Making Words

Last week I discussed how I helped a group of special education students control for serial order. This week I want to recommend a word study activity that is extremely effective for children who have serial order difficulties: making words. The procedures are simple yet powerful. Choose one of the sequences from pages 278 or 279 of my book.  After you have students make a word, show them how to break it at the onset and rime (sh-ake). This is the same process they can use during reading to break apart words they don’t know. Then have them make another word by changing one letter (shake - shame).  Say break it (sh-ame), say it (/sh/ - /ame/), make it (shame).  Students love this hands-on activity, and it clearly demonstrates how to take a word apart.