Excerpted from Ladders to Literacy: A Preschool Activity Book, Second Edition by Angela Notari-Syverson, Ph.D., Rollanda E. O'Connor, Ph.D., & Patricia F. Vadasy, M.P.H.

Copyright © 2007 by Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Main Purpose

To develop sensitivity to smaller units of sounds within words

Personal names have a special status as high-frequency words that also have socioemotional significance. Young children are especially motivated to read and write their own names and the names of their friends, so they may be more interested also in learning about the sounds in these names.

Materials

Children's photographs, printed names, and letters in their names; pictures and objects that start with the same sounds as children's names

Description of the Activity

Letters in their own names are generally the easiest for young children to learn. There are many opportunities for children to see their names and those of their peers during daily classroom activities (e.g., on artwork, cubbies, the class birthday list). In addition to helping children recognize their names and learn the names of individual letters, it is important to teach them to pay attention to the individual sounds in these names. During large-group activities, ask children to talk about the sounds in their names ("Tell me a sound you hear in your name.") Children usually know the initial sound of their name better than the other sounds. Have a variety of visual props available—photographs of the children, pictures and objects that start with the same first sound as the names of children so they can find other words that start with the same sound as their name. Ask children to identify other sounds in their name. ("Tell me another sound you hear in your name.") After the initial sound, children tend to learn the last sound of their name.

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

Print Awareness

Symbolic representation: pictures
Print: writing
Letter–sound correspondence: single sounds and letters

Metalinguistic Awareness

Perception and memory for sounds: words, phrases, phonemes
Phonological skills: alliteration, segmentation

Oral Language

Vocabulary and syntax: words and sentences
Literate discourse: conversations

Adult-Child Interactive Behaviors

High Demand/Low Support

Children identify individual sounds in their names and in those of peers. They also identify names of peers and objects that start with the same first sound as their own name. They will identify two sounds (e.g., first and last) in their name and say a word that starts with the same sound as their name.

Providing feedback: Make comments about objects and pictures and see if children repeat any words that start with the same first sound as in their name.

Cognitive structuring: Help children understand the difference between a letter name (e.g., b) and its sound (/b/).

To help children isolate sounds, suggest that they say only the first or last little bit of a word.

Task regulation: Exaggerate the first (and last) sounds of children's names by stretching or iterating.

"Oooo-ofelia. Thomassssss."

"D-d-d-daniel. Kevin-n-n-n."

Provide children with examples of words that do and do not hstart with the same first sound as their name. Ask them to choose the one that starts with the same first sound as their name.

"Taneesha. Which word starts the same as Taneesha—Erika or Tami?"

Say each child's name, leaving out the last sound for children to fill in.

"Charl... ."

Instructing: Tell children to listen carefully to a particular sound.

"Listen for the /k/ at the beginning of your name."

"Listen carefully to the /o/ at the end of your name."

Have a more skilled peer identify the first sound in a child's name or another word that starts with the same first sound. Model lists of words that start with the same sound, and ask children to add a new word.

"Briana. Bear, bus, brown...What other words start like Briana?"

Medium Demand/Medium Support

Children say their name, identify the first sound in it, and recognize objects and pictures that have names that start with the same first sound as their name does. They will identify the first sound in their name and recognize words that start with the same sound.

Providing feedback: Ask children to label some objects and pictures and decide whether each word starts with the same first sound as in their name.

Cognitive structuring: Help children understand the difference between the letter name (e.g., b) and its sound (/b/). Tell children to listen carefully to the first little bit of the word.

Task regulation: Exaggerate the first sound of a child's name by stretching or iterating.

"Zzzz-ack."

"B-b-b-bella."

Provide children with examples of words that do and do not start with the same first sound as their name starts with. Ask them to choose the one that starts with the same first sound as their name.

"Alex. Which word starts the same as Alex—Anna or José?"

Use gestures or visual cues to drraw children's attention to the first sound in their names. For example, raise a finger while you say the first sound of their name; point to the first letter on a card with the child's name; give the child a card, block, or tile with the first letter of his or her name.

Instructing: Tell children to listen carefully to a particular sound.

"Listen for the /m/ at the beginning of your name."

Say two words that start with the same sound and ask children whether they begin with the same sound.

Point to an object or a picture with a name that starts with the same first sound as in the child's name.

Low Demand/High Support

Children say their name, then listen to the adult repeat their name and emphasize the first sound. They will repeat the first sound in their name.

Cognitive structuring: Tell children to listen carefully to the first little bit of their name.

Task regulation: Exaggerate the first sound of children's names by stretching or iterating.

"Vvvvv-veronica."

"W-w-w-will."

Use gestures or visual cues to draw children's attention to the first sound in their names. For example, raise a finger and use an animated expression while you say the first sound of a child's name; give the child a solid letter or an object to hold with the same first sound as the child's name.

Instructing: Use peer models.

"Nick, what's the first sound in Katia's name?"

Say the first sound of children's names and ask them to repeat the sound.

"Katia. /K/. Say, '/k/' after me. /K/."

Ideas and Adaptations

Comments: The focus of this activity is on identifying sounds in words. However, printed letters and names, letter tiles, blocks, and solid letters can be used to practice letter–sound correspondence or to provide visual cues as needed.

Adaptations: Use sign language, gestures, pictures, and props to assist children who have a hearing impairment. Visual props also work well with children who have attention difficulties.

Home Link: Parent/Family Activity (see Appendix B): First Sound; That's My Name!