Here is info about phonograms so you can understand what they are and how to use them:
*NOTE*
Many excerpts for these instructions were summarized from "Alpha Bits for Children" (Montessori International Reading Program)and from my reading and understanding of the "Writing Road to Reading" by Spalding. You can order their (Montessori's) materials (nice to have cards NOT on the computer too!)from: Oatmeal Angels.
A phonogram is a "single letter or combination of two, three or four letters which is the symbol for one sound in a given word." Each of the seventy phonograms (as seen in the presentations I made...each presentation has 10 phonograms each in order) taught represents a SINGLE sound. There are forty-five sounds in the English alphabet but only 26 letters. So, phonograms include not only the letters of the alphabet but also combinations of two, three and four letters.
These 70 phonograms were systematically organized over thrty years ago by Anna Gillingham for Dr. Samuel Orton, an eminent neurologist and brain specialist.
How to show phonograms to your child:
1. Preview the phonogram cards before showing them to your child so that you can correctly pronounce the sounds. You will be saying all of the sounds that are represented by the phonogram. Double quotes indicate that you should say the sound of the letter or phonograms in quotes, not the name(s) of the letter(s). For example, if you see the letter d in quotation marks like this: "d" say the sound of the letter as you hear it in the pronunciation word (lid). Don't say the name of the letter "dee". The names of the letters can be taught later (or you can do as I have done and say, "dee says d"). If the card says O (like the O of coat) and your child is under 18 months, say only "O". If s/he is older you can give the rule: "This is O as in coat".
The pronunciation words in parenthesis will guide you as to which sound(s) to make. You are not meant to say them out loud. Note for(y) there are four sounds as heard in yo-yo, hymn, cry,and daddy. When presenting the phonogram to your child, you would say (the sounds for each y....a y sound, short i sound, long i sound, ee sound). Be careful not to pronounce a vowel sound when saying a consonant sound. For example, if you are showing the card for h say "h" with a "breathy expulsion" of air with your mouth open. Don't let the sound come from your throat as "huh".
2. After you've practiced the phonograms, present them to your child. Depending on his attention span, you can present as many or as few as he will look at. Ideally, he should work up to seeing all 70 at least twice a day for 2 weeks (hmmm...don't think Benjamin is ready to sit still for that just yet LOL)
3. Prepare the enviornment for optimal learning. The room should be free of noise and distraction (we mute the tv for card sessions) as the computer is in the family room.
4.Pick a time when your child is well rested and happy.
5.Be enthusiastic! (be silly, have FUN!!!!)
6.go through the cards quickly. Ten cards should take 10 to 15 seconds.
7. To ensure your child's success and to keep him motivated, let him know how pleased you are with the good work he has done. (hugs and kisses afterwards! maybe a tickle or a toss in the air :)
Once your child is familar with phonograms, you can begin showing him how to build words...Whenever you read to your child or teach him new words, pick a few words to sound out with him so that he will learn how sounds are blended into words.
(for those of you I'm sending this to with older kids...I'm looking into printing the little books I made for my son when he was first learning how to read. They are illustrated and really cute :)
A recommendation I have is to buy "Bob Books" (for the older kids, not the babies). These books are also a good way to start....as always too...Dr. Suess books are great for beginners.
Now, here are the letters in order for the first phonogram presentation *note: when I say long o just say the long sound of o....I can't "draw an o with a line over it so that's why I put that....short o would be the short vowel sound of o (like in the dictionary an o with the curvey smile over it)...so that's what I mean when I put that :)
1. a "a" (apple) "long a" (acorn) "ah" (want)
2.c "k" (cat) "s" (city)
3.d "d" (had)
4.f "f" (if)
5.g "g" (big) "j" (gentle)
6.o "short o" (otter) "long o" (open)
7.s "s" (see) "z" (has)
8.qu "kw" (queen) Always write q with u
9.b "b" (lab)
10. e "short e" (egg) "long e" (she)
11. h "h" (hat)
12. i "short i" (igloo) "long i" (idea)
13. j "j" (jam)
14. k "k" (pink)
15. L "l" (lad)
16. m "m" (jam)
17. n "n" (pan)
18. p "p" (sip)
19. r "r" (run)
20. t "t" (tent)
21. u "short u" (us) "long u" (universe) "oo" (push)
22. v "v" (verse)
23. w "w" (wiggle)
24. x "ks" (fox) "z" (xylophone)
25. y "y" (yo-yo) "short i" (hymn) "long i" (cry) "long e" (daddy)
26. z "z" (zoo)
27. er "er" (her)
28. ir "er" (first)
29. ur "er" (nurse)
30. wor "wer" (works)
31. ear "er" (early)
32. sh "sh" used at the beginning of a word, at the end of a syllable, but not at the beginning of ANY syllable after the first one, except for the ending ship. (shop)
33. ee "ee" (knee) double e always says "ee"
34. th "th" (think) "th" (this)
35. ay "long a" (way) 2 letter long a sound that we DO use at the end of English words
36. ai "long a" (main) 2 letter long a sound that we DO NOT use at the end of English words
37. ow "ow" (cow) "ow" (row)
38. ou "ow" (sound) "long o" (soul) "oo" (youth) "short u" (trouble)
39. aw "aw" (law) that we DO use at the end of English words
40. au "au" (haul) that we DO NOT use at the end of English words
41. ew "oo" (new) "long u" (few)
42. ui "oo" (suit)
43. oy "oy" (boy)
44. oi "oi" (oil)
45. oo "long oo" (zoo) "short oo" (book) "long o" (door)
46. ch "ch" (child) "k" (echo) "sh" (chef)
47. ng "ng" (long)
48. ea "long e" (each) "short e" (bread) "long a" (great)
49. ar "ar" (car)
50. ck (duck)
50. ck "ck" (duck) 2 letter "k" used only after a single vowel which says: short a, short e, short i, short o, short u
51. ed "ed" (landed) "d" (called) "t" (picked)-past tense ending
52. or "or" (sort)
53. wh "wh" (wheel)
54. oa "long o" the o of (boat)
55. ey "long a" (obey) "long e" (turkey)
56. eigh "long a" (sleigh)
57. ei "long e" (conceit) "long a" (beige) "short i" (counterfeit)
58. igh "long i" (night)
59. ie "long e" (shield) "long i" (lie)
60. kn "n" (knot) 2 letter used only at the beginning of a base word
61. gn "n" (gnat) (sign)
62. wr "r" (wrench)
63. ph "f" (phone)
64. dge "j" (badge)
65. oe "long o" (toe)
66. tch "ch" (watch)
67. ti "sh" (action)
68. si "sh" (mission) (division)
69. ci "sh" (special)
70. ough "long o" (dough) "long oo" (through) "uff" (tough) "off" (trough) "aw" (sought) "ow" (bough)
