Super Speed Letters and Phonics

≈ SuperSpeed Letters & Phonics ≈A Power Teaching Alphabet Game

For New Learners ... of any age!

Chris Biffle

Crafton Hills College

Yucaipa, California

[email protected]

SuperSpeed Letters & Phonics, copyright Chris Biffle, 2007 2

≈ Contents ≈

Introduction 4

How To Play SuperSpeed Letters & Phonics to Teach the Alphabet 7

How To Play SuperSpeed Letters & Phonics to Teach Phonics 9

SuperSpeed Letters & Phonics to Teach Phonics Sample Page 10

Superspeed Letters & Phonics For One on One Tutorials 12

Superspeed Letters & Phonics 13

Superspeed Personal Record Stars 29

For more information about Power Teaching and SuperSpeed productscontactChris BiffleCrafton Hills College11711 Sand Canyon DriveYucaipa, California [email protected]


≈ Introduction ≈

Power Teachers of Southern California is a grass roots

education reform organization founded by three instructors (Chris Biffle,

Jay Vanderfin, Chris Rekstad) in 1999. Since that time, we have presented

free teaching seminars to over 3, 500 educators representing over 120,000

students. So far as we can tell, our classroom management conferences,

offered four times a year at Crafton Hills College in Yucaipa, California,

are among the largest in the United States.

Videos illustrating our teaching strategies are available at:

www.YouTube.com/ChrisBiffle

and

http://www.teachertube.com/uprofile.php?UID=32259

More about our organization can be found at

www.powerteachers.org

In addition to offering education seminars, we also develop low cost

teaching materials focused on core knowledge (the state standards) and

basic skills (reading, writing and math.) Central to our approach is a great

deal of educational tomfoolery which produces some of the sweetest

sounds teachers ever hear, on task laughter.


http://www.youtube.com/ChrisBiffle

http://www.teachertube.com/uprofile.php?UID=32259

http://powerteachers.org/Home.html

SuperSpeed Letters & Phonics is a game designed to teach

beginning readers of any age the alphabet and letter sounds. Versions of

this game have been successfully classroom tested by hundreds of students

since 1999.

SuperSpeed Letters & Phonics is appropriate for readers from

kindergarten through 3rd grade, and can be used in remedial work at any

grade. In addition, the game adapts superbly to the needs of home

schooling and/or English learners, including adults who are taking a

beginning reading course.

Though it is not meant to replace, but only supplement, traditional

phonics based reading systems, students can successfully play SuperSpeed

Letters & Phonics even if they have no knowledge of phonics ... or even

the alphabet!

As you will see, the pedagogical structure of the game teaches the

alphabet through intensive, clearly structured repetition.

If you let your students play SuperSpeed Letters & Phonics for only

a few minutes, several times a week, you’ll see substantial improvements in

overall letter recognition; gains of 20% -40% within a month are not

uncommon.

SuperSpeed Letters & Phonics is so entertaining that elementary

teachers can use it as a reward for good behavior! Students work hard in

class, to gain the privilege of playing SuperSpeed!!


The letters in SuperSpeed Letters & Phonics are arranged

alphabetical order and divided into 26 levels. Each level introduces a new

letter. Every three levels, a Challenge repeats all the letters learned on

previous levels. When students have mastered Level 26, they can go on to

SuperSpeed 100 to learn the 100 most common sight words (contact Chris

Biffle at [email protected] for more information).


How To Play SuperSpeed Letters & Phonics to Teach

the Alphabet

Playing SuperSpeed Letters & Phonics to teach the alphabet is quite

simple. Arrange your class in groups of twos. If you have an odd number

of students, you will pair with the extra student. Without telling your

pupils be sure that a weaker learner is always paired with a stronger

learner.

Begin by saying something like the following, “We’re going to play

SuperSpeed, a game you’ll love! When I say ‘go!’, one person in the

group reads the first letter, then the other person in the group reads the

next letter, and so on. Keep taking turns. If your partner doesn’t know a

letter, or mispronounces it, ‘helpsies’ is allowed. Say the word for him or

her. Keep taking turns, reading as fast as you can. I’ll say ‘stop!’ after a

minute. Mark your team’s record on the page and then I’ll give you

another try for a minute. Start over with the first letter you read, but

whoever started goes second and whoever went second, now goes first.

You’ll be trying to beat your previous record. Tell your teammate right

now how badly the two of you want to keep breaking your records!”

Only two additional rules need to be added.

1. Every time the game is replayed, the team starts at the beginning


of whatever level (or Challenge) they ended in.

For example, the first time Jane and Juana play, Jane, starting for her

team, begins at Level 1, and the team, taking turns, reads to the 5th letter in

Level 3. Juana then starts for her team and the team, taking turns, reads to

the 10th letter in Level 3. The next time Jane and Juana play, they begin

at the first letter in Level 3. This assures you that teams receive plenty of

repetitions on all their letters. Whenever students achieve a new starting

level, and they will frequently, you should encourage them to give

themselves a merry cheer.

2. When players break personal records, they should place a

checkmark inside a new personal record star on page 29. You may be

surprised at how much your students enjoy creating, and sharing!, a visual

record of their own achievements.

Now, here is a very important point. Students love to play SuperSpeed Letters & Phonics because they love to set and break personal records. Teams are never competing against each other, but against their own previous best effort. Thus, the learning goal is set at exactly the right level, no matter the team’s ability. The only standard they must exceed is the one they set for themselves the last time they played the game. Until you try SuperSpeed Letters & Phonics in class, you won’t believe the enthusiasm your students will have while playing. Students love the feeling of being record breakers, and the unique structure of SuperSpeed Letters & Phonics gives them this feeling over and over.


How To Play SuperSpeed Letters & Phonics to Teach

Phonics

Teaching phonics, letter sounds, with SuperSpeed Letters & Phonics

is quite simple. Simply use the rules for teaching the alphabet described in

the previous section, but tell your students now you want them to make

letter sounds. Thus, instead of saying the letter “A”, they will make the

“A” sound (short “A”) and so forth. When your class knows all the

letters and letter sounds, you can ask them to go back through the game

and, at every vowel, make both the short and long vowel sounds.

Now, let’s look at the unique pedagogical structure of SuperSpeed

Letters & Phonics.

The first three levels are on the following page.


Level 1: A, aA, a, A, a, A, aLevel 2: A, a, B, bA, a, B, b, A, a, B, bA, a, B, b, A, a, B, b

Level 3: A, a, B, b, C, cA, a, B, b, C, c, C, c, C, c A, a, B, b, C, c, C, c, C, cA, B, C, a, b, cChallengeA, B, Ca, b, cC, B, Ac, b, a

the first line identifies all the letters in a level

the last letteris the newletter forthe level

the new letteris highlighted and repeatedmore frequently than any otherletter on the level

Every Challenge repeatsall previous letters; thus, for example, the Challenge after Level 14 repeats all 14 previous letters.

the last line repeats theletters in alphabetical order for both upper and lower case.


And that’s all there is to it!

Playing SuperSpeed Letters & Phonics is an ideal reward for good

behavior in class. Wouldn’t you rather see your students eagerly

mastering the alphabet than giving them candy? The game literally takes a

few minutes ... and the most common comment we hear from teachers is

“My class loves it!”

Students, effortlessly, receive hundreds of repetitions reading letters

while setting and breaking team records. The goal is not to break another

team’s record, but to surpass your own team’s previous best mark. Even

better than increasing reading speed, players of SuperSpeed Letters &

Phonics are rewarded with one of the most deeply powerful lessons in

education: I can set and break personal records. I can always do better

than my own previous best.

If you want to make the game simpler for your students, limit the

timed sessions to 30 seconds. Because there are increasing numbers of

letters at higher levels, you may want to increase the time limit to 90

seconds from about Level 15 onward.


Playing SuperSpeed Letters & Phonics For One On

One Tutorials

It is easy to adapt Superspeed Letters & Phonics to special needs of

individual students. The adult, or more experienced reader, simply takes

the role of one of the two players. “Helpsies,” of course, is still

encouraged. Whenever one member of a team does not know a letter, the

other member should provide help. In fact, it is often entertaining if the

more experienced reader makes mistakes on purpose to let the less

experienced reader provide assistance. For variety, simply have

beginning readers name the letters on their own, as fast as possible.

Encourage them to keep breaking personal records.


Level 1: A, aA, a, A, a, A, aLevel 2: A, a, B, bA, a, B, b, A, a, B, bA, a, B, b, A, a, B, b

Level 3: A, a, B, b, C, cA, a, B, b, C, c, C, c, C, c A, a, B, b, C, c, C, c, C, cA, B, C, a, b, c

ChallengeA, B, Ca, b, cC, B, Ac, b, a


Level 4: B, b, C, c, D, d

B, b, C, c, D, d, D, d, D, dB, b, C, c, D, d, D, d, D, dA, B, C, D, a, b, c, d

Level 5: C, c, D, d, E, eC, c, D, d, E, e, E, e, E, eC, c, D, d, E, e, E, e, E, eA, B, C, D, E, a, b, c, d, e

Level 6: D, d, E, e, F, fD, d, E, e, F, f, F, f, F, fD, d, E, e, F, f, F, f, F, fA, B, C, D, E, Fa, b, c, d, e, f


Challenge

A, B, C, D, E, Fa, b, c, d, e, fF, E, D, C, B, Af, e, d, c, b, a

Level 7: E, e, F, f, G, gE, e, F, f, G, g, G, g, G, gE, e, F, f, G, g, G, g, G, gA, B, C, D, E, F, Ga, b, c, d, e, f, gLevel 8: F, f, G, g, H, hF, f, G, g, H, h, H, h, H, hF, f, G, g, H, h, H, h, H, hA, B, C, D, E, F, G, Ha, b, c, d, e, f, g, h


Level 9: G, g, H, h, I, iG, g, H, h, I, i, I, i, I, iG, g, H, h, I, i, I, i, I, iA, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, Ia, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, iChallenge

A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, Ia, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, iI, H, G, F, E, D, C, B, Ai, h, g, f, e, d, c, b, aLevel 10: H, h, I, i, J, jH, h, I, i, J, j, J, j, J, jH, h, I, i, J, j, J, j, J, jA, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, Ja, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j


Level 11: I, i, J, j, K, kI, i, J, j, K, k, K, k, K, kI, i, J, j, K, k, K, k, K, kA, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, Ka, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, kLevel 12: J, j, K, k, L, lJ, j, K, k, L, l, L, l, L, lJ, j, K, k, L, l, L, l, L, lA, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, La, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, lChallenge

A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, La, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, lL, K, J, I, H, G, F, E, D, C, B, Al, k, j, i, h, g, f, e, d, c, b, a


Level 13: K, k, L, l, M, mK, k, L, l, M, m, M, m, M, mK, k, L, l, M, m, M, m, M, mA, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, Ma, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m

Level 14: L, l, M, m, N, nL, l, M, m, N, n, N, n, N, nL, l, M, m, N, n, N, n, N, nA, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, Na, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n


Level 15: M, m, N, n, O, oM, m, N, n, O, o, O, o, O, oM, m, N, n, O, o, O, o, O, oA, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, Oa, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, oChallenge

A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, Oa, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, oO, N, M, L, K, J, I, H, G, F, E, D, C, B, Ao, n, m, l, k, j, i, h, g, f, e, d, c, b, a


Level 16: N, n, O, o, P, pN, n, O, o, P, p, P, p, P, pN, n, O, o, P, p, P, p, P, pA, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, Pa, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p

Level 17: O, o, P, p, Q, qO, o, P, p, Q, q, Q, q, Q, qO, o, P, p, Q, q, Q, q, Q, qA, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Qa, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q


Level 18: P, p, Q, q, R, rP, p, Q, q, R, r, R, r, R, rP, p, Q, q, R, r, R, r, R, rA, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, Ra, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, rChallenge

A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, Ra, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, rR, Q, P, O, N, M, L, K, J, I, H, G, F, E, D, C, B, Ar, q, p, o, n, m, l, k, j, i, h, g, f, e, d, c, b, a


Level 19: Q, q, R, r, S, sQ, q, R, r, S, s, S, s, S, sQ, q, R, r, S, s, S, s, S, sA, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, Sa, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, s

Level 20: R, r, S, s, T, tR, r, S, s, T, t, T, t, T, tR, r, S, s, T, t, T, t, T, tA, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, Ta, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, s, t


Level 21: S, s, T, t, U, uS, s, T, t, U, u, U, u, U, uS, s, T, t, U, u, U, u, U, uA, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, Ua, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, s, t, uChallenge

A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, Ua, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, s, t, uU, T, S, R, Q, P, O, N, M, L, K, J, I, H, G, F, E, D, C, B, Au, t, s, r, q, p, o, n, m, l, k, j, i, h, g, f, e, d, c, b, a


Level 22: T, t, U, u, V, vT, t, U, u, V, v, V, v, V, vT, t, U, u, V, v, V, v, V, vA, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, Va, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, s, t, u, v

Level 23: U, u, V, v, W, wU, u, V, v, W, w, W, w, W, wU, u, V, v, W, w, W, w, W, wA, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, Wa, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, s, t, u, v, w


Level 24: V, v, W, w, X, xV, v, W, w, X, x, X, x, X, xV, v, W, w, X, x, X, x, X, xA, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, Xa, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, s, t, u, v, w, xChallenge

A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, Xa, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, s, t, u, v, w, xX, W, V, U, T, S, R, Q, P, O, N, M, L, K, J, I, H, G, F, E, D, C,


B, Ax, w, v, u, t, s, r, q, p, o, n, m, l, k, j, i, h, g, f, e, d, c, b, a

Level 25: W, w, X, x, Y, yW, w, X, x, Y, y, Y, y, Y, yW, w, X, x, Y, y, Y, y, Y, yA, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Ya, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, s, t, u, v, w, x, y


Level 26: X, x, Y, y, Z, zX, x, Y, y, Z, z, Z, z, Z, zX, x, Y, y, Z, z, Z, z, Z, zA, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Za, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, s, t, u, v, w, x, y, z


Challenge

A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Za, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, s, t, u, v, w, x, y, zZ, Y, X, W, V, U, T, S, R, Q, P, O, N, M, L, K, J, I, H, G, F, E, D, C, B, Az, y, x, w, v, u, t, s, r, q, p, o, n, m, l, k, j, i, h, g, f, e, d, c, b, a


≈ SuperSpeed Personal Record Stars ≈ Place a checkmark in a star each time you break a personal

record!




When the Challenge above is successfully completed, go on

to SuperSpeed 100, to learn the 100 most common sight words.

For more information, contact Chris Biffle at:

[email protected]

909-389-3338 (office)


Documents

Super Speed Letters and Phonics