Balanced Reading

Action Words supports a BALANCED READING approach.

The brain needs to be “wired” for reading, ensuring a balance between whole language skills, synthetic phonics and analytic phonics. Action Words helps to create the brain’s word bank providing words in their whole shape form for direct recall during reading and spelling.

 

 

 

 

The logographic stage (lower circuit)

  • Children naturally begin learning simple words based on their shape.

  • This is called direct learning and can occur before any instruction in letter/sound relationship has been taught.

  • The brain memorises words and accesses them directly.

  • Children begin to create a word bank.
 

 

 

 

The Reading Process as observed during EEG's

When Santa got stuck up the chimney his wife said he couldlet have any more plum pudding.

  • The brain reads known words (Lower circuit)

  • It spots something wrong. (Lower circuit)

  • It tries to make sense. (Lower circuit)

  • It uses phonic strategies to work out the unknown word. (Upper circuit for Synthetic Phonics. Lower and Upper circuit working together for Analytic Phonics)

  • It checks for meaning. (Lower circuit)
 

 

 

 

Learning Styles

Learning occurs most easily when information is presented through the pathways of your strongest modalities or learning channels - i.e. auditory (hearing), visual (seeing) and kinaesthetic (body movements and touch).

Some children will have a definite preference for one learning style while others will be a mixture of 2 or have no particular preference. In order to accommodate everyone it is vital to offer visual, auditory and kinaesthetic activities in each lesson.

Action Words teaches children to read, spell and understand high frequency words through ACTIONS, PICTURES and SPEECH.

LOOK at the picture

Approx 29% of children are visual learners. They learn through looking at word shapes, sizes and colours, drawings, pictures, puzzles, graphics, crosswords, word searches, writing, TV etc

DO the action

Approx 37% of children are kinaesthetic learners. They learn through body movements such as action games, finger rhymes, role play, drama, puppets, re-arranging, cutting and pasting, lacing, card games, board games, learning activities involving clapping, tapping, hopping, jumping, nodding etc.

SAY the word.

Approx 34% of children are auditory learners. They learn through listening to the spoken word, songs, raps, rhymes, phonics, explanations, questioning, discussions, reading aloud, etc

Some learners have a strong preference for a particular style, and some have a mix of the above.

The most effective learning activity incorporates a

visual, auditory and kinaesthetic strategy.

 

 

 

 

The Action Words strategy:

Action Words is a successful learning strategy because it creates associations in the brain. As we learn we take in information through our senses and emotions. This information enters our short term memory. Some of it will then enter long term memory and some will be lost for ever. The more associations we have with a memory the greater the chance that it will be retained.

Action Words provides activities to create strong associations with words through visual, auditory and kinaesthetic links.  Children are encouraged to say the words in context using different voices, emotions, levels of sound, facial expressions etc.