Phonographix stumbling block..ideas???

Breaking down multisyllable words can be helped by studying prefixes, roots, and suffixes. I use some books from this website: http://www.etc-ne.com
Their links are messed up right now (little company) but the materials on morphology are excellent. Chunking off affixes will often reveal the word—assuming that the student can use one or two simple rules for adding them (changing “y” to “i” and dropping silent-e, etc.) I teach synthetic phonics—both whole-to-part and part-to-whole because students will “see them differently” and we use them differently to read and to spell.

Getting that first syllable broken down is essential. I like some of LiPS stuff on vowel flexibility, too. I like their endings grid, too. I can’t find my Seeing Stars manual right now…Maybe Victoria or another would give some ideas from that program.

Try to get the student to see the base word or root word. I don’t know what the Phonographix book says, I just know what I would do using the 4-5 methods and programs with which I work.

I agree with Susan on teaching the roots. One book I use and is only $10.00 is available from EPS. It is called Solving Language Difficulties. It goes through the syllable types and the roots of words with lots of practice. Also, if he is still having articulation issues with these words he may also have phonemic awareness issues and still stuck in some developmental Phonological processes. What did the SLP say to you that has been working with him?

I would print the prefixes, suffixes and roots of the words on cards and make up silly words using the cards that he can play with. For instance ending grid…tion, says shun not tie on like many kids I have worked with state. pretion could be a word that he would have to take the printed cards and make with the prefix pre and the suffix tion.. Make more words like that using prefixes and suffixes and other vowels and roots…until he gets the hang of the multisyllabic words..

This is one of the places where the labels for things like vowels might help- or maybe not.

He may be segmenting and blending just fine actually- but the increased length of a MS word is throwing him back to his old habits. Do not despair:)

He needs to see the chunks in the words instead of looking at them as one long string of letters. One thing I might do within the PG lesson is to only present one chunk at a time- have him read it and then cover it with a post-it or something and do the next chunk. Then uncover the first one and do them together. Repeat as needed until he is doing on his own. If there is a third chunk- don’t uncover it until he can do the 1st two smoothly.

If he were an OG student we would be talking about/reminding about vowels and there role in syllables somewhat socratically- what is a syllable? the part of a word with a vowel sound - how many vowels do you see etc… there is a litany that also involves visual patterns for syllable division.

Robin

The way that he will learn to decode unknown MS words is by decoding the MS words that he knows. I just remediated two teenage boys this summer whose problem was short vowel sounds in small words. They decoded cat, sat, fat, etc. Did you have him decode all of the words at the He should have been decoding all of the words in the advanced code and by now, he should be used to it. If you didn’t have him decode those words, then you should back track and do it.

I teach the roots, suffixes and prefixes as well after PG, not before. If he can’t decode MS words, he won’t be able to decode the base words etc. He would continue to memorize.

This could just be a snag that works itself out — I would definitely toss in some nonsense syllables/words for practice, or at least to see if there are any gaps.

You could use a pencil and scoop under the syllables when he’s stuck to break it up for him. You can also practice reading multisyllable words in isolation — there are some lists on my site (www.resourceroom.net)

I had a young lady who was a fantastic sight reader - has this incredible visual memory. (Most kids with good visual memories don’t do as well with words as with “real” stuff… not this kiddo.) What I ended up doing with her was doing daily practice with multisyllable nonsense words like plentinurgy. I had a sheet of ‘em and she’d tackle a group of 16 or so (and usually there was one totally arcane real word in there too so she’d try to guess which one…) Now, she really read well enough to get through most things — but she liked the challenge and wanted to learn and had fun with it. It’s not an exercise I’d toss at most kids :)

I was surprised I didnt see this in the book(perhaps I missed it)

Since he is such a visual guy, I made flash cards of the sound pics. If it had more than one sound, I put the no. down in the corner so he knows how many to say. I think I need to have him truly see them in isolation as he is inclined to sight read ‘snow’ and THEN announce ‘ow’ says ‘oe’ w/o really getting the concept he was supposed to get. Yeah, I know he says it, writes it, and underlines it but……he is still ‘cheating’.

Cant do that with the multisyllable words because he doesnt recognize them as easily and he’s upset! Reverting to old habits and tears.

Ill try using the cards tomorrow

Im also concentrating on the syllables in isolation, hiding part of the word. Will definitely look up the nonsense words on that site for practice.

Also, chilling out a little. If we didnt hit a stumbling block, it wouldve been worthless after all-review instead of teaching and progress. We will keep plugging away.

I’d have a set of prefix cards and make sure you teach both long and short syllable prefixes. I’d also use LMB’s ending grid - I ADORE that grid! With most kids, it’s like a light goes on in their minds when they realize they can decode words with bizarre endings.

I use the book “Vowel Power” also for the standard way of breaking up syllables.

AND, most importantly, using prefix, root, and suffix cards, make lots and lots and lots of nonsense words. Kids really like this. We make up meanings for these nonsense words too and put them into sentences, just for fun, and it’s a good way to help the kids relax as they’re working. Kids who are sight word memorizers HAVE to work with nonsense words so that they’re relying on skills learned instead of trying to guess what sight word it might be.

Use a small white board (different colored markers work nicely) to do some word building and word breaking activities. “Find the base-word” would be one word-breaking game for the whiteboard. Magnetic cards or letters word nicely for word-building—but can use white boards, too. Put the affixes and roots on magnetic cards and include in other word building games, if desired.

Here is a fun technique that I’ve used with good success for students with RAN issues: Draw two lines on an index card to form four squares. Write the prefix, root, or suffix in the upper left corner. In the corner below write the definition (i.e. “tract” means “to drag or pull”). In the upper right corner have the student write a word that makes a personal connection (such as “tractor”) and in the bottom right corner, draw a picture of something that helps you connect with the word. Some like to put the definition on the back to play a flash card game or what not. There are variations. Be creative. The idea is to use different learning styles to aid memory. If student cannot draw, skip that part or cut out pictures and glue on. Use clip art, whatever.

Have student use the words in writing. A must to see how they are doing syntactically and semantically.

I had 6th grade students work in groups to create new inventions using root words. They made an advertisement for the new product. We had such things as the trash-tractor (a device for taking trash to curb and pulling the container into the garage again) and many, many other fun ones. I like social learning opportunities, too. It is a memory help for many students.

Well there you go- you know where the problem is then. He is having trouble with the choices when they come up in contexts that aren’t intrinsically meaningful- like syllables. Sue is right I think- nonsense words will help here because they will force him to focus on the sound sequencing (and remembering) away from the meaning. Practicing choices is why PG sends you back to the earlier chapters I think- especially with advanced code where choices are the name of the game. Making up practice sheets with nonsense syllables that match the different sections of the advanced code could be really helpful. Let us know how it goes!
Robin

Boy, nonsense words were *rarely* popular with my old folks ;) They had so many years of using context and at *least* knowing that the thing they were guessing at was a word.

Mine love them. Because they think they’re funny (the older kids like to come up with nonsense swear words), I use them as a break from the harder work. I DO encourage them to let their silly side come out with inventing nonsense words and meanings. But it’s a great method because you can teach them meanings of some roots and suffices and then invite them to create their own words that way.

This worked great with my son. He loved it, it gave him a competence he didn’t really have yet with real words, but he felt he was making progress andit gave him a secret language to talk with his tutour who was the most important person in the world to him ( and beleive me I didn’t mind) for especially the first 3-4 weeks. We were in a special position since his LIPS tutour actually lived with us and he got sort of all day reinforcment but it was cute watching them make up nonsense words all day.