Using the Tools You Have
Sometimes, we as teachers and caregivers get bogged down in the idea that we have to buy all the latest and greatest tools to help our kids learn to read. However, this does not have to be the case. I have found great benefit out of using the tools around me. One such tool that proves to be quite valuable is the sticky note.
Word Families
A sticky note is very helpful when working with word families. You have the rime written down, then add a sticky note in front with a consonant on it to create a word within that family. The child can then write the word on their own into their “word family dictionary”.
Decoding and Reading Words
When we start reading words, it can be daunting for children. They get lost in all the letters and frequently get the sounds jumbled up when they try to blend them together. A sticky note is a great tool to chunk the word into readable portions. For example, you can cover up what comes in front of the vowel and read just that part. Once your child or student has read this portion correctly, you cover the vowel and ending and allow the student to focus only on the beginning sound(s). Finally, you remove the sticky note and read the two chunks of the word together.
Separating the Affix from the Base Word
Another use for the sticky note is when we are trying to read derivatives, or words with affixes added to them. Children can struggle to read the word due to the added affix. If we can “hide” that affix and allow them to read just the base word, it becomes a lot more manageable. After the child has read the base word, you can remove the sticky note and read the base word WITH the affix.
Expanding Vocabulary Through Morphology
Lastly, we can use sticky notes for creating words with multiple affixes attached. This expands a child’s vocabulary and helps them see the relationship between words. Morphology also helps children read and understand unknown words by them being able to identify parts in a word. For this exercise, we write all known affixes on the sticky notes. We then add a few useful base words. The student then takes the sticky notes and creates new words. This exercise doubles as a refresher for spelling rules, allowing the child to articulate the rules and why a word is spelled the way it is.
