This chapter, co-authored by Dr. Cheatham�s elementary-school-teacher mother, presents a myriad of activities and suggestions for the tutor as he or she covers the very beginning content in the tutoring. Activities expand upon the basis techniques described in chapters 3 and 4. Topics covered include:

WORKING WITH A VERY BEGINNING READER

• Be patient
• Don�t spend more than five to ten minutes per activity
• Work closely with the class room teacher
• Use activities within a context
• Don�t overlook the importance of listening
• Pay attention to the child�s developmental level

• Recognizing upper-and lower-case letters
• Recognizing the child�s name and each letter in it
• Making connections to environmental print
• Teaching upper-and lower-case pairs
• Reinforcing instruction in the alphabet

• Matching letters with beginning sounds
• Making a picture dictionary
• Using letter games
• Creating picture games

• Listening activities
• Using picture cards

• Listening activities
• Using picture cards

• Reading rebus sentences
• Using word cards

Chapter Five "LET'S START AT THE VERY BEGINNING" with June Wheeler Blankenship This chapter presents a myriad of activities and suggestions for you as you cover very beginning content in your tutoring. The co-author of this chapter, June Blankenship, has been a kindergarten, first, and second grade teacher as well as a preschool administrator, tutor, parent, and grand-parent. (She is also the one who "read to me" when I was a little girl.) She shares with you knowledge learned from 50 years of teaching reading to children and working with their parents, grandparents, or caregivers. Use these activities to expand the basic techniques described in Chapters Three and Four.