Playing Can Dramatically Improve Reading and Spelling

As is so often the case in life, it is frequently the smallest gaps in understanding that cause the biggest learning issues for children learning to read. So our reaction to struggles with learning to read tends to be that we implement a really big, complicated, sometimes expensive program, or that we slow the lessons way down, cut the list of items learned in half, talk more loudly and deliberately and so forth. None of these reactions brings that much in the way of progress, so we end up reinforced in the belief that the students in question are just slow and won’t get it. They must be disabled or something.

There is absolutely nothing in the world like facing a struggling student to try some little fix and watching his lights suddenly go on. It is like witnessing a miracle, a rebirth. One activity I began to use ten years ago came as a result of searching for something that would help groups of children who were very far behind in reading. Of course if they were behind in reading, they were also abysmal spellers. This activity resulted in lights going on for so many students from kindergarten to middle school.

It was so great that the activity was simple because our time together was very limited. This little magic activity that resulted in so much change was called “Quick Draw,” and we could play a lesson in 15-20 minutes in groups of 4-8 children. Another thing that made Quick Draw special was that it was not like anything the children had already been exposed to and failed with. We kept expectations super high, but offered all the support necessary to help build the children’s confidence in their own ability to learn… using a different strategy… one that worked for them.  They had to learn first that they COULD learn before their emotions and minds were freed up to soar.

How to Play Quick Draw

Quick Draw requires whiteboards and markers. If you have a classroom whiteboard, let the kids stand at the board. Otherwise, have them use individual whiteboards. (See our Quick Draw Kit.)

1.)    Say the first word while the children listen.

2.)    Hold up fingers to show the structure of the word, one finger for each letter. If two or more letters combine to make a sound, those fingers will be close together. (Refer to instructions for fingermapping.)

3.)    As you point to each finger, sound out the word, making sure the children are watching and sounding with you, keeping their eyes on your finger map of the word.

4.)    Say, “Sound and write.” The children need to each say the sounds in the word as they write. Many will try to just go straight to writing, but it is important for them to orally sound as this will guide them into correctly writing the word. If your child struggles with writing, let him or her use pull-down letters to form the words. (What is significant about this step in the game is that the child’s brain is processing the sounds in the word he is saying, and each time he says a sound in the word, he is hearing it and also seeing his hand as it tangibly forms the letters representing that sound on his board. This is the main magic right here.)

5.)    Do a quick visual check for errors. If there is a mistake, do the fingermapping again, asking the child to sound with you to find out where the error is. Please refrain from using names of letters as we do in traditional spelling lessons (say AH instead of A). These children will not be able to remember letter names in a sequence beyond that very moment. Better for them to learn to rely on hearing themselves say the sounds in a word as they write them.

But where can I get word lists to use?

The Illustrated Book of Sounds & Their Spelling Patterns is all the resource you will need, no matter the age or skill level of the student. The one book is for K- adult, really. There are 55 units in the book, each unit covering one sound in our language. Inside each unit are varying levels of difficulty, which is why you can use this to teach beginners or non reading adults. All sounds in our language are included and so if you complete the units, you will have taught all the sounds and their spellings that make up all the words in our language.

So how is this different from plain, old phonics?

Plain old phonics relies on a student being able to 1) learn rules, 2) remember them during reading, 3) and know where and when to apply them; oh, and still read and understand what they are reading. Plain old spelling counts on the student’s ability to memorize, remember, and later correctly use sequences of letters that represent all the words in our language. Many, many children/adults cannot perform with phonics or spelling either one.

The Illustrated Book of Sounds & Their Spelling Patterns approaches the topic of phonics very differently. Rather than phonics rules and spelling lessons, it utilizes mini stories and cartoon illustrations to group words together that enjoy the same spelling pattern. Visual learners can study the page for a bit and later retrieve the lesson in its entirety—sentences, visuals, sound spellings. It is magical to watch! Visual memory is so much more powerful and lasting than anything else. The humor and downright goofiness of the lessons also bring an element of novelty and enjoyment to the otherwise tedious and dusty-dry topic. And we all know if a person is enjoying what they are doing, those positive biases will help them learn even better!

The Illustrated Book of Sounds & Their Spelling Patterns is not consumable. You can use it with many people if you are a tutor; a classroom teacher can also purchase the PDF version for use with SMART or Promethean boards. In this way, the teacher can model for the students as they mark up their photocopied page from the book.

What are the results of using this book and kit?

When I used this approach with failing children in grades K-middle school, nearly every child was brought up to grade level for reading within that one school year. The older and more delayed the child was, the more advances he/she made. The reason for this unexpected outcome is that these students had more “stuff” floating around in their heads from exposure (however grim) to reading. Once their various holes were plugged, they took off like sweet little rockets!

If you want to skip getting a Quick Draw Kit from us…

That is totally fine! But do get the book. Then go to a building supply store and find a piece of showerboard. If you ask really sweetly, a nice person there can probably cut the board into pieces about 12 x 18 for you. Sand the edges slightly. Find dry erase markers for each child. You don’t need to buy erasers; just have each child bring an old (WASHED) tube sock from home to use for an eraser. My students would each keep their marker in their tube sock. Then while we played Quick Draw, they would wear the sock on their non-writing hand. This served a great purpose: they didn’t misplace their eraser and it kept their non-writing hand out of trouble!

I’d love to hear from you if you choose to try this activity…or if you need clarification. Either leave a comment below or write me at info(at)child-1st(dot)com.

Comments

[Honey Bee]

Thank you so much for this advice, such a big help for us especially to a mom like me having a problem with my kids' reading ability. This blog is so appreciated. I'm so looking forward to improve my kids reading and spelling ability.

[Sarah Major]

Honey Bee, Thank you for reading and for taking the time to comment. We appreciate it. Please email me directly if you have any specific questions about working with your child. info@child-1st(dot)com.
Sarah