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Manufactured
in the U.S.
The Conventional method teaches to the left
brain only. But studies show that children learn faster,
retain more, stress is reduced and drop out rate decreases by 90%
when you teach to the whole brain.
Total
Physical Response
. TPR engages their body, brain and
senses in the learning process, and Ring Around the
Phonics (language Arts Game/ 4 years through 6th grade) uses that method of teaching. It is learning disguised as a game...Children literally beg
to play which makes your job easier.
As the children progress around the board,
they get excited about winning a "gold and
blue ring of knowledge" to crown their character. They
love the activity cards which release energy for improved focusing
and comprehension skills. Each child
finishes as a winner no matter the order in which they finish.
One parent reported that she taught all her children to
read with this game and "they loved it". She said, “they are
older now, and I keep it in the closet. When they won’t co-operate
with their language arts
lessons, I pull the it out, and teach
their lesson using the game.” She continued, “They do not have a
clue…They think they are playing!”
Note: Ring Around The Phonics has all you need to
teach
children to read (early reader books are included with the
game), but is also designed to work in conjunction with “Bob Books
and. Public school’s early reader books. Once a child learns their
first 8 sounds (s, a, m, r, n, t, o, d), they should be able to read
their first early reader book. After learning i, b, c, e, g
and long a, they should be ready to read their second book...so on
and so on. But Ring Around The Phonics can be used to teach
blending for those who do not easily transition into the books which
come with the game.
Another mother informed us that after she taught her children to read
with this game, she began teaching them “basic Spanish.” It dawned
on me, of course, one could teach any
foreign language that
uses the same alphabet. (note a few blank letter cards are included
so you can add some of the unique letters found in many languages).
It was parents and teachers who informed us that Ring Around the
Phonics not only teaches reading and phonics,
but the static cling letter
cards put them in charge allowing them to teach much
more. Below are listed more ways Ring Around The Phonics is used to help
children learn.

3. There are 336 static cling letter cards
that can be placed singly or side by
side on the board to teach
phonics, phonic blends, syllables,
prefixes, suffixes and root words which improves their spelling,
vocabulary and strengthens their ability to read the large words
that so many children struggle with. For example one can place the
word “in” one white square, “formation” on the next square , and mis
within the next (talking about its effect on the meaning of words).
The following square might be left blank so you can ask the child to
write the word misinformation, or better yet decode it in written
word (book or workbook).
4. The game comes with activity and question cards
that are not only fun, they help active
children release energy so they can focus better. But they also teach
children comprehension, communication and listening skills.
For example: One card says, “Pretend you are an airplane, fly around
the room one time, and land back in your seat.” If they fly around
and around, I say, “Oh my, someone is not listening.” It is so cute
to watch the little ones rush to their seat for your approval,
because if they fly around only
once, I say, “look at you (their name) you are a good listener,
aren’t you.” (Note: Children have the right to pass on any of the
cards they so choose. One of my gifted children chose that option as a seven
year old, but as an eight
year old chooses to do the activities).
Older children write their own activity cards, which
encourages creativity and
writing skills.
5. Working in the Florida
SES program as a tutor, I can attest to the fact that it is
great for the "Turnaround
Schools".
6. Tutors who work with
children
who have learning disabilities report that it has
exceptional results with these children as well.
7. I, personally, was reluctant to try some of the ways I was
hearing about. You know, old ways die hard. But I had some older
children who needed to do some workbooks. They hated it. So I
finally pulled out the game, and leaving all the spaces empty of
letter cards, they were required to do an activity in their workbook
before proceeding across a white space on the board. You know, they
stopped complaining. Like the mother said, “they did not have a
clue“. Try it with even math workbooks.
8. Another mother has a child who will read words on the game board,
but won’t read the books. So before he can proceed past one of the
empty white spaces, he is required to read one page from his book. I
had another child who could read and sound out anything I placed on
the board. But every time I presented a book he said, “I can’t
read.” I began telling him that before he could play the game, he
had to read his book. Suddenly the little guy could read!
9. It is not always necessary to use all the white spaces…you
might be in a hurry, or it is often too much for the younger ones.
Because the letters are removable, it is very
flexible
allowing you to adjust it to fit your needs, and that of your
child’s / children.
10. Here is something I love to do with the game. By placing one
child’s activities on the white spaces, a second child’s on the blue
spaces, and a third’s on the green spaces. (Note: continue the game
as usual) You can teach up to four children at the same time even
if they are of different ages, and learning at three different levels or subjects. I
almost always have the older children do their activities as well as
the younger one’s because it is amazing how much the little ones
learn from the older children, and how much the older children learn
from teaching. It is much like the techniques used in the old one
room school house.
I play along only if there is just one child playing, and take my turn
first. As I say a sound from the letter cards, it is amazing
to watch the child. They often visibly rehearse the
sound...not because they want to learn phonics, but because they
want to to beat me.
11. As children get older they are asked to read their own activity,
and question cards included in they game, or to
write their own,
which becomes a writing activity. One gifted seven year old
wrote a card that said, ‘You go back to start.” He kept rigging the
deck so I pulled that one It was more fun to watch him giggle when I
pulled this card, and moved my character back to start. Blank cards
do not come with the game, but the cards in the game are the same
size as a standard business card. I simply purchase the blank ones
which are sold in most office supply stores. One might even be able
to use the cards to teach history or math.
12.
The Activity Cards and Question Cards are designed to teach
comprehension and listening skills. They also make the game fun and
help children release energy. Recently I was using the game to
teach a 2nd grader, two 5th graders, and one 4th grader. The
fifth grader began telling me that "the other lady used this game,
but the way she did it was boring. I like the way you are doing
it.", he said. Out of curiosity, I questioned him, and he
explained that she only used the letters (did not tie it to their
workbook activities), and she did not use the question and activity
cards nor the blue and gold rings of knowledge.
Young children learn best while at play, and at real life experiences.
You see, children have a natural desire to learn. But that
desire is often destroyed by second grade or sooner. I often
do not use all of the white spaces on the board, But the
whole idea of the game is to make learning fun...to tap into their
natural way to learning so as to retain it for a life time.
Learning need not always be fun, but it need not always be boring
either.
13. Getting Boys To Talk
We women often communicate
while looking at one another eye to eye. But ever notice how
men rarely do that? It is not that they do not communicate, it is
that they communicate differently. Most men communicate while
doing something such as playing basketball.
So if your son is troubled by something, but is not talking about it::
write your own cards asking him questions about what you want
him to talk about, and place them in the decks provided. It is
amazing how much they open up while playing.
14. Computers games can be helpful,
and I use them, but not for teaching phonics.
Computer games typically teach the phonic
sounds incorrectly causing the
children problems when it comes time to blend them to form words.
How do I know this? As a tutor I have to clean up the mess,
and problem caused by the mispronunciation of phonic sounds.
15. In one case a seven year old taught his sister to read with this
game, but adult supervision is recommended.
16. Ring Around The Phonics
can be used to generate extra income.:
(a) Tutoring can be
rewarding and profitable.. But many families who are in need of such
services cannot afford the high cost of a tutor. By offering
to teach 3 to 4 children at a time, which is easily done with Ring
Around The Phonics, one can reduce the cost to $10.00 per child per
hour...very affordable.
(B) This game is sold on
Amazon Affiliate. By placing their widget on your blog or
website, you can earn commission...no cost to you.
Every year parents, teachers and tutors contact us all excited to share the creative
ways they are using Ring Around the Phonics to teach their children.
Perhaps I will hear from you one day.
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