

        AND other fabulous material that support learning the letter-sound connection!

               

                     

                     

                     "He really gave my child a wonderful start to reading.  I believe that it was Mr. Howard's system that led to my daughter's success with reading and comprehension."

                    ---- parent of kindergarten child

                     

                     

                    Contact Us:
                     
                    Workshops, materials and training are available
                     
                    Wallace Howard
                    9911 Rose Commons Drive
                    Suite E - 161
                    Huntersville, NC  28078
                    bocat@roadrunner.com
                    704.875.6208