Return-Path: <nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id fBAEkV002230; Mon, 10 Dec 2001 09:46:31 -0500 (EST) Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 09:46:31 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <3C14CA1A.F3929225@infi.net> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Jeffrey B. Reiter" <jefcar@infi.net> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-FAMILY:478] Rainbow Rummy X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.75 [en] (Win98; U) Status: O Content-Length: 3420 Lines: 85 Hi Everyone, Many years ago I developed a deck of cards I call Rainbow Rummy that can be used as a means to promote family literacy that may be of interest. Even semi-literate parents can be trained to use the cards with their children who have difficulty “just getting off the ground” in reading, and those at higher levels enjoy them recreationally as well. Since the activities are age-neutral, adult learners, especially beginners, enjoy them too. The cards can be used in many ways, and they actually empower parents to empower children by minimizing the drudgery often associated with the beginning stages of learning to read. Total non-readers are able to construct sentences immediately using the cards. Each word, printed on a separate card, color-coded to its part of speech, has a rebus picture clue. Since the rebus is usually learned more quickly than the spelled word, it can be used to teach and reinforce the word. When the cards are placed in their color-coded positions on the sentence pattern mat, a sentence such as, “A (yellow) dog (blue) is (red) in (green) the (yellow) car (blue).” is inevitably formed. The meaning can then be, illustrated, acted out, and discussed (e.g. Can that really happen? Make up a story to explain, etc.). Aside from raising self-esteem, such positive activity enables the pupil to learn information involving word recognition, comprehension, phonemic awareness, phonics, language abilities, and other aspects of reading that can be used to further tailor instruction to the learner’s real needs. The many ways the cards can be grouped and sequenced (actually even more ways than regular playing cards), enables the playing of games and taking part in activities that promote learning through creative repetition, based upon the pupil’s specific knowledge. Games such as, “Memory,” “Go Fish,” and even “Solitaire,” are examples of this. While the method was primarily developed for pupils who have reading problems, parents, teachers, and volunteers can also use the ideas with preschoolers, with pupils learning English as a second language, adult illiterates, as well as other categories of beginning readers, including pupils having various exceptionalities. By making use of the Spanish translation of the words and their rebuses, parents who only speak and read Spanish can actually help their children learn to read English. Of course, tutoring pairs can creatively devise their own games, and change the rules of old ones. Card tricks, too are of great motivational value, especially if the words on the cards must be read in order for the trick to be performed. I may soon be negotiating with a company concerning publication. However, if there is interest, I can provide instructions for making the deck from index cards. For several years I made my own cards this way and the kids still enjoyed them. A few years ago, I learned a few basics that enabled me to begin developing a web site, www.tailoredreading.cjb.net. The site still exists, but for various reasons it has not been finished and the most important pages have lapsed into disrepair; I am hoping to soon to relearn how to put it back in order and improve upon it. If you visit the site and feel that the ideas are of interest to you, please communicate this to me. Knowing that there is an audience for this information will motivate me to work on it sooner. Jeff Reiter
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