Hearing and identifying syllables in words will be a main focus in my Kindy class this term. We will work on both aspects of syllabification - blending parts together to form a word (e.g. r-a-t the word is rat) and identifying the "beats" in words. In order to master this skill the students will require lots of time and opportunities! I find that short sharp sessions which allow all students to participate are ideal for teaching this skill.

One of the ways I plan to have the students practise this skill every day is to use these picture cards during transitions.

Before each transitions the students will be shown a card, they will then have to tap the syllables of the word on their body. I find that body taps are much easier for the students to do as compared to hand claps - sometimes the claps continue long after the word has ended! For those of you who are wondering, body taps work like this: 1 syllable - tap head, 2 syllables - tap head, shoulders, 3 syllables - tap head, shoulders, hips, 4 syllables - tap head, shoulders, hips and knees.

During literacy rotations we will be playing the syllable house game. Before playing this game in your class you will need to download the game cards and house templates (the house templates can be used in the rhyme house game as well - 2 birds 1 stone!). To play the game each child is given a house and identifying card (e.g. 1 syllable, 2 syllables etc). The identifying card is placed at the top of the house. All of the game cards are then placed face down on the table in front of the students. Each child then selects a card and identifies the syllables in the word. If the number of syllables in the word matches their house number then the picture card is placed into a window of their house. If it is not a match the card is returned face down to the table. If you would like to make the game a little quicker the teacher could show the card to the whole group and they could all identify the syllables in the word. Then the student whose house it belongs to can claim it and place it on their house. The winner is the first person to fill all their windows.

Happy game playing peeps!

Remember keep calm and pretend it's on the lesson plan!

Top Teacher xx