These children may need a variety of activities to help them understand that what is written on a page is actually the spoken word, written down. Word Awareness Recite a familiar nursery rhyme and invite children to chime in. Explain that the rhyme, like all language, is made up of words. Recite the rhyme again, clapping for each word. Change a Word Have children sit in a circle for a game of repetition and word change.
Play continues with several children providing substitutes for the designated word.
Word Count Write the numbers 2 through 6 on separate cards. Mix up the cards and place them face down on the table. Invite children to take turns choosing a number, reading the number out loud, and then creating an oral sentence that contains that number of words. Other participants listen to determine if the sentence contains the correct number of words and if it expresses a complete thought. Ask the children to represent each word in the sentences with a counter, bead, or other token.