PRESCHOOL PHONICS

Quick Start Guide

© Lisa Adele | www.lisaadele.com

 YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK!
PHONICS IS THE BEST WAY TO TEACH
YOUR CHILD TO READ AT HOME.

"PHONICS" simply means learning

the code between speech sounds
and letter symbols.

Current research from cognitive

scientists and neuroscientists
indicates that phonics is the best
method for teaching reading.

I know you're here because you want to set your child up for
success with learning to read. You might be feeling some
urgency around teaching the ABCs and letter sounds to get
your preschooler ready for learning phonics.

But before you start doing those alphabet and letter

sounds activities that you found on Pinterest, there's
something you need to know...

Children who struggle with reading often struggle with

phonemic awareness.

This means that they find it difficult to identify and play

with the individual speech sounds in spoken words.

© Lisa Adele | www.lisaadele.com

"Without phonemic awareness, phonics is harder to learn.
In other words, phonemic awareness is something that
should be taught before phonics." -- 2005 National Reading Panel Report

If this is news to you, you're not alone! In fact, there's still a

gap between reading instruction in schools and the science
of reading.

So you're in the right place!

This guide shows you exactly how to get started with

developing phonemic awareness at home.

You'll start by helping your preschooler hear the beginning

sound of spoken words. Learning phonics is then just
a matter of associating letters and letter combinations
with the speech sounds your child already knows from
phonemic awareness activities.

On Pinterest you'll find lots of outdated activities to get

your child to memorize letter names and letter sounds out
of context and in isolation. You'll also find ways to get your
child to memorize long lists of sight words.

My approach focuses on understanding, not memorizing!

It's easier to learn phonics once your child understands

what letters actually mean. Written words are just speech
sounds in a row. Plus, children who know phonics can
decode words that they've never seen before. There's no
need to memorize words that can be sounded out!

© Lisa Adele | www.lisaadele.com

Of course, it's so true that you don't know what you don't
know.

When my sons were preschoolers, it never occurred to me

that the letters in printed words are symbols that represent
speech sounds. I just didn't think about it that way!

I also didn’t know that reading is NOT hard-wired in the

brain like walking and talking. Children need to build the
reading network in the brain through phonics instruction.

I learned all about teaching reading when I did my AMI

training to become a Montessori teacher. I'd love to help
you guide your 3-6 year old child along the journey to
reading using Montessori activities.

You might be feeling a bit intimidated about teaching

phonics at home. But it doesn't have to feel so
overwhelming, even if you're new to "Montessori" methods.

The secret to your child's joyful discovery of reading is

indirect preparation that's child-led and developmentally
appropriate.

When you know the steps from pre-reading to early

reading and the milestones that tell you it's time to move
forward with the next step, then you can offer just what
your child needs at just the right time.

Doesn't this sound better than winging it with random

activities that you find on Pinterest?

© Lisa Adele | www.lisaadele.com

Without a guided, step-by-step plan, it’s all too easy to get
sidetracked with unhelpful thoughts...

“Am I doing enough?”

“I don’t think I’m doing this right.”
“I’m not sure I’m cut out for this.”

I don’t want you wasting even just one second wondering if

your child is “behind” or if you’ve really got what it takes to
teach your child!!!

I created The Playful Path to Reading™ to take the

guesswork out of helping your preschooler learn phonics
and start reading.

This guide gives you everything you’ll need to get started

TODAY with the first activity inside my preschool phonics
program!

Most children around 3 years old are developmentally ready

to get started with the first step in the learning sequence.

We'll start by playing an "I SPY" sound game that draws

attention to the beginning sound of spoken words using
language objects or image cards. And, yes, those materials
are included! So let's dive in...

I’d love to hear how it goes! Tag @playfulpathtoreading

on Instagram to share. Have questions? Send me a DM or
email lisa@playfulpathtoreading.com with your feedback.

© Lisa Adele | www.lisaadele.com

 PHONEMIC AWARENESS
BEGINNING SOUND GAME
Step 1
Collect about 15 language objects or image cards in a
basket or bag.

Repurpose small household items and miniature animal

figurines as language objects (see the checklist for lots of
ideas!) and/or print the set of image cards included in this
guide.

IMPORTANT! Language objects are a choking hazard due

to small parts. Be sure to supervise your child when he or
she is using them. Keep language objects out of reach
when you are not playing this sound game.

Step 2
Practice saying the sounds that the letters represent.

Refer to the cheatsheet included in this guide if you're not

sure how to say the sounds. Note that NO letter symbols are
involved in this sound game! The focus is on hearing the
beginning sound of a spoken word.

© Lisa Adele | www.lisaadele.com

Step 3
Invite your child: "Let's play a sound game!"

Invite your child to carry the basket or bag of language

objects or image cards to the table or floor where you will
be playing together. Take out three items with different
beginning sounds. Name each one as you place it on the
table or floor, emphasizing the initial sound of each word.

Isolate the initial sound. “I’m looking for something that

begins with (the sound) /m/. [pause] Mmmuffin! Muffin
starts with /m/!” Repeat with the other two objects. Your
child just listens as you model sound isolation.

Repeat the game with opportunities for your child to

respond. “I see something that begins with (the sound) /b/.
Can you please pass it to me?” [Your child responds.] “Yes!
Boots begins with /b/. Can you say /b/?” If your child picks
one of the other objects that doesn’t start with /b/, then say:
“Ring begins with (the sound) /r/. I’m thinking of something
that begins with /b/.” OR “I was thinking of boots. /b/ for
boots.”

Continue for as long as your child is interested. Use a

variety of language objects or image cards during this
activity to focus on different beginning sounds. You don’t
need to keep track of which sounds you’ve introduced.
There’s no “correct” order to follow because the focus is on
EXPLORING speech sounds and it's meant to be FUN!

© Lisa Adele | www.lisaadele.com

Step 4
Reflect and repeat.

Expect it to take some time for your child to develop

phonemic awareness. Your child may not understand this
sound game at first, and that’s ok because it simply reflects
where he or she is at developmentally. Your child may be
unable to pronounce certain sounds or may choose not
to say the sound and instead will just point to the object
which may or may not be the "correct" one.

Know that your child is taking it all in even if you aren’t

getting the verbal response you expect. Notice if your child
watches your lips as you play this sound game together.
This is a good clue that your child is trying to figure it out. I
promise that it will click eventually!

The most important thing is to just get in the habit of

playing sound games every day. Children have a natural
tendency towards repetition. Doing things again and again
is what leads to understanding and mastery.

You can also play this sound game anytime and anywhere
during everyday conversation using things that you see
around you.

By playing this sound game consistently each day, even

if it’s just for a few minutes during a nature walk or at the
dinner table, you’ll lay the foundation for learning phonics!
 

© Lisa Adele | www.lisaadele.com

© Lisa Adele | www.lisaadele.com
© Lisa Adele | www.lisaadele.com
© Lisa Adele | www.lisaadele.com
© Lisa Adele | www.lisaadele.com
© Lisa Adele | www.lisaadele.com
 LANGUAGE OBJECT IDEAS
φ Ambulance (toy) φ Jeep (toy) φ Spoon
φ Astronaut (toy) φ Key φ Stamp (postage/craft)
φ Alligator (toy) φ Lock φ Straw
φ Balloon φ Lid φ Sponge
φ Barrette φ Lace φ String
φ Bark φ Match φ Spring
φ Ball φ Marble φ Stone
φ Battery φ Medal φ Sticker
φ Bandage φ Marshmallow φ Sock
φ Bead φ Macaroni φ Sandpaper
φ Bolt φ Marker φ Screw
φ Bulb φ Magnet φ Staples
φ Button φ Nickel φ Stapler
φ Candle φ Nail φ Sticker
φ Clip φ Needle φ Seed
φ Cork φ Nutmeg φ Seashell
φ Comb φ Penny φ Tag
φ Cookie cutter φ Pin φ Teabag
φ Cloth φ Pistachio φ Tape
φ Calculator φ Puzzle piece φ Tee (golf)
φ Crayon φ Pretzel φ Tube
φ Domino φ Pompom φ Twig
φ Dime φ Paper φ Toothpick
φ Dowel φ Pinecone φ Tweezers
φ Felt φ Pebble φ Uncle (picture of)
φ Floss φ Pod φ Vase
φ Foil φ Puppet φ Vial
φ File φ Pencil φ Velcro
φ Feather φ Pasta φ Velvet
φ Fork φ Plug φ Walnut
φ Garlic φ Quarter φ Wire
φ Gauze φ Ruler φ Wood
φ Glue φ Rope φ Watch
φ Hook φ Raisin φ Whistle
φ Hazelnut φ Rock φ Window (LEGO)
φ Hinge φ Ring φ Wheel (LEGO)
φ Harmonica φ Ribbon φ Yarn
φ Invitation φ Zipper
φ Ink (cartridge)

For more ideas check out my shop!

www.etsy.com/shop/MontessoriMethods

© Lisa Adele | www.lisaadele.com

© Lisa Adele | www.lisaadele.com
HOW TO SAY THE SOUNDS

The sound /a/ is pronounced as in apple.

The sound /b/ is pronounced as in balloon.
The sound /c/ is pronounced as in car.
The sound /d/ is pronounced as in dog.
The sound /e/ is pronounced as in elephant.
The sound /f/ is pronounced as in fork.
The sound /g/ is pronounced as in gift.
The sound /h/ is pronounced as in hat.
The sound /i/ is pronounced as in igloo.
The sound /j/ is pronounced as in jam.
The sound /k/ is pronounced as in key.
The sound /l/ is pronounced as in leaf.
The sound /m/ is pronounced as in mug.
The sound /n/ is pronounced as in nest.
The sound /o/ is pronounced as in octopus.
The sound /p/ is pronounced as in pizza.
The sound /qu/ is pronounced as in quilt.
The sound /r/ is pronounced as in raspberry.
The sound /s/ is pronounced as in sponge.
The sound /t/ is pronounced as in turtle.
The sound /u/ is pronounced as in umbrella.
The sound /v/ is pronounced as in vacuum.
The sound /w/ is pronounced as in waffle.
The sound /x/ is pronounced as in box.
The sound /y/ is pronounced as in yarn.
The sound /z/ is pronounced as in zipper.

© Lisa Adele | www.lisaadele.com

What's Next?
Becoming aware of the beginning sound of spoken
words is the first activity in the series of phonemic
awareness activitities inside my phonics program.

Watch my FREE CLASS to learn the 4 steps in the learning

sequence from pre-reading to early reading so you know
how to help your child learn to read, even if you have zero
teaching experience!
You'll learn...
» The 3 biggest mistakes
to avoid to simplify the
process of teaching reading
at home.
» The specific pre-reading
skills that your child needs
to start reading easily.
» How to pinpoint where your
child is at in the learning
sequence from pre-
reading to early reading so
that you'll know the right
activities to offer to help
your child get closer to
reading.
You'll walk away with a notebook FULL of ideas. You'll
feel empowered instead of frazzled. Plus, you'll get the
opportunity to snag a special offer if you decide to join The
Playful Path to Reading™ to make everything we cover
really easy to implement!

© Lisa Adele | www.lisaadele.com