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Zoo-Phonics:
The Zoo-phonics Multisensory Language Arts Program is a kinesthetic, multi-modal approach to learning all aspects of language arts, including vocabulary development and articulation, based on phonics and phonemic awareness.
The principle of Zoo-phonics maximizes understanding, memory, utilization and transference to all areas of the reading, spelling and writing process in a playful and concrete manner.
Zoo-phonics is a method developed to make children strong readers and spellers using a “phono” (hearing), “oral” (speaking), “visual” (seeing), “kinesthetic” (moving), and tactile (touching)—whole brain approach. Students actually learn the sounds of the alphabet and advanced phonemic concepts through an easily understood, concrete method of presentation.
Zoo-phonics uses animals drawn in the shapes of the letters for ease in memory. A related body movement is given for each letter. This concrete approach cements the sounds to the shapes of the letters. Lowercase letters and their sounds are taught first (needed 95% of the time in text), capital letters and letter names are taught later.
Zoo-phonics also provides a springboard for all other academia such as math, art, music, cooking/nutrition, social studies, science, grooming, physical education and sensory/drama.
Every aspect of the program has been field-tested and found to be effective. Educational research repeatedly supports the focus of phonics in early reading programs, as well as the educational benefits of pictorial mnemonics and kinesthetic approaches to learning that are unique to Zoo-phonics.
Currently Zoo-phonics is used throughout the United States and internationally as a highly effective language arts program.
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SRA DISTAR Reading Program:
The SRA DISTAR reading program that is specifically written to teaching three-and-a-half or four-year-olds how to read. Of course, this program can be used for older children as well, but it is particularly aimed at children who have not yet learned to read. The manual uses an altered orthographic code. This code uses sounds that are read such as "sh" for words like "she" and "shop" and "wh" for words like "where" and "what". This altered orthography is a modified form of the standard long and short sounds of the alphabet. I found this system particularly useful when trying to teach larger reading words that are more difficult to sound out. The child learns what sound the two letters make together after learning what each letter sounds like individually, thus instructing the child to read the word through sounds instead of guessing what the word really is or associating it with a picture. It is the fundamentals of letter sounds that help a child learn to read correctly from the very beginning of their instruction.
Those who complete the program can read, spell, write, and comprehend the short storybooks they are given, making this program by far very effective in teaching the fundamentals of reading.
Reading is one of the most important social, academic, and fundamental skills a child will ever develop, so the sooner you can introduce your child to the concept, the smarter and happier they will be!
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©Copyright 2009 KinderPrep Preschool of Rancho Sahuarita
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