ESOL Resources

• Cut out letters from paper, magazines, or use refrigerator magnets. Have your children spell words by using letters that match the sounds they hear. Start with simple three letter words like cat, mop, or nut.

The reading tips below can also be accessed on this website in other languages.

https://www.colorincolorado.org/reading-tip-sheets-parents

Ideas for practicing words at school and at home.

∗ GO UP THE STAIRS

o Put a word on each step. The child says each word as he/she walks up the

stairs (they can lie on the floor if there are no stairs). Say it first or put

the same word on each step until the child masters a few. Add a few

at a time

∗ FLASHLIGHT FUN

o Give the child a card and ask him or her to "write" the word on a wall in a

dark room with a flashlight

∗ HIDE AND SEEK

o Hide the letters of a word around a room. Have the child find the

letters one at a time. After he/she finds all of the letters, see if he/she

he/she can rearrange them to form one of his/her frequently used words.

∗ CONCENTRATION

o Make 2 sets of flash cards to play concentration games. Spread our various

pairs of matching words on a table. As your child turns over each word,

he/she must read them. If they match, he/she keeps them. If they

don't match, they are flipped over.

∗ WHAT'S MISSING?

o The child places 3-4 words on a table, identifies the words, and then closes

eyes while the parent eliminates a word. The child identifies the missing word.

Then, the parent closes eyes and lets the child eliminate a word.

∗ PAINTING WORDS

o Paint words on cement with water

∗ RHYMING WORDS

o Play rhyming games such as "I'm thinking of a word that rhymes with

cat and starts with /b/. What is it?"

∗ SOUND SUPPRESSION

o Play deletion games such as "What is cart without /c/?" (Art).

∗ RAINBOW WORDS

o Write your words with one color. Outline them in another color.

Continue until you have used 5 colors.

∗ DELICIOUS WORDS

o Write your words in whipped cream, peanut butter, or anything you can

eat.

∗ DIRTY WORDS

o Write your words in mud or sand.

∗ 3D WORDS

o Use thinly rolled play dough to make your words.

∗ MAGAZINE WORDS

o Use an old magazine or newspaper to find your words.

∗ ANIMATE YOUR WORDS

o Pretend you are a cheerleader and shout out your words.

∗ SOUND WORDS

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

The reading tips below can also be accessed on this website in other languages.

https://www.colorincolorado.org/reading-tip-sheets-parents

• Say a word and have your children repeat the word, slowly stretching out each sound. Then have them write the letters that match the sounds in the word.

Ideas for practicing words at school and at home.

∗ GO UP THE STAIRS

o Put a word on each step. The child says each word as he/she walks up the

stairs (they can lie on the floor if there are no stairs). Say it first or put

the same word on each step until the child masters a few. Add a few

at a time

∗ FLASHLIGHT FUN

o Give the child a card and ask him or her to "write" the word on a wall in a

dark room with a flashlight

∗ HIDE AND SEEK

o Hide the letters of a word around a room. Have the child find the

letters one at a time. After he/she finds all of the letters, see if he/she

he/she can rearrange them to form one of his/her frequently used words.

∗ CONCENTRATION

o Make 2 sets of flash cards to play concentration games. Spread our various

pairs of matching words on a table. As your child turns over each word,

he/she must read them. If they match, he/she keeps them. If they

don't match, they are flipped over.

∗ WHAT'S MISSING?

o The child places 3-4 words on a table, identifies the words, and then closes

eyes while the parent eliminates a word. The child identifies the missing word.

Then, the parent closes eyes and lets the child eliminate a word.

∗ PAINTING WORDS

o Paint words on cement with water

∗ RHYMING WORDS

o Play rhyming games such as "I'm thinking of a word that rhymes with

cat and starts with /b/. What is it?"

∗ SOUND SUPPRESSION

o Play deletion games such as "What is cart without /c/?" (Art).

∗ RAINBOW WORDS

o Write your words with one color. Outline them in another color.

Continue until you have used 5 colors.

∗ DELICIOUS WORDS

o Write your words in whipped cream, peanut butter, or anything you can

eat.

∗ DIRTY WORDS

o Write your words in mud or sand.

∗ 3D WORDS

o Use thinly rolled play dough to make your words.

∗ MAGAZINE WORDS

o Use an old magazine or newspaper to find your words.

∗ ANIMATE YOUR WORDS

o Pretend you are a cheerleader and shout out your words.

∗ SOUND WORDS

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

The reading tips below can also be accessed on this website in other languages.

https://www.colorincolorado.org/reading-tip-sheets-parents

• Ask your children to draw a picture of a family activity. Have them write a sentence about it below the picture. Encourage your children to say the sentence and write letters to match the sounds in each word. Then have them read what they wrote.

Ideas for practicing words at school and at home.

∗ GO UP THE STAIRS

o Put a word on each step. The child says each word as he/she walks up the

stairs (they can lie on the floor if there are no stairs). Say it first or put

the same word on each step until the child masters a few. Add a few

at a time

∗ FLASHLIGHT FUN

o Give the child a card and ask him or her to "write" the word on a wall in a

dark room with a flashlight

∗ HIDE AND SEEK

o Hide the letters of a word around a room. Have the child find the

letters one at a time. After he/she finds all of the letters, see if he/she

he/she can rearrange them to form one of his/her frequently used words.

∗ CONCENTRATION

o Make 2 sets of flash cards to play concentration games. Spread our various

pairs of matching words on a table. As your child turns over each word,

he/she must read them. If they match, he/she keeps them. If they

don't match, they are flipped over.

∗ WHAT'S MISSING?

o The child places 3-4 words on a table, identifies the words, and then closes

eyes while the parent eliminates a word. The child identifies the missing word.

Then, the parent closes eyes and lets the child eliminate a word.

∗ PAINTING WORDS

o Paint words on cement with water

∗ RHYMING WORDS

o Play rhyming games such as "I'm thinking of a word that rhymes with

cat and starts with /b/. What is it?"

∗ SOUND SUPPRESSION

o Play deletion games such as "What is cart without /c/?" (Art).

∗ RAINBOW WORDS

o Write your words with one color. Outline them in another color.

Continue until you have used 5 colors.

∗ DELICIOUS WORDS

o Write your words in whipped cream, peanut butter, or anything you can

eat.

∗ DIRTY WORDS

o Write your words in mud or sand.

∗ 3D WORDS

o Use thinly rolled play dough to make your words.

∗ MAGAZINE WORDS

o Use an old magazine or newspaper to find your words.

∗ ANIMATE YOUR WORDS

o Pretend you are a cheerleader and shout out your words.

∗ SOUND WORDS

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

The reading tips below can also be accessed on this website in other languages.

https://www.colorincolorado.org/reading-tip-sheets-parents

• Have your children cut a picture from a magazine and write a story about the picture.
• Tell your children a story and have them write their own ending for it.
• Have your children write letters and thank-you notes to friends and relatives.
• Have your child help make a grocery list for the family

• Have your children cut a picture from a magazine and write a story about the picture.
• Tell your children a story and have them write their own ending for it.
• Have your children write letters and thank-you notes to friends and relatives.
• Have your child make a grocery list for the family

Teaching sequencing-

article by Reading Rockets

Kids easily learn that one thing follows another. Their routines at home provide great examples, and are a good introduction to the concept of sequencing. For example, first we eat dinner, then we take a bath, after that we read stories, and finally we turn out the light.

Helping children sequence also develops their scientific inquiry skills. In order to study or observe changes in something, students must follow along and record changes. The changes happen in a particular order, which kids can document by writing or drawing pictures.

Here are a few activities that families can do that provide children with sequencing practice. As you try these, try to include the vocabulary of sequencing, which includes words such as first, then, next, finally, or first, second, third, last.

• Cut or tear out the pages from an old calendar. Mix up the months and hand the stack of pages to your child. Ask your child to order the months from January to December by laying the pages out on the floor. Which month goes first? Then which one? Which month is last?
• Create a "sequence of events" story. Start with a sheet of paper divided into 4 large squares. (For older children, you can create more blank sequence squares on the sheet.) Pick an activity your child is familiar with, such as making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or brushing his teeth. Ask your child to draw the steps of the activity — one step per square in order from beginning to end.
• Bring some science into the mix! Download, print, and cut out our 8-page mini-book How Bees Make Honey and work together with your child to put the pages in the correct order. Your child will learn some great vocabulary, too — words such as "proboscis" and "evaporate."
• Use your story time books as models. The books you read together provide a chance to talk about a sequence of events. After you finish a book, ask your child what happened first? And then what happened? How did the book end? To extend this idea, write each event on a separate index card or popsicle stick. Ask your child to put the cards (or sticks) in order.

• Have your children cut a picture from a magazine and write a story about the picture.
• Tell your children a story and have them write their own ending for it.
• Have your children write letters and thank-you notes to friends and relatives.
• Start keeping a journal