Download Match, Point To, Name

Match, Point To, Name
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The following pages provide examples of one way to teach word recognition. This method works for teaching letters, numerals, colors, shapes and any kind of identification
task a child might need.
The teaching sequence of Match, Point to, and Name represents interactions between teacher and child on a gradient of difficulty where children’s learning is scaffolded by the
teacher.
This distinction allows the teacher to value the level of knowledge the child has, constructing a path for making the child’s knowledge of letters and words more secure and
flexible while reading and writing.
However, the teacher must keep in mind that the level of difficulty of this method of teaching letters and words must match the child's ability. In addition, the same level of
difficulty must be echoed during all interactions with children at a specific level of learning. Teachers should use this type of teaching in conjunction with other helpful
techniques for learning, such as "3 ways of remembering" (movement—using the hand, voice—saying and hearing it, visual form—seeing it).
This gradient of difficulty is determined by the level of knowledge a child has about a word. The child may be at a Match level for one word or letter but at a Point To level
with a different word. Thus, you may be doing a Match activity with 1-2 words or letters in the set and a Point To or Name Activity with another 1-2 words or letters. Our goal
is to move these words or letters from a match level of knowledge to a name level with automaticity and flexiblility.
Division of Responsibilities
Discriminate the Letter
Teacher
Child
Child
Match
Point To
Name
Name the Letter
Teacher
Teacher
Child
Procedure
Match
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Teaching Implications
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This is the easiest level of difficulty.
Construct a set of cards that have know and partially known words printed on
them. Begin with 3 - 5 words of varying color, font and upper/lower case letters.
Include, handwritten as well as typed cards to develop flexibility with known
words.
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can
can
go
CAN
can
go
The teacher then shows the child a word and identifies it for him, saying, "You find all
the other cards that have ‘go’ printed them." The child picks up the cards and says
the words as he picks them up.
Sort
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When a child has difficulty matching words (as described in the above section), the
teacher shifts to an activity that requires sorting the words to provide practice noticing
the likenesses and differences in words.
A child at this level of word recognition
needs much support from the teacher.
Books should be selected or made that
repeat (or echo) the same words that they
are identifying on the cards.
Many times the words are words the child
can write but cannot read. If so, the words
used during the shared reading, interactive
writing, and conferencing/guided reading
lessons should echo these same words.
Construct a set of words of many different types (can, go, to, in, play, look). It is not
necessary for the child to be able to read all the words. Ask the child to sort the words
in one of the two ways that follow:
OPEN SORTS
The child is given a set of words cards and is told to sort them in any way possible.
The child might sort by:
1. Words containing the same letter;
2. Words with the same number of letters;
3. Words with the same starting letter;
4. Words with the same ending letter;
5. Big words and/or little words.
Ask the child to tell how he/she chose to sort the words.
CLOSED SORTS:
If the child has difficulty choosing a way to sort the words in an open sort, the teacher
tells the child a way to sort words. For example, put all the words that have two
letters together. Continue suggesting categories as mentioned in the open sort above.
Point To
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This type of teacher/child interaction is a bit more difficult.
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All cards are placed face up and include some known words, partially known
words and unknown words. The unknown words serve as possible alternatives the
child must eliminate as not being the word he IS asked to locate.
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The teacher says the name of the word for the student (e.g. “Show me go.”). The
student must identify the word named by the teacher in the group. The child
locates and reads all the words “go” he locates. It is important for the teacher
notice if the child always has a prefers one style of writing while choosing from
the many different formats, fonts, letter types and colors of words on the cards.
(For example, notice if the child always picks up the "all caps" word first, or if the
child recognizes "the" but not "The".)
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Certainly, teachers should continue to
include ways to echo these words during
the lesson.
Before reading a new book, the teacher
may ask the student to identify one of his
known words on a page to serve as an
anchor during reading. “The word ‘go’ is
on this page. Point to ‘go.’” An activity
like this could become one of the predict
and locate choices used during the book
introduction. Repeated identification of
words or echoes such as this during the
lesson provides for overlearning, making
words being taught known words or
"stones in the creek” or words the child
knows in a series of unknown words.
A child who loses one-to-one matching,
mismatching text can be asked to locate the
word(s) they know in a sentence. Then,
they are asked to reread the page using the
word they pointed to as and anchor.
Some other options may include providing
the child with the necessary magnetic
letters saying, "Make the word 'go'."
Echoing, of course, the words you are
using on the word cards. By saying the
word aloud as the child constructs it with
magnetic letters is also a “Point To”
activity.
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Often children cannot identify words in
their reading that they can write well. If
they come to a word in reading they can't
recall, ask them to write the word on the
carpet, in rice, or on a white board. Then
say, "Go back and reread this page.” An
example would look like this…
√ √ ?
I see the
• Say to the child, “Go to the carpet and
write the word ‘the’." Child writes
“the” correctly. Then, say, "Come
back and reread this page."
• Movement is important and saying the
word as they write it helps the child to
notice the characteristics of the word.
The teacher can also have the child
describe how the word looks.
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Name
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Name is the highest level of difficulty, yet performing at this level is often what
we automatically expect from a child. Often children are being expected to
perform at a "name" level when they confused about words and how they are
formed. An example of this is a child who attempts reading the word "go" and
says, "’Is,’ ‘was’, no its ‘got’.” These children can say names for many words,
but they can't match them to the correct visual form of a word.
In the past, teachers often used flash cards that required children to function at the
"name level" and found that some children merely became more frustrated and
confused about words. Thus, when the activities suggested at this level do not
work, more flashing will just cause more confusion about the words you are
teaching. Move back in the sequence to "point to, "match", or "sorting".
When the child can complete all the previous levels accurately, begin "name
level” activities to encourage rapid, fluent recognition of words. Place the cards
face up and say to the child, "Find a word you know and tell me what it is." Or,
if the child is well on his way to developing a set of known words, ask the child to
pick up words randomly, naming them. Requiring them to do this quickly has
been called a “word spree” to foster quick, fluent recognition of words.
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When a child reads an entire book
correctly, don't forget to ask them to go
back and locate (point to) the words you
have been teaching.
Ask children functioning at this level with
a set of words to look at a page while you
ask, "Show me a word you know." This
requires a child to identify their own
known or anchor before reading, by
scanning the text and naming known
words. Teachers must continue to provide
echoes and links to words for these
children during parts of the lesson until the
child acquires a group of words as a base
for further learning.
Early in this stage, give the child magnetic
letters a known word and say, "Make a
word you know.” Activities like this are a
means of continuing to reinforce those
"stones in the creek,” and encourage a shift
from letter work to word study.