STRENGTHENING AUDITORY SKILLS

STRENGTHENING AUDITORY SKILLS

 You are your child’s first teacher and working with them at home will help your child be ready for school.

Tips to increase letter-sound skills

One of the most important skills children need for reading is to understand that every letter makes a sound. Many times we focus on having kids naming the letter but forget to teach the sound it makes. Here are some tips on how to teach your child this skill:

·        focus on one letter at a time start with consonants then add vowel sounds

·        Introduce the letter with sound alone first “B makes the b sound…Can you make that sound?” Have your child make the sound.

·        Have your child look at your mouth when you make the sound and talk about what your mouth is doing “When I make the b sound I put my lips together watch…b…Can you do it?” or “When I make the s sound my tongue is behind my teeth…it sounds like a snake…sss…can you do it?”

·        Next have your child listen for words that start with that sound. Begin with a choice of two “Which word starts with the b sound banana or apple?” Gradually add more choices up to 5.

·        When reading with your child, ask which word on this page starts with a letter you have reviewed. Then show them how that word is written.

·        Riding in your car is a great time to review letter sounds. You can play a game like I am thinking of something that starts with the b sound, it is yellow and it is a fruit...” or “I am ordering a hamburger, French fries and pop… which one starts with the h sound?”

Tips to increase auditory memory skills

Auditory memory is another skill that is very important in school. Remembering directions and teacher instruction is essential for success.

·        After giving the child a 2-3 step direction, have the child repeat it back to you (i.e. “Brush your teeth, go upstairs and get your pajamas on.. What do I want you to do?).

·        Play memory games such as “I’m going on a picnic and I’m going to bring…” each person adds something and then needs to name what everyone before them will bring. You can make it a sound-letter game as well by going through the alphabet or sticking with one letter if that is easier.

·        Playing “Go fish” when the child needs to remember what other players have in order to make a match

·        Teach your child their phone number, your cell number and address by using a song(i.e. row, row row your boat, or B-I-N-G-O)

·        After reading a story, have your child re-tell it to you. You can start off doing page by page and then build to the whole story. You can encourage your child to play ‘teacher” by re-telling to a stuffed animal or younger sibling to enhance memory skills. Remind them that they can use pictures to help them remember what happened.