PrereadingAbilities

Tailored Reading
(c) Jeffrey B. Reiter 1999
Pre Reading Abilities
First Words Phonemic Awareness & Initial Phonics
10/3/99

Table of Contents
(How to use Tailored Reading)

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(about Tailored Reading)

Introduction. Tailored Reading was primarily developed for remedial instruction, assuming the pupil has a knowledge of letter names, a sense of one-to-one correspondence, as well as other readiness-type knowledge and skills. Nevertheless, because of its versatile nature and high degree of adaptability, the basic structure of the system is able to account for those who are in greater need. Rainbow Words (with their rebuses) can be used to elevate readiness abilities while simultaneously engaging the learner in higher levels of reading instruction. We have found that through an immersion of various related activities that include both pre-reading and reading knowledge and skills, the pupil is able to make greater progress.

In order to begin to understand what reading involves, the learner needs to know that:

1. The thoughts and ideas we tell others are made up of separate words such as "dog" and "car."

3. Each word is made up of sounds in a certain order. For example, the first sound of "dog" is /d/. The second sound of "dog" is /o/, and the last sound of "dog" is /g/. (Letters within quotation marks [e.g. "a"] are read as letter names; sounds of letters are written between diagonal lines [e.g. /a/] .)

4. These sounds are written down as letters: upper case (capital letters) and lower case (small letters), and each letter has a name, such as "Aa," "Bb," and "Cc."

5. Words are made from one or more letters written close together from left to right and there are spaces between the letters of different words. (e.g. "A dog")

7. The meaning of the words on the paper can be understood by someone who knows how to read.

As the non-reader understands more and more concerning these concepts, she becomes increasingly aware that literacy is accessible.

Some ideas as to how to tailor this and other information to the needs of at-risk pre-readers are contained in the following discussion. We will assume that the pupil's oral/aural communication skills are relatively normal, and his lack of knowledge is primarily related to not being taught, or such problems as instruction not meeting his needs, lack of life experience, poor memory, or poor motivation.

Rainbow Words and their rebuses make learning immediately attainable regardless of the pupil's lack of academic knowledge, by providing hooks to information the pupil already uses in everyday conversation involving simple words and sentences. (Of course, if no hook exists, the tutor does whatever is necessary to create one.) Success produces excitement, motivation, and elevation of self-esteem, opening the way for the pupil to learn new ideas. Improvement occurs simultaneously in readiness as well as in higher level reading skills from the various activities possible using these basic materials.

It may, of course, take several sessions for certain pupils to learn some of these concepts, and the tutor needs to be sensitive to the child's current level of motivation and degree of understanding of the information presented in order to teach an appropriate amount and intensity. Instruction interspersed with drawing and other activities, related to reading when possible, may be necessary for some children in order to maintain motivation.

The tutor's ongoing familiarity with Tailored Reading concepts and materials (as obtained from these web pages), while continuously tutoring, builds proficiency, for which the rewards for both members of the tutoring team can be substantial.

The buck starts here. After administering the Tailored Reading Inventory and discovering that the pupil has little or no knowledge of written language, the tutor may find the following ideas helpful.

Even if none of the items on the Inventory have been answered correctly (indicating that the pupil has no knowledge of letters or words), there is most likely a great deal of oral/aural knowledge that can be tapped from which tailoring can begin.

For example, the words, "dog" and "car" are certainly within the child's listening and speaking vocabularies since they are so much a part of today's culture. Unless he has been kept in a closet or was recently found living with wolves, connections to these and other Rainbow Word cards and rebuses can be made.

Depending upon various factors, pupils learn information at different rates, amounts, and sequences, and what may be easy for one pupil may be difficult for another. However, regardless of how long it takes, since each bit of this material is so fundamental to reading, it is important to continually return to what a child has found difficult to master, and relate it to other, better understood ideas, until mastery does occur. It behooves the tutor to keep attempting to teach the same basic information in different ways.

Instruction can begin with the tutor showing the pupil the word "dog" and its rebus, and saying something like the following, the specifics of which may vary greatly among children. Explanations should be amended according to need, with validating questions such as, "do you understand?" and "see?" etc. interspersed freely, while pointing to the proper locations on the card or Rebus Sheet as they are discussed. Appropriate praise is, of course, very important throughout.

"Let me tell you what reading is all about. It is like listening with our eyes instead of with our ears. When we talk we are saying words to each other, such as 'dog.' Here is a picture of a dog on this card. If I point to the picture instead of saying 'dog,' you would still know what animal I mean. You would be 'reading' the picture

and saying, 'dog' if you are asked what it is. That's what reading is all about: being able to understand pictures and words that are written on paper. But there are a great many words in the world and many of them would be very hard to draw pictures of and remember. That's why we have an alphabet made of letters, like 'a,' 'b,' and 'c,' and each letter stands for a sound. When we put some of the sounds together they make a word. We make different words with the letters by putting them together in different ways as we write them down on paper.

"Here is the word 'dog' on the card near the picture of a dog. You see, it is made up of these three letters: 'd,' 'o,' and 'g.' Each of these other cards has a word written on it, too. Let me show you some more words. This word is 'car,' and here is a picture of a car.

'Car' is made up of the letters 'c,' 'a' and 'r.' This word is 'A,' and it is also the name of a letter. We usually say the sound /u/ when we use the word, 'a.' Each letter can be written big and little. This is big 'A,' and this is little 'a.' 'A' doesn't have a picture to go with it, but it is used in a lot of sentences such as, 'A boy is in a train.' This picture

helps you learn the word, 'rides' by showing that the boy rides in the wagon. This next picture shows a ball in a box

so the word written on the card is 'in.'

"O.K. now let's see how many of the words and pictures on the cards that you remember. Can you point to 'in?' 'rides?' etc. Now tell me each word I'm pointing to..." Point to each word, praise when correct, say the correct word when not, perhaps along with some more explanation and/or using them in a matching activity. By asking the pupil to 'read' each word while providing whatever nurturing support is necessary for her to learn it, sooner or later, the word will be learned. The importance of being positive can't be overstated.

"Since we are sitting next to each other I can tell you a thought I am thinking, such as, 'A dog rides in a car.' But if we were too far apart for you to hear me, I could let you know this thought by writing the words on paper and sending it to you. If you would know the words you could read it, and understand the message.

"So what we're going to do together will help you learn to read not only little messages, but anything you want to read. Wouldn't you like to do that?

"Here's something fun to do. Let me see you place the word cards on this mat so that each of the cards is on its own color. Now watch what happens when we say the words one after another, beginning at the taller yellow box. That's right, the words make the sentence, 'A dog rides in a car.' Good job! You made a real good start!"

Of course there is a lot of information contained in the above description, which is best spoken from the "heart" rather than being read or memorized. Don't worry about following everything precisely. One thing will most likely lead you to another as you perceive it and according to what the pupil seems to be understanding. While subsequent sessions will almost certainly be needed to reinforce these basic ideas, the pupil will probably retain enough to at least enjoy the sentence made by placing the word/rebus cards in the color-coded order. If the pupil is not able to concentrate on the explanation it is fine to limit it to whatever is necessary in order to get to demonstrating the "colorful" act of sentence creation using the cards and mat. Hopefully this will intrigue and motivate her to learn more. After introducing her to a few other blue word-rebuses, and perhaps other word-rebuses as well, additional sentences can be made.

While there is a certain amount of very basic information that is important to get across, this is a good example of "less is more." Kids can be turned off if the tutor attempts too much, and the tutor needs to be sensitive to this possibility.

By first using the basic Rainbow Words to make sentences, the pupil quickly becomes successful despite her lack of knowledge of written words, letters and sounds. During this time a great deal of valuable "incidental" learning occurs as well. While teaching words with rebuses and making sentences, discussion naturally includes information concerning words being made of letters which stand for the sounds that make up the words we hear.

Teaching letter names. Although it is of obvious value for a pupil to learn the names of the letters, it is not crucial for them to be mastered prior to commencing with initial reading instruction. While not directly involved in reading, letter names are, of course, important to know concerning identification of letters, spelling aloud, alphabetization, plus the fact that letter names usually help in learning their sounds. Many at-risk readers who don't already know letter names may be more inspired to learn them once they develop a feeling of accomplishment from learning to use word-rebuses in sentences and in other motivational activities.

In case of letters. For a preschooler, it is usually best to work on upper case letters first since they are more distinguishable from each other than are lower case letters, and these are usually taught initially in preschool. Then the small letter counterparts can be taught associated to their capitals, beginning with those pairs that look most similar. However, this, as is often the case, is not "carved in stone." Some children are able to learn both simultaneously. First graders and above who don't know letters, are probably better off learning lower case letters first, since this print is most prevalent in books which their class is reading.

It is a good idea to reinforce overlapping information. Therefore, it is helpful to mention and question the pupil concerning the names of letters dealt with in the words being used in sentences and other word-card activities.

The use of music with prereaders is extremely valuable for many reasons. Aside from being fun, singing facilitates mastery by providing a mechanism for learning information that needs to be memorized by rote. Children usually enjoy singing "The Alphabet Song," which, once learned, provides hooks for the pupil to associate the shapes of the letters with their names. The tutor can use the song effectively by first having the pupil sing it alone, so errors can be noted. Then the tutor sings it alone to model the correct version (or plays a recording). The "l m n o p" part, without instruction, usually becomes jumbled, and may need to be slowed down and more carefully considered. Next, both sing it together, perhaps at first without any visual counterpart. When the pupil knows it fairly well, they sing it while the tutor points to each letter as it comes up in the song. Finally, the pupil takes over the pointing. When singing and pointing can be correctly done by the pupil alone, he should be able to figure out and reinforce isolated letters by means of the song, as needed. Sesame Street and other video productions that discuss letters can be helpful to reinforce this initial aspect of reading as well.

Phonemic awareness, a consciousness that words are composed of individual sounds, doesn't usually come naturally and needs to be taught. As mentioned by Marilyn Jager Adams¹, by themselves, children usually conceive spoken language as a combined thought rather than composed of individual words which can be broken down to phonemes (sounds). Since Rainbow Rummy cards consist of single words, they can be manipulated to facilitate the understanding of what a word is and its use in sentences. By learning the word first and then being taught to split off the initial sound, the concepts of letter sounds and names can be introduced and reinforced. Once the learner masters about twenty-five Rainbow Words/Rebuses, a great deal can be gained in regard to phonemic awareness by playing Rainbow Rummy and being involved in other activities using the cards. Also, since splitting off sounds is an auditory activity, it can be practiced any time, without pencil and paper. Other activities that promote phonemic awareness include asking such questions as,

Until a certain mastery of these basic concepts occurs, it is a good idea to briefly present a few (as fun puzzles) each session. The Rainbow Rummy cards can make it more of a game. For example, the tutor can direct the pupil to turn over the top card of the deck and ask, "what is the first sound of this word?" or, after placing the spread-out upside-down cards on the table, the tutor says, "Find two cards that begin with the same letter. Read the words and say the beginning sound." (The fact that the "t" in "that" has a different sound than the "t" in "table" can be discussed if the pupil brings up this point, by saying that, "English is sometimes odd and doesn't always follow the rules. When 'h' comes after 't' the sound of both together is different than either one separately. Together they sound like the first sound of 'this,' 'that,' and 'the.'") The concepts involved in phonemic awareness are very important to be understood early in one's reading career. Rainbow Words have been used in the above examples for consistency and also to facilitate the use of visuals as needed. Obviously, other words can and should be used as well.

Continuous assessment of letters. Until all the letters have been learned, it is a good idea to regularly test the pupil on the knowledge of letter names and sounds. That portion of the Tailored Reading Inventory can be used, and the same instructions can be followed, but it is best scored on the Letter Names and Sounds Inventory, especially made for this purpose, since three tests can then fit on the same sheet for easy comparison. The test looks like this:

                                          # Names U correct __/26     # Names L correct __/26    # Sounds correct __/26
       N    S           N    S             N    S               N    S            N     S            N    S              N    S            N     S               N     S
      u l               u l               u l                   u l                 u l                 u l                  u l                  u l                   u l
1. b_ _ __    4. n_ _   __    7. k_ _ __    10.   o _ _ __    13. x_ _ __    16. e_ _ __    19. d _ _ __    22. w _ _ __    25. y _ _ __
2. u_ _ __    5. a_ _ __    8. g _ _ __    11.    i _ _ __    14. t _ _ __    17. j _ _ __   20. r _ _ __     23. z _ _ __    26. m _ _ __
3. l _ _ __    6. s_ _ __    9. c _ _ __   12. qu _ _ __     15. h_ _ __    18. v_ _ __    21. p _ _ __    24. f _ _ __

Beginning phonics instruction: Once the concept of "splitting off the first sound" is mastered, sounds of specific letters are more easily learned. For example, let us say that the pupil is learning the sound of the letter "b." He should be taught how to split off the first sound of a "b" word, such as "baby" (with the rebus of "baby" accessible if the child has forgotten what the combination of letters b-a-b-y means). It is best to, at first, only use words whose initial letters can be isolated without the possibility of taking with them adjacent consonants. For example, "table" is better than "train" for this purpose. As an intermediary step, it is initially OK to pronounce the vowel sound that follows the isolated consonant in that word, working towards a more pure sound. When the pupil understands the concept of splitting off initial sounds and is able to isolate them fairly easily, phonics instruction can begin using the Sound Module, involving the specific identification of the initial sounds of the Rainbow Words worked with thus far.

As mentioned previously, music is, in general, an excellent tool to help teach what might otherwise be too heavily reliant on rote memorization. "Song of the Sounds" is a musical aid to help teach the sounds of letters by splitting off initial sounds of Rainbow Words.

The short vowel sounds, the ones usually taught first, are more difficult for pupils to distinguish since they are so similar as compared to the consonants. Most reading programs use key words; the first letter of each produces the vowel sound under consideration. However, without a "hook," it is often difficult for at-risk readers to remember the correct key word. To remedy this, a special rebus has been created to represent the common key word for each of the five vowels; the visual-auditory association becomes the link that enables the pupil to quickly recall the key word. In effect, the pupil is provided with a means with which she can re-teach herself the sound, similar to the "Alphabet Song," which enables the pupil to figure out the names of the letters. For example, the rebus for /a/ is

, to remind the pupil of an apple (sliced open to look more like the letter). If the sound of "a" can't be remembered while sounding out a word, she remembers the look-alike "apple" and splits off the /a/ sound, which can then be used to blend with other letters. Of course, internalizing the

/a/ connection takes more reinforcement for some learners than others, but practice does pay off.

Blending sounds into words. Once the pupil learns the isolated sounds of the desired word, he is led to blend them together. This can be done in a few ways, and since sound blending is one of the most crucial skills necessary for independent reading, "whatever works" is a good attitude for the tutor to employ.

A good first step is for the pupil to learn that (short) /a/ and /t/ blended together make the /at/ sound (and word). The tutor first writes "a" on a piece of paper and asks the pupil for its sound, reviewing the "apple" lesson, if necessary. A few spaces to the left, "t" is written, and its sound is discussed, perhaps using the Rainbow Word, "table," and its rebus,

. Then the tutor, pointing to the top of the "a," (not to obstruct the pupil's vision), says and elongates its sound (/aaaaaa/) while slowly moving the pointer to the top of the "t." As the pointer touches the "t" the tutor says /t/. The pupil repeats, and is asked to think of the word that is made with these sounds by shortening /aaaaaa/ and saying the sounds very close together.

Of course, /at/ also represents the last letters of a "family" of words that can begin with several consonants, and the next step is to add one of these to the mixture. Let's take "c" from "car" (or "cake"). The pupil is taken down the same path as just before with the /at/ combination. While some learners have little difficulty blending /c/ + /at/ = "cat," others may need a slightly different approach. Another possibility is to start off by blending /c/ + /a/ = /ca/. Once the first blend has been established, continue to add the final sound, /t/. Using this when necessary usually does the trick.

[Note: The Tailored Reading "shorthand" for CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) is "^O^," in which "^" represents any consonant and "O" represents any vowel. These new symbols and others, representing blends, digraphs, etc., facilitate a more efficient means of communicating a specific level of phonics. They are discussed further in the Phonics Symbols section of the Sound Module page to provide a quick understanding of what phonics elements are involved in a specific activity or writing selection.]

"Song of the Sounds" is an effective way to teach and reinforce letter sounds with the help of the rebuses. While the activity can be done with one pupil, who would receive a copy of the following Alphabetical Rainbow Word Rebus Chart, singing is often more effective with a group. Since the vowels are best taught using their special Vowel Rebuses (a discussion of which is found in the Sound Module), the shape of which looks like the shape of its associated letter, these are used rather than those on the regular rebus sheet.

The Alphabetical Rainbow Word Rebus chart is presented here. The letters and rebuses are printed in alphabetical order (with red consonants and green vowels) in the phrasing of the alphabet song, to enable the learner to use it for both songs. Below the chart are the words to the "Song of the Sounds."

I know what the sound of "a" is,
I know what "a" sounds like.
I just think of the word, "apple,"

Because the first sound of "apple" is /a/.

I know what the sound of "b" is,
I know what "b" sounds like.
I just think of the word, "boy,"

Because the first sound of "boy" is /b/.

(and so on, not necessarily in abc order)

Additional information concerning phonics instruction will be found on the Sound Module page.

Footnotes 1. Beginning to Read: Thinking and Learning About Print. Mariilyn Jager Adams. Summary prepared by Steven A. Stahl, Jean Osborn, and Fran Lehr. Center for the Study of Reading, The Reading Research and Education Center, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1990, p. 52

a apple	b boy	c car	d dog	e elephant	f flies	g goat
h his	i indian	j jumped	k kitten
l looked	m my	n near	o octopus	p pony
q queen	r rides	s sits
t table	u umbrella	v violin
w which	x xylophone	y your	and	z zebra