Sound Matching, where children match pictures of objects that start with the same sound (e.g., "cat," "cup," and "car" for the /k/ sound). It assists the students in recognizing and differentiating the sounds. Visual cues or auditory supports (for example, recording the sounds) can be given to students with exceptionalities to help them match (Reading Eggs, 2014). Picture Cards

• Clear, simple pictures representing everyday objects

• Multiple sets of pictures for each target sound

• Laminated cards for durability (especially important for young children)

• Pictures should be age-appropriate and easily recognizable

Activity 2

Rhyming Games, children identify and make rhyming words based on stories and poems. Differentiation can be provided for exceptional students by providing a smaller group of words or using gesture-based cues to help identify rhymes.

At Home activity

Parents can engage their children in a Sound Hunt around the house to find objects that start with the same sound, helping connect sounds to real-life objects.

Website

The website is valuable for parents because it provides clear, research-based strategies and resources to help improve their children's reading comprehension skills.

• https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/phonological-and-phonemic-awareness

Letter Sound correspondence is a foundational phonics activity involving students matching letters to the sound they’re making (e.g., “m” makes the /m/ sound).

• Letter Tiles: Use letter tiles that students can move around and match with corresponding sounds. This tactile activity is great for kinesthetic learners.

• Audio Recordings: Play audio recordings of individual sounds and have students match them with the correct letter.

• Blending Sounds: Once students have mastered letter-sound correspondence, they can practice blending sounds to form words. For example, blending /c/, /a/, and /t/ results in "cat."

Activity 2

• Assistive technology such as text-to-speech apps can be differentiating tools used with exceptional students, as they can give additional visual or tactile cues to support the learning of sound blends.

AT Home activity

• Parents can use flashcards with letters and corresponding pictures to teach letter-sound correspondences, enhancing the activity with color or touch-coding for accessibility.

Website

This website benefits parents by offering practical, research-backed guidance on phonics and decoding to support their children's reading development.

https://www.readingrockets.org/reading-101/reading-and-writing-basics/phonics-and-decoding

Word Walls. Teachers reinforce vocabulary by displaying words in the classroom that the student encounters in reading. It allows visual representations and simplified words for students with exceptionalities to be used to make them accessible(Reading Eggs, 2014).

Activity 2

• Picture Books and Story Retelling are activities where students can practice new vocabulary in context.

• The new vocabulary learned is encouraged to be read and retold by the children.

It can be differentiated by presenting the story in bits and pieces or giving vocabulary support to a student with a learning disability or speech delay.

At home Activity

• Parents can read books with their children and discuss the vocabulary words within the story, using context to help define them or use VocabularySpellingCity for interactive word games.

Website

This website is great for parents because it provides many vocabulary-building resources and activities to help children improve their English language skills. https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/vocabulary

• The teacher reads a passage aloud, and students repeat it after them. This procedure helps promote fluency by teaching proper pausing and intonation.

• Differentiation: Teachers can provide additional modeling for students with exceptionalities or adjust the reading pacing for slower practice.

Activity 2: Choral Reading

• The teacher and students read the exact text together. This encourages fluency in a supportive, collaborative environment.

• Differentiation: For students with exceptionalities, using more straightforward texts or offering individualized support during the reading process helps ensure effective differentiation.

At Home activity

• Repeated reading of familiar texts helps children build fluency and confidence, and Raz-Kids offers leveled books to practice this skill at home.

Website

This website is helpful for parents because it provides effective strategies and tips to support their children's reading fluency development. https://www.readingrockets.org/reading-101/reading-and-writing-basics/fluency

• Story Mapping helps students visually represent key elements of a story, such as characters, setting, and plot.

• This activity aids comprehension by allowing students to break down the story’s components. Students with exceptionalities can be given templates or technology to create their story maps(Reading Rockets, n.d.-b).

Activity 2:

• Question and Answer Sessions involve asking students questions after reading a story to ensure they understand the text (Reading Rockets).

• This encourages students to recall and interpret key details. For students with exceptionalities, the teacher can offer multiple-choice questions or use visual aids to assist in comprehension.

At Home Activity

• Parents can support children by asking them to retell the story in their own words, using guiding questions or visual aids. PBS Kids offers interactive games and stories to strengthen comprehension skills.

Website

This website is valuable for parents because it offers comprehensive, research-based strategies to enhance their children's reading comprehension skills and deepen their understanding of texts. https://www.readingrockets.org/reading-101/reading-101-learning-modules/course-modules/comprehension/depth

Phonics is knowing that there is a predictable relationship between sounds and letters. Teaching early reading skills requires a crucial component — it helps children to decode words and understand word formation rules.

Vocabulary is the words that children have and know. Using words in the text and making sense of them requires a strong vocabulary critical to reading comprehension. Expanding vocabulary will increase fluency and comprehension as students progress in their reading journey.

Fluency is the art of reading a piece of text without making mistakes or being overly slow or rushed. Good readers remove themselves from decoding words and concentrate on understanding the meaning of the text. Practice is a sign of a fluent reader and one who is reading proficiently.

Comprehension is the ability to understand and interpret the meaning of a text, defined and explained. This includes linking structures, discovering the meaning, and recalling important details. It enables readers to cope with different texts, for example, to understand and be led to understanding.