Multi-Level Dictation Meets Word Families

Kudos to Beth Gleisten, Literacy Network’s Community Literacy Coordinator, for this tip. Beth takes the concept of the multi-level dictation (see previous tutor tips message on the blog), and applies it to teaching word families. Below you can see a super-simple passage she wrote to feature the short ‘i’ sound. As with all dictations, you first read the passage aloud to the learner. Then you give him or her the passage with blanks for them to fill in. The attached documents have higher-level dictations, i.e. more blanks. Beth has categorized them by color. “Green” is the easiest, “blue” has more blanks and “red” is, of course, the most challenging.
The idea, in this case, is to reinforce the idea of the short ‘i’ by using word families. By repeating the pattern, the learner begins to see the connection between the letter and the sound. You can find more phonetically similar stories like this one in Angling For Words, Voyager F and other phonetically intense texts. Also, the Bob Books come to mind. Sometimes phonetic stories look a little like typing exercises because of the limited set of letters they use.

To paraphrase an insurance commercial, "cut, paste, print." As always, comments and questions are warmly welcomed.

A Big Visit

Jim is a big kid. He is six years old. Jim visited his sister Mindy in the spring. Mindy is twenty-six years old. Mindy has a thin chin, big lips and wears a thick wig. The visit was not good. Jim was sick on the first day. On the second day, a pin hit him in the shin. On the third day, he wanted to swim so he took a dip in the lake. A fish was swimming in the lake and bit Jim. On the fourth day, he tried to kick a soccer ball but slipped and hurt his rib. On the fifth day, a kid hit him in the chin. This was Jim’s limit. On the sixth day Jim took a ship back home.

A Big Visit _ level 1

Jim is a ________ kid. He is six years old. _________ visited his sister Mindy in the spring. Mindy is twenty-six years old. Mindy has a thin __________, big lips and wears a thick wig. The visit was not good. Jim was ___________ on the first day. On the second day, a pin hit __________ in the shin. On the third day, he wanted to swim so he took a ___________ in the lake. A fish was swimming in the lake and ____________ Jim. On the fourth day, he tried to kick a soccer ball but slipped and hurt his ___________. On the fifth day, a ____________ hit him in the chin. This was Jim’s ­­­­­­­­­____________. On the sixth day ___________ took a ___________ back home.

A Big Visit _ level 2

Jim is a _________ kid. He is ___________ years old. _________ visited his sister Mindy in the ___________. Mindy is twenty-six years old. Mindy has a thin __________, big ______________and wears a thick wig. The visit was not good. Jim was ___________ on the first day. On the second day, a ___________ hit __________ in the shin. On the third day, he wanted to ____________ so he took a ___________ in the lake. A ____________ was swimming in the lake and ____________ Jim. On the fourth day, he tried to ___________ a soccer ball but slipped and hurt his ___________. On the fifth day, a ____________ hit him in the ______________. This was Jim’s ______________. On the sixth day Jim took a ____________ back home.

A Big Visit _ level 3

Jim is a _________ ________. He is ___________ years old. _________ visited his __________ Mindy in the _________. Mindy is twenty__________ years old. Mindy has a thin __________, big ________and wears a __________ __________. The _________ was not good. ___________ was ________ on the ________ day. On the second day, a ___________ hit __________ in the ________. On the ________ day, he wanted to _________ so he took a ________ in the lake. A ________ was _______________ in the lake and ____________ Jim. On the fourth day, he tried to ___________ a soccer ball but ___________ and hurt his ___________. On the ___________ day, a ____________ ___________ him in the ______________. This was Jim’s ______________. On the _____________ day Jim took a ____________ back home.

Jim is a _________ ________. He is ___________ years old. _________ visited his __________ Mindy in the _________. Mindy is twenty-_________ years old. Mindy has a thin __________, big ________and wears a __________ __________. The _________ was not good. ___________ was ________ on the ________ day. On the second day, a ___________ hit __________ in the ________. On the ________ day, he wanted to _________ so he took a ________ in the lake. A ________ was _______________ in the lake and ____________ Jim. On the fourth day, he tried to ___________ a soccer ball but ___________ and hurt his ___________. On the ___________ day, a ____________ ___________ him in the ______________. This was Jim’s ______________. On the _____________ day Jim took a ____________ back home.