Primary Reading - Phonetic and Phonogram Command Cards

In elementary, we get into a certain amount of command cards for the children to work through various language presentations, biology and geography experiments and a bit more.

But it all starts in primary!

When the children are learning to read, there are two places in which we introduce command cards.

The phonetic command cards are short phrases with commands. The child reads the commands to himself (we don't ask the child to read out loud - but he can if he wants to), and then perform the action. The performance of the proper action is the sign that the child has decoded the reading!

By this time, the child has had the movable alphabet, can write out decently with it; has been reading phonetic words and matching them with objects (phonetic object box) and has MAYBE read a couple of books with a word and a picture matched together. From the first day of the phonetic object box, it might be a matter of hours or it might be a week until the child gets to do some of the command cards. It is NOT a slow tedious process!

Some people have downloads available for one word commands - these could be great as an introduction, but are unnecessary in the grand scheme of things. "Jump". Ok. That could be part of other language work. We want them to "run and jump"! "Run and stop"! "Hug mama"! This is REAL reading!

The bonus? They get to do SOME things for which they don't ordinarily have permission - run INSIDE!?
Yes! But only if you READ it first! (the phonetic command here is "run and stop" - the word "inside" would be in the phonogram version).


Shortly thereafter (hours? days? no more than a couple of weeks unless you have a child with special learning needs), the phonogram object box is introduced with the phonogram alphabet; then the shadowbox - and within a couple more hours or days: the PHONOGRAM COMMANDS!

Now, they can "Jump up and down" - they can "kiss mommy six times" and other assorted tasks :)

Have FUN with these!



Elementary children just learning to read? Having two baskets - one for phonetic and one for phonogram - making it a game that last just a few minutes each day and yes the children will start reading quickly!