Recommended Age: 4 years and on
Level of Parent Involvement: High, the parent must do a 3 period lesson with the child and maintain a record of which puzzle words the child has mastered and which ones they are working on, regular 3 period lessons with the puzzle words are required until the child has memorised them
Prerequisites
- None
Materials
- Pieces of paper with the puzzle words written on them, laminated if possible
Preparation
- Write puzzle words on strips of paper and laminate
(was, I, the, you, a,)
Steps
- Invite the child to bring the prepared puzzle words to the table
- Let the child know “these words really are a puzzle, we cant sound them out we have to learn them”
- Take out 3 puzzle words for example (a, the and I)
- Do a 3 period lesson with the child
- First period, naming: Name and point to each puzzle word encouraging the child to repeat it back to you “this is a”, “this is I” and “this is the”
- Second period, experience; give the child experience with identifying the words for example “put a on your lap” “point to the” “give me I” spend time giving the child commands with the three puzzle words
- Third period, what’s this? Point to each puzzle word asking the child to tell you what it is confirming they have remembered
- Once the child has mastered 3 puzzle words, introduce 2 new puzzle words and with one they know in another 3 period lesson
- Encourage individual repetition with mastered puzzle words
Variations
- Invite the child to look for puzzle words in books
Notes:
- Choose 3 words which look and sound different
- Encourage the child to apply their knowledge for example if the child already knows the word “all” the child can read “ball, tall, fall etc”
- Puzzle words are taught regardless of the child’s level of reading
