Guest Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Many children in my nursery seem to struggle with 'alliteration' - how do others teach this, but perhaps more to the point, how do you assess i.e. what are your expectations of this aspect of literacy. I'd be grateful to hear any comments! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_7677 Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 children seem to struggle with this, but i believe our expectations are too high! I encourage my staff to use rhyme and alliteration throughout the routines commenting on their names for e.g. snack time someone beginning with an 'T' and encouraging them role modelling some alliteration, 'Tyler's turn today', it is very hard to assess, some children just seem to get it and will offer up ideas of their own. I also deliver phonic time with a drawstring bag of items beginning with same sound, this is easier (with 4 children) who demonstrate their knowledge, last week was 'p' and only 1 child out of the 4, when it was his turn to choose an item out of the bag, not only named the item but when i asked him if he could think of something else beginning with a 'p' he could, but the other 3 didn't grasp the concept at all. It is the same with rhyming, they either get it or not, at lunch time couple weeks ago, one child talking about 'jelly', i commented 'oh jelly in your belly' and 'jelly in your wellies' one or two commented, jelly on your chin, nose etc. so not grasped the rhyming idea. Think children have to be exposed to lots of allit and rhyme over period of time, 'drip feed'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 Oh I am so with you on this one. No problems with rhyme but alliteration is something else! I only expect two words, but even that isn't always easy to grasp. Will watch this thread with interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_3307 Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 I think it's really not about generating tongue twisters. You have to see what "Alliteration" means in the context of very young children. It will mean something quite different for 11 year olds! The letters and sounds phase 1 puts the focus on awareness of the initial sounds of words and being able to hear that words can start with the same sounds. It's about tuning in to what they hear and the units of sound/speech. So what you are looking and listening for is that recognition that some words start with the same sound and being able to isolate that sound from others, which they could be demonstrating without being able to produce poetic alliterative phrses!! This leads them into the aspects 6 and 7 where they are hearing more distinct sounds in the order they occur. Cx 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 I think it's really not about generating tongue twisters. You have to see what "Alliteration" means in the context of very young children. It will mean something quite different for 11 year olds! The letters and sounds phase 1 puts the focus on awareness of the initial sounds of words and being able to hear that words can start with the same sounds. It's about tuning in to what they hear and the units of sound/speech. So what you are looking and listening for is that recognition that some words start with the same sound and being able to isolate that sound from others, which they could be demonstrating without being able to produce poetic alliterative phrses!! This leads them into the aspects 6 and 7 where they are hearing more distinct sounds in the order they occur. Cx So ... I choose a 'special helper' and write the child's initial on the board; many hands go up to identify the phoneme ... "yes, that's right it's a /b/ ... /b/ for Bethan, well done - yes, that's right it is your initial Bethan. Oliver? Yes, /b/ for ball - good. James? And /b/ for bear - well done." This sort of conversation happens at every session, the children are well-versed in generating more words that begin with a particular sound - but if asked to provide the final word of an alliterative sentence e.g. 'silly Simon sat on a ssss... (sock? snake?) they do not find it so easy. For the children who are generating words with the same initial sound then, they are showing awareness of alliteration. Thank you Catma. x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_3307 Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 (edited) Well I'd say they are - It sits in C+L understanding and it's the recognition and understanding of the similarity,not being able to give a word that I'd focus on, after all there are so many different options for "silly Simon sat on a ssss..." and to be honest, it becomes more like "guess the correct answer" which usually ends up with noone saying anything because they've all learned there's a correct one and don't want to get it wrong!!!! And it does only say "shows awareness"! Cx Edited February 23, 2013 by catma 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_4562 Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 Hi, when I plan any activities for rhyme or alliteration I do LOTS of demonstrating, chanting together - using objects or pictures, reading alliterative phrases and telling the children what the initial sound is. I remember on a phonics course being told to be cautious of asking children to generate their own rhymes or alliterative words (before they've REALLY got it) as they often remember the wrong ones not the correct ones! As others above, also do lots of on-going activities, if your name begins with ... etc. In terms of assessment, I find that children often just start coming out with their own, they just say "o is for octopus" etc. Green Hippo x 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_7677 Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 the thing is children have to be exposed to lots of rhyme and alliteration before they 'get it', and like catma says it is all about 'awareness' so it is work in progress Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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