Phonogram Exercises
Materials:
Box or basket marked "2"
A set of ten objects whose names include only one phonogram each, (ex: tree, shell) representing the key phonograms: th, sh, ch, oy, qu, ai (rain), ie(pie), oa (boat), ee, ue (blue), au(fault), ou (cloud), oo (book), er (her), ar (car), or (fort)
Single-word slips of paper, pencil, underlay (teacher’s writing materials) for the presentation
Prepared slips for each of the objects written in print for individual work
Smaller-sized print movable alphabets each set a different color
Phonogram booklets: booklets isolating one phonogram, with one word utilizing that phonogram on each page. The isolated phonogram should be printed in red in each word so it stands out.
Phonogram cards: card with a list of words and same phonogram
Purposes:
To make possible further exploration of the child’s own language
To give more keys to reading and spelling
Age: 4 and up
Preparation:
The child has had significant experience with the sound games
The child had worked with all 16 Sandpaper Phonograms
The child is comfortable with the process of synthesizing words
Note: Consider reviewing all Sandpaper Phonograms with the child the day before the lesson. This refresher will boost confidence when they experience this lesson and serves as an assessment to which are remembered or need to be reviewed.
Presentation:
Part 1: The Phonogram Box
Invite the child for a lesson on the Phonetic Object Box, show them how to carry the material, return it to the shelf and ask the child to bring it to a table. You will bring the teacher’s writing materials.
Open the box and remove one object at a time as you ask the child to name it. Place each object at random on the table.
Remove the paper, pencil, and underlay (optional) from the teacher tray.
Tell the child you are thinking about one of the objects and you will write them a message, so they know which one it is.
As close to in front of the child as possible, write the name of one of the objects onto the paper in cursive with the letters connected.
Ask the child if they see any phonograms in the word. Underline it in red and have the child sound out the word, and pair the object with the label on the left side of the table.
Repeat for the rest, letting the child identify and underline the phonogram. If they cannot see it, underline it for them.
Once all are matched, mix the slips, and invite the child to place them again.
Fade and observe.
When the child is complete, show them the prepared labels so they can do this work without needing you to write labels.
The child may choose what to do with the slips.
Control of Error:
When the last label does match the last object.
Part 2: The Moveable Alphabet-Move to this lesson the afternoon after Part A
Invite the child to get a rug (preferable with lines) and lay vertically.
Model how to carry the boxes and both of you take one to the rug.
Place at the top edge of the rug, side-by-side.
Open boxes, placing the lids underneath at the top of the rug
Introduce alphabet boxes by asking the child what is different about them (they are in print and in a, b, c order unless the manufacturer uses boxes that prevent it).
Ask the child to recall their favorite object from the morning phonogram presentation.
Remove the phonogram from the name of that object and place it centered under the boxes. Example: the child names ‘chest’ so you use /ch/.
Explain only the phonogram will be that color and the rest of the letters will be the other color.
Have the child remove another /ch/ and put it aligned below the first. Ask them to build the rest of the word of the object they thought of in the other color (Example; chest).
Ask the child to think of more words with that phonogram and build them in a column lining up the phonogram.
Only correct the spelling of the phonogram. The child is still phonetically spelling
Offer the child a word with the phonogram at the end, “catch”.
Note: If the color the child is using for the phonogram runs out, simply use the other color. Encourage the child to build as many as they can.
Fade and observe.
If the child wants to put this away and do another phonogram they may.
Control of Error: None
Following Exercises:
Rotate: Rotate the objects so eventually, you have offered all 16 key phonograms.
Moveable Alphabet Exploration:
a. Consonant-based phonogram
1. Using the two boxes, select a consonant-based phonogram (ch, th, qu, etc.) and pick a vowel to place at the end or the front. Example: ach
2. Find how many words you can make with that combination by going through the box alphabetically one letter at a time placing it in front.
3. If the child sounds it out and decides it sounds (often it will not be spelled correctly and that is okay) like a word they know, keep it there and build the vowel-based phonogram and consonant combination again below it. If it does not make a word, return the letter to the box.
b. Vowel-based phonogram
1. Same as above and identify a vowel-based phonogram (ai, ou, ie, etc), set it out on the rug, and place a consonant in the other color at the end. Example: aid
Booklets
a. Single booklet: Invite the child to take a phonogram booklet and read it
b. Alternate spellings booklets: Show the child the familiar phonogram (Example: /ee/) and show them all the booklets of the ways to make the /ee/ sound. The child can build these alternative spellings on the Moveable Alphabet and check with the booklet.
Sentences: Challenge the child to write a sentence using many words with a specific phonogram. Example: The goat ate the soap on the road and then he went on a boat.
Words in books: Have the child select a book from the classroom library to see if they can either find words that contain a specific phonogram or any words with phonograms.
Phonogram cards: (spelling is now important)
a. Reading one card: Invite the child to choose and read a card.
Working from one card: The child will read a card and leave it with the guide. They will try to write as many words as they can remember with the Moveable Alphabets, or the guide can dictate the words. When they are complete, the child will check their work with the card.
a. This may be a two-child work
b. Alternate spellings
Use two cards that show different ways of spelling the same sounding phonogram. Do as before. The child reads both and leaves the cards far away. They will use one color to build words that use one way of spelling the phonogram and the other color for the words that use the other way of spelling the phonogram. There will be two columns of words.
The guide or another child will dictate the words (2-3 of each) and the child will decide what phonogram is used to make it.
When they are done, they can check their work against the card and make corrections if necessary.
Control of Error
Checking against the card
Pedagogical Notes:
The trainer Dr. Montessori sent to America could only find print cardboard letters. Using the print alphabet has become a tradition but the work can also be done with two different colored cursive alphabets.
