Try this activity with your afterschool group this week.
Purpose: To increase understanding and sensitivity to children who have difficulty learning to read.
Materials: “Symbol/Letter Worksheets” (2 sheets). Please download below.
Activity: Hand out the “Symbol/Letter Worksheet” that has the symbol/letter pairs. Tell the students that they will have 30 seconds to memorize the symbol/letter pairs. After 30 seconds, ask the students to turn over the symbol/letter pair worksheet and hand out the second worksheet that has only 5 symbols (written horizontally). Instruct the students to write from their memory the letter that was paired with the symbol under each symbol. It will spell a word. The students are not allowed to refer back to the symbol/letter pair key while filling out the second worksheet.
Discussion Points:
• Discuss with students how this exercise is similar to how some students have difficulty reading: they have trouble remembering the meaning of symbols (letters are symbols), they become confused with the different symbols and mix them up, they remember them differently, etc.
• Discuss how they students felt doing this exercise (were they anxious or upset that they didn’t remember that pairs?).
• Ask students how they would feel if they were pressured to hurry up, and get everything perfect while doing the exercise. Tie this to how students with reading disabilities feel when they are reading aloud in class.
Materials:
