HershbergerKoontz750
Aus Salespoint
This is the second inside a series of articles that I am writing about free educational websites. Starfall is a website that also provides educational fun through games, videos, crafts and storytelling while teaching basic computer skills. This site is exceptional at teaching and developing reading comprehension and phonics skills. Although it is designed for first grade, Starfall is a great website for Pre-K through second grade. Starfall.com is set up in sections for four stages of reading development, games and activities areas. It features:
o ABCs - In this section, there is an alphabet chart that kids can click each letter to find out the sound it makes and to hear it utilized in a word. There is also a row of vowels that, when clicked, teach kids the vowels and long and short vowel sounds. A sign language section teaches kids to sign the ABCs.
o Learn to Read - Within this section, there are fun animated music videos teaching the letters from the alphabets and sounds that every one makes. Stories that follow the music videos repeatedly use words containing the letters. The method of teaching pronunciation is extremely creative. The "chunk that word" video is really cute and fun because it teaches how to break words up and pronounce each chunk so that you can learn to pronounce the entire word.
o Star Fall - It's Fun to learn - This section uses Art, Magic, Music, Poetry, Tongue twisters and riddles to exhibit how fun it's to read. There is even an activity that lets the child create a story about his or her self.
o I'm Reading - This has plays, comics, and other types of stories to incorporate folk tales, fiction, nonfiction, Greek myths and Chinese fables to your child's enjoyment.
o Games and Activities include making a calendar, holiday activities, word hunt, locate a clover and earth day recycling games. There's also more opportunities for creating stories.
o It has an online store for purchasing educational materials.
o Starfall printed material and online printouts are available in the download area.
o Numerous pages throughout the site have recommendations for parent or teacher utilisation of the materials on the page.
o Stargazer - Kindergarten curriculum is a new offering of Starfall. This is a Kindergarten reading and language arts program available for purchase.
