Level 2: Break It In Two
Parts of a Word
Level 2 Activities help develop an “ear” for individual sounds within a spoken word. By playing with the sounds in a word, children discover that a word can be broken into “sound units”; words to syllables, syllables to beginnings (onsets) & endings (rimes), and beginnings (onsets) & endings (rimes) to individual sounds (phonemes).
They then begin to explore the blending of sounds (phonemes) together to form spoken words. This skill is referred to as oral synthesis or decoding, and is one of the key foundational literacy skills for reading. Activities with the alphabet image include connecting the sound to letters, referred to as phonics.
Early Literacy Foundational Skills
Syllable Splitting
listen, detect, & count syllables (beats) within a word
listen & detect similar sounds at the beginning (onset) of a word
listen & detect similar sounds at the ending (rime) of a word
Sound (Phoneme) Splitting & Blending
listen & detect individual sounds (phonemes) in a word
Break It In Two
GOALS: syllable splitting & sound (phoneme) blending
Materials:
a list of two-syllable words orally familiar to the child
books and stories being read to the child
animal names
common household objects
Directions:
Say a two-syllable word and have the child repeat it. EX: /cupcake/
MODEL: how to “break” the word into two using hand motions. Pantomime holding the word with two hands (EX: two fists, side by side), then “breaking” it into two as you say the word. Say the first syllable (EX: /cup/ in the word cupcake) and move your right fist up and away from your left, turning your right palm upward. Repeat with your left fist as you say the second syllable (EX: /cake/ in the word cupcake).
Have child repeat this practice word (cupcake) with hand motions as modeled in Step 2.
Practice with with other two-syllable words.
NOTE: Always model first until the child is comfortable with this activity.
HELPFUL TIPS:
Always model first until the child is comfortable with this activity.
Begin with one-syllable words.