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Secret Code Actions™
PARENT EDITION SAMPLES
(click each sample image to enlarge)
Here are some samples of pages from Secret Code Actions™ Parent Edition, to help parents see how the secrets of the code are revealed in simple and fun ways. Look at all the information (segmented to keep the learning manageable) to help parents better understand the English language themselves. The Clues and Alerts will instill confidence as parents become learners themselves, to better support their child’s journey (and make it interesting and fun!).
Introduction / Guide to Using:
Click here to download a PDF sampling the first part of the book, including part of the Guide to Using.
Chapter 1: /h/
Here is the sound /h/. The slashes tell us this is a speech sound heard in spoken words. To learn to read we need to be able to go from what we hear in speech to what we see in writing that symbolizes that speech. The sound /h/ is represented by only one symbol, <h> (the angled brackets tell us this is the spelling). Note the action that will help your child learn in a fun way! Start hopping! You will see that the right-hand page contains tips for parents, including ways to help your child master the concept as well as information that will help parents know when to expect a sound-symbol correspondence to be taught in school.
Chapter 2: <h>
Here is the symbol <h>. Now we are looking from the opposite direction, from the written symbol to the speech sound that we make when we read that symbol (we need to be able to go in both directions to read and spell). As you can see, the same keyword and movement are used! Keep hopping! More tips and activities are on the right-hand side, to help you strengthen your child’s learning further!
Back to Chapter 1: /ŏ/
Wow! Look how many ways we can write the “short o” sound! Learning the Silly Story and movements will help your child remember the many options (and what fun to act out!) Younger children can learn the story beforehand, just listening to start with, and then gradually looking at the symbols (the symbol cards are downloadable for parents who purchase the book). Sing out as you learn to read and spell!
Chapter 2: <a>
Here, we are glancing at Chapter 2, seeing how the cross-referencing of keywords works. One of the three sounds that the symbol <a> represents is “short o” (in the sample above)! The keyword and movement are for this correspondence are the same as in Chapter 1 – making learning easier.
Chapter 4: Walk the Wall!
Lying down and walking the wall with your feet as you learn to read and spell? Practicing in fun ways helps children remember English spelling “rules”! This is a MOTT (which stands for most of the time!) which explains just when the “short o” sound is spelled as symbol <a> (note that you are expanding and practicing a concept presented in Chapters 1 and 2, as seen on the pages for /ŏ/ and <a> above).
Chapter 5: Split and Smoosh!
What a great way for children to practice segmenting words into sounds – and then smooshing those sounds together again! Young children love jumping – and your child will be doing that while practicing a skill that underlies reading and spelling success! Get the whole neighbourhood splitting and smooshing when you draw a grid outside this summer, using sidewalk chalk!