untitled

Ladders to Literacy

A Kindergarten Activity Book

SECOND EDITION

by Rollanda E. O’Connor, Ph.D. University of California at Riverside
Angela Notari-Syverson, Ph.D. Washington Research Institute Seattle
Patricia F. Vadasy, Ph.D. Washington Research Institute Seattle

First Sound and Last Sound Bingo

Main Purpose: To identify first and last sounds and match sounds and letters.

The child gains practice in recognizing the first sound in words and in making sound–symbol correspondences.

Materials

Bingo cards with 16 randomly arranged pictures
Letter cards or chips (see pp. 181–182) with s, t, p, and m (four of each, shuffled), or any set of four letters and sounds to be practiced.
(This game is designed as a practice activity for children who already know the first sounds of a few words and the sounds of the four letters: s, t, p, and m, or the combination to be used that day.)

Description of the Activity

Let each child select a bingo card, with pictures of the following randomly arranged in a 4x4 array: pie, tree, moon, snail, mouth, star, pencil, tooth, truck, man, sun, mouse, snake, puppy, train, and pen. Shuffle the letter chips and place them face down. In turn, have each child draw one letter and look for a picture of an object that starts with the letter. Have the child place the letter on the picture, and then let the next child take a turn.
(Note: Children can also use blank markers to cover a picture that starts with the letter drawn. Increase the variety of pictures and first sounds as children learn more letter sounds.)

This activity develops the following behaviors and concepts related to early literacy:

Print Awareness
Print: letter identification
Letter–sound correspondence: Single sounds and letters

ADULT–CHILD INTERACTIVE BEHAVIORS

Phonological Awareness
Children will play the game independently.

Providing feedback

Confirm correct choices as a model for other children.
“Yes, telephone starts with /t/, so you put the t on the telephone.”

Task regulation

Use only letter sounds that children know thoroughly.

Instructing

Tell children the sound of the letter, and ask them to repeat it along with words that begin with that sound.

Medium Demand/Medium Support

Children may need assistance with the sound–symbol correspondences for the letters they draw. They will play the game with limited numbers of letters.

Open-ended questioning

Ask children who cover their pictures appropriately to explain their choice.
“Why did you put the s on the snake?”

Providing feedback

Praise children who correctly cover their pictures.
“Yes, you put the s on the snake because snake starts with /sss/.”

Task regulation

Use only the four letters that children know most thoroughly and the same 16 pictures, arranged in random order, so that all children can place a letter on a picture with each new letter drawn.

Low Demand/High Support

If some children do not know letter sounds or how to identify the first sound in words, then adults can use this game as a teaching tool.
Children will learn one letter–sound correspondence and select pictures of words that begin with that sound.

Instructing

After providing feedback, allow children who have difficulty to take another turn with the same letter sound.
“John put his s on the star. Sssstar starts with /sss/. Where would you like to put your s?”

Ideas and Adaptations

Comments: Toward the last half of kindergarten, play the game with last and medial sounds.

Home Link

Parent Activity: Encourage parents to make a First Sound booklet with one of the letters targeted by the game board.

First Sound Bingo—Demonstration page





pie	mouth

	货车	蛇
	戴太阳镜的人	狗
	太阳	火车
	老鼠	笔

mouth, star, pencil, tooth

pie, tree, moon, snail