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Advice wanted

Reading | Literature 
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Runnergirl04

Full Member
Hi it’s wonderful the site is back up. I have experience teaching third and fourth grade for 20+ years. Right now I am tutoring a kindergarten student. She doesn’t know her letters or her size, but mom wants me to practice her spelling words. English is not her first language. I have spent more than four hours trying to get her to differentiate and learn the words. She has five words all of the same family plus she has her sight words. Again she doesn’t know her sounds or her letters. This little baby did go to preschool for at least three years. What advice can you give me to help her learn to read and memorize those basic words and their families? I’ve done many kinesthetic and tactile activities: shaving cream, felt, whiteboard, and multicolored markers and crayons. Any help is appreciated.
 
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Haley23

Senior Member
If she doesn't know letters, spelling is not going to happen. Trying to get her to memorize words by shape is going to really, really hurt her in the long run. I would explain to mom that she needs to know the letters first in order to be able to work on the spelling words, and that is where you will start. If mom does not accept that, I would not continue tutoring her for ethical reasons.
 
anna

anna

Senior Member
I would invest in an Orton Gillingham type of phonics resource from TPT and get the sounds mastered first by phonemic awareness . Build from there with a systematic program. There may be more going on besides being a second language learner.
 
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Runnergirl04

Full Member
Thank you all for your advice. I agree with you. This intermediate teacher needed some reinforcement! Thanks again. I’ll let you know how to mom reacts when I talked to her in a few minutes.
 
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Sbkangas5

Sbkangas5

Senior Member
Absolutely agree with everything posted. Also, don't forget about phonemic awareness. That should be a key component of any tutoring.

I also have to say that it's RIDICULOUS for a kindergartner at this point in the year to have spelling words!!!
 
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Runnergirl04

Full Member
I also have to say that it's RIDICULOUS for a kindergartner at this point in the year to have spelling words!!!
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I thought so too, but again, I’ve never taught K. Further, 5 sight words to write and study in addition to the spelling words seems a lot to me.
 
NoMorePencils

NoMorePencils

Senior Member
kali

kali

Senior Member
Runnergirl04 said:
Hi it’s wonderful the site is back up. I have experience teaching third and fourth grade for 20+ years. Right now I am tutoring a kindergarten student. She doesn’t know her letters or her size, but mom wants me to practice her spelling words. English is not her first language. I have spent more than four hours trying to get her to differentiate and learn the words. She has five words all of the same family plus she has her sight words. Again she doesn’t know her sounds or her letters. This little baby did go to preschool for at least three years. What advice can you give me to help her learn to read and memorize those basic words and their families? I’ve done many kinesthetic and tactile activities: shaving cream, felt, whiteboard, and multicolored markers and crayons. Any help is appreciated.
Click to expand...
Start with learning the letters of her name. Her name is meaningful and that will help with motivation. Then move on to her last name. I would also say the alphabet and point to a letter/sound anchor chart every day ( A Apple /A/ ). I think working through Handwriting without Tears kindergarten handwriting book / program is also helpful for letter ID and formation.
 
KetchupChips

KetchupChips

Senior Member
She's been to preschool for 3 years and still doesn't know sounds or letters? Something else is going on here. This is beyond an English Learner issue. How is she in her native language?
 
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