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VIDBE - Q Volume 62 Issue 4
I continued to use the Elkonin Boxes, adding som e visual complexity by placing
the vowel magnet within the box (see Figure 3). This way, I could say the word "cat" and
she could identify the consonants from their sounds. But we could change "cat" into "bat"
using the same vowel and final letter. We work ed mostly with words ending in "at". Those
words included bat, sat, hat, pat, rat, cat, mat, fat. But we also worked on map, mom, at,
far , bet , met, net, get, set, if and it . By the end of the summer, Alice could sound out or
blend the words listed above. She could also spell all the words with verbal assistance
except if, it, rat, get, and net . Her favorite word was fat .
Figure 3. Elkonin boxes with added visual complexity.
Reading instruction and book mechanics. Alice had a great understanding of
what print/book mechanics was and how to use a book. She could name many parts of a
book and knew that reading takes place from left to right and top to bottom. She also took
charge of page turning, and did so appropriately. She was able to answer or demonstra te
the following questions, "Which way do we read? Where do I start when I start reading?
How should I hold the book? Where is the front of the book? Which way do I turn the
pages ?"
