What's included
10 live meetings
5 in-class hoursHomework
1 hour per week. I will ask students to think up an example of an initial sound or rhyming word that goes along with what we learned in class. (I will give the specific prompt in class.) This homework is just one more chance to practice what we've learned and apply it to words that matter to them. In the subsequent lessons, we will add these to a word wall. This will constitute one check for understanding.Assessment
There will be frequent checks for understanding throughout class. I will have a daily grade sheet that I will use during class to ensure that all students are participating and responding correctly to various prompts. Caregivers should feel free to request a progress update at any time. In addition, I will be communicating regularly with caregivers about what I observe. Our very brief homework assignments, which involve finding or thinking up a word based on a prompt and bringing it to the next class, constitute another form of assessment.Grading
Grades are available upon request. I will not assign letter grades, but I do use notes from class and homework to assess student success. The descriptors I use are as follows: Developing proficiency: These are students who are developing their skills and have been exposed to the content, but they are not yet confident in their work. Their responses are accurate less than 60% of the time. Proficient: Students who are growing in confidence and are accurate 61%-80% of the time will be deemed proficient. They still have some work to do, but they are on their way to mastery. Advanced: Students who are completely confident and respond accurately 81-100% of the time have an advanced understanding of the subject matter.Class Experience
US Grade Kindergarten - 1
This class will meet two times per week for five weeks. These ten lessons are designed to build your child's phonological awareness. Students with strong phonological awareness can understand and manipulate the sounds that make up words. Being able to do this is critical for literacy development. These lessons are highly structured, but there are plenty of opportunities to have fun too. For these lessons, expect your child to engage through lots of verbal responses. What we'll do: We learn about words that rhyme, and we become keen observers of the sounds at the beginnings and endings of words. Students won't just listen passively. They'll say these sounds aloud and notice patterns along the way. We practice essential reading skills such as blending, which they can use whenever they meet a new word in the wild. In each lesson, we play a game and read a story to reinforce and apply what we've learned. The books we use are all selected from the Reading A-Z library. I project the books onto the screen so that your child can follow along as I read. I model fluent, expressive reading for them. We wrap up with a brief discussion of each book. My teaching philosophy: I believe that students learn best when they are not afraid to try. I operate off of and encourage a growth mindset in my lessons. I also provide an encouraging and safe environment for students. My purpose is to empower students to grow their reading skills while also having fun with their learning. Common Core State Standards addressed in these lessons include: For Kindergarteners: Phonological Awareness: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.2 Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes). CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.2.A Recognize and produce rhyming words. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.2.B Count, pronounce, blend, and segment syllables in spoken words. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.2.C Blend and segment onsets and rimes of single-syllable spoken words. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.2.D Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in three-phoneme (consonant-vowel-consonant, or CVC) words.1 (This does not include CVCs ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/.) For 1st graders: Phonological Awareness: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.1.2 Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes). CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.1.2.A Distinguish long from short vowel sounds in spoken single-syllable words. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.1.2.B Orally produce single-syllable words by blending sounds (phonemes), including consonant blends. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.1.2.C Isolate and pronounce initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in spoken single-syllable words. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.1.2.D Segment spoken single-syllable words into their complete sequence of individual sounds (phonemes). Scheduling note: I do not run classes during federal US holidays. If there is a holiday, I have scheduled the class for the next weekday at the usual meeting time.
Learning Goals
Students will build phonological awareness. They will be able to identify rhyming words, develop syllable awareness, develop the ability to discriminate between sounds, and they will practice strong listening skills.
Syllabus
Standards
Aligned with Common Core State Standards (CCSS)10 Lessons
over 5 WeeksLesson 1:
Humpty Dumpty
We will identify rhyming words that end in the /all/ sound when reading "Humpty Dumpty". Then, we'll play a rhyming game. We'll clap out the individual words and then syllables. For sound discrimination, we will practice saying and hearing the differences between the following sounds: /m/ and /s/. At the end of class, we'll apply what we learned as we read the book 'Happy Cat and the Hats?' In addition to working on phonological awareness, we will practice discussing our reading.
30 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Little Miss Muffet
We will identify rhyming words in "Little Miss Muffet." Then, we'll play a rhyming game. We will clap out the individual words and then syllables. We will practice saying and hearing the same and different words for word discrimination. At the end of class, we'll apply what we learned as we read the book 'Jelly and Jam.' In addition to working on phonological awareness, we will practice having discussions about our reading.
30 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
One, two, buckle my shoe
We will identify rhyming words in "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe". Then, we'll play a rhyming game. We will clap out the individual words and then syllables. For sound discrimination, we will practice saying and hearing the differences between the following sounds: /n/ and /f/. At the end of class, we'll apply what we learned as we read the book 'Nuts in My Nest' In addition to working on phonological awareness, we will practice having discussions about our reading.
30 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Little Boy Blue
We will identify rhyming words in "Little Boy Blue". Then, we'll play a rhyming game. We will clap out the individual words and then syllables. For word discrimination, we will practice telling whether words are the same or different. At the end of class, we'll apply what we learned as we read the book 'The Digging Dog'. In addition to working on phonological awareness, we will practice discussing our reading, making predictions, and expressing opinions about what we've read.
30 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Learning Needs
I have experience working with students with many learning differences including ADHD and dyslexia. I meet students where they are, and I can adapt materials to support students.
Supply List
Students may wish to have paper and a pencil or a whiteboard and a marker if they enjoy writing what they hear. These are completely optional. I will provide any curriculum materials required for these lessons.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Teacher expertise and credentials
South Dakota Teaching Certificate in Elementary Education
Master's Degree from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
I am a certified K-8 Reading teacher. In addition to teaching upper elementary school in the brick-and-mortar classroom for several years, I have also taught thousands of ESL lessons online for students aged 4-14. I currently offer 1:1 virtual reading intervention (based on the Science of Reading) for students in grades 1-8.
Reviews
Live Group Course
$20
weekly or $100 for 10 classes2x per week, 5 weeks
30 min
Completed by 1 learner
Live video meetings
Ages: 5-6
1-3 learners per class