Level 2: Stop & Start
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
Stop & Start
GOALS: syllable splitting & sound (phoneme) blending
Materials:
a list of words orally familiar to the child
books and stories being read to the child
animal names
common household objects
Directions:
Say a word and have the child repeat it. EX: /cat/
MODEL: a “start” symbol (thumbs up) and then repeat the word slowly, so each individual sound (phoneme) is distinctly heard. After each sound (phoneme) use a “stop” signal (open hand, palm forward) EX: /c/ /a/ /t/
Ask children to say the modeled word. EX: /cat/
Now have the child slowly say the word, starting with the “start” symbol (thumbs up). As they begin to pronounce the word, use the “stop” signal (open hand, palm forward) to stop them after the initial consonant sound. EX: /cat/ . . . /c/
Repeat with other words
HELPFUL TIPS:
Always model first until the child is comfortable with this activity.
Begin with one-syllable words.