Primary School Prep DIY Guide-Reading-Page 7
Step 2-COUPLETS
​
When to start couplets
​
After introducing your child to single words, the next stage is to start couplets, i.e.; two words on a flash card.
-
As an estimate this should be between 6-12 months from the time you start singles. If your child started when they were older, then it would be the lower end. If your child started when they were younger, then it would be at the higher end.
-
Don’t wait for them to show you that they know the single words before you introduce couplets.
-
When you start couplets, stop showing them new single words but do continue showing them repeated single words at regular intervals.
How to make up couplets
​
-
To make up couplets you put adjectives/sight words and nouns together, made up of mainly existing words that you have already shown your child. Although you can use new words together with an existing word, he or she already knows where necessary.
-
For example, your child has been shown the single words ‘boy’, ‘apple’, ‘banana’, ‘yellow’, ‘red’, ‘tall’ for seven months. You now decide to introduce couplets. You would then make up a flash card with the words 'red apple’, another flash card with the words ‘yellow banana’ and another flash card with the words ‘tall boy’.
-
Make up the flash cards in the same way that you made up the flash cards for the single words. However, the space that the single word took up should now be taken up with the two words. Make sure that the writing is large enough to fit the two words. If the words are quite long, then you can use the whole A4 paper for the words instead of cutting it in half.
-
We advise sitting down and making a plan of couplets that you intend to make up from the existing words you have already shown your child.
Examples of couplets
By the way, you may look at the word rhinoceros and think it may be a difficult word for your child. Not at all. It is simple for the child to recognise as they don’t have to spell it, they just have to read it.
If you are typing the couplets, then you need to reduce the font size to 150 or even less.
When you show your child the couplets you point to each word as you say the words. See the example in the below video clip.
Just as a reminder, the Primary School Done 4U videos transition your child smoothly from single words to couplets, without you having to do any of the work. All you have to do is continue to press play each day.