TOP TO BOTTOM - LEFT TO RIGHT

Sometimes I think we put "the cart before the horse" when it comes to teaching young children to read. Here are some tricks and tips for helping children learn some basic concepts about print.


Magic Fingers
Have children hold up their pointer and explain that it is their “magic finger” to help them read. Put a little spritz (magic lotion) on their finger. Use the finger to touch the front of the book and the back of the book. Touch the top of the page and the bottom of the page. Sweep your magic finger under each line from left to right.


When You Read You Start at the Top
Children can sing this song to the tune of “London Bridge” as they practice the movements:

When you read you start at the top,
Start at the top,
Start at the top.
When you read you start at the top
And go to the bottom of the page.
When you read go left to right,
Left to right,
Left to right.
When you read go left to right
And then go to the next line.


Yummy Pointers
Give children Bugles to put on their fingers to practice following a line of print. They can eat them when they are finished.

*Pretzel sticks also make edible pointers.

Finger Pointer
Glue a fake fingernail to a craft stick. What an engaging way for children to track print from top to bottom and left to right!




Envelope Bookmark
Cut a diagonal corner off an envelope. (One envelope will make 4 of these.) Let children decorate these with markers. Practice reading books and putting the bookmark on the upper corner to “save your place.”

Simon Says
Each child will need a book to play this variation of “Simon Says.”
Simon Says show me the front of the book.
Simon Says show me the back of your book.
Simon Says show me the first page in your book.
Simon Says show me the last page in your book…

LEFT TO RIGHT

Training eyes to move from left to right and then reverse sweep is a key to beginning reading and writing. A simple, yet powerful way, that teachers can do this is through modeling. Make it a habit to sweep your hand from left to right under words or lines of print on charts, big books, white boards, and so forth.

Right & Left Song
(Tune: “Up on the Housetop”)
Here is my right hand way up high.
(Hold up right hand.)
Here is my left hand touch the sky.
(Hold up left hand.)
Right and left and roll out of sight.
(Roll hands around.)
Now I know my left and right.
(Hold up left and then right.)

Hint! Focus on the right hand because then what is “left” over will be their left.

Sticker
Put a sticker on each child’s right hand and then play “Simon Says” or the “Hokey Pokey.”

Bracelet
Let children make bracelets out of pipe cleaners and wear them on their right hand. Throughout the day call attention to their right hand…right ear…right leg…right foot, etc.
Lotion
Rub lotion or scented lip balm on each child’s right hand.

Flag
Trace around your right hand on construction paper and cut it out. Place it near the flag so children can visually match up their right hand and then place it over their hearts.



Poem
Hold up your hands and stick out thumbs and index fingers as you say:
Which is my left? Which is my right?
Sometimes it’s hard to tell.
But when I stick my thumbs out straight,
My left will make an “L.”

Left From Right(Anthony Corbo aka “Mr. Kindergarten” taught me this song.)
(Tune: “Mary Had a Little Lamb”)
I want to learn my left from right,
Left from right, left from right.
I want to learn my left from right,
I try with all my might.
The left hand makes the letter L,
Letter L, letter L.
The left hand makes the letter L,
Hurray, now I can tell!

Tracking Left to Right
Draw tracks on sentence strips similar to the ones shown. Children can drive cars or move animals from left to right.



Hint! Make a green dot where they are to begin and a red dot where they should end.

Top to Bottom Song (Dawna Hunter)
(Tune: “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes”)
Top to bottom,
Left to right.
Top to bottom,
Left to right.
My mind knows that writing always goes
Top to bottom,
Left to right.