Introducing the Phonics Concept

1. Discuss each song’s phonics concept—letter formation, phonics rules, spelling patterns—as examples occur naturally in students’ reading and writing.
2. Add visual and tactile examples of targeted letters or words through illustrations, photographs, or concrete objects.
3. Examine and discuss the words on the mini-charts before singing the songs.

Learning the Song

1. Begin by listening to the song recording while pointing to the each example on the Mini-Charts. Be sure that each student has a clear view of the Mini-Charts.
2. Ask questions to check for understanding of each example in the song.
3. Have students join in on the repeated parts of the song.
4. Play the recording several times a day until the song is mastered.  Be sure to point to the Mini-Charts each time the song is played.  Eventually students can be the “pointers.”
5. Divide up parts of the song among different sets of students.  Ideas for dividing up song lyrics, adding hand/body motions, and reinforcing through games can be found in many of the teaching suggestions.
6. Add hand or body motions to reinforce learning and add interest and engagement.

Reinforcing the Concept

1. Use the instrumental recordings of each song to check for retention of concepts. If students can sing the words and point to the charts without assistance, they are ready to expand the concept to other related words.
2. Help students to generate other examples of each phonics concept and create your own Mini-Charts by using the Templates at the end of the Mini-Chart booklets. Sing the song with your own examples.
3. Make a word wall with examples of targeted words in each song.
4. Encourage students to search literature, poetry, and environmental print for examples of each phonics concept as well as exceptions.
5. Help students develop a phonics notebook divided into ten sections, one for each song in the series.  Students label each section with song title and phonics rule.  As examples are found, students enter these into the appropriate sections of their notebooks.
6. Play games such as Concentration to reinforce each song’s concept.
7. Check our online Lesson Plans page for additional things for your students to do before, during, and after singing the songs.