RTI Kindergarten Strategies

Compiled by NES Kindergarten Team

Alphabet Recognition and Letter Formation
  • Give students tactical opportunities to manipulate letters (e.g., make letters out of play dough or clay, and writing letters on a desk covered in shaving cream).
  • Use the three parts of the brain simultaneously when introducing a letter: show the letter then tell the child how to make it using a letter poem, and finally have the child make the movements needed to produce it.
  • Have the student start an alphabet journal. Introduce a letter and have the student add the letter to their alphabet journal. Have them complete a letter assignment at home with their family which will be added to their journal.
  • Give the student a laminated copy of the alphabet song. As you sing the alphabet song, have the student touch the corresponding letters.
  • Provide opportunities for the student to explore the alphabet with computer games: http://www.starfall.com/; www.pbskids.com; http://www.primarygames.com; www.literacycenter.com.
  • Use tactical alphabet flash cards.
  • Trace using a bumpy board.
  • Play letter bingo.
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    Number Recognition and Number Formation
  • Give students tactile opportunities to manipulate numbers (e.g., make letters out of play dough or clay, and writing numbers on a desk covered in shaving cream).
  • Use the three parts of the brain simultaneously when introducing a number: show the letter then tell the child how to make it using a number poem, and finally have the child make the movements needed to produce it.
  • Use tactical number flash cards.
  • Play number bingo.
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    Phonemic Awareness
  • Play beginning sound games using picture cards and students names.
  • Sing songs that reinforce letter sounds, (e.g, Alphardy, Who Let the Letters Out?, and Sing and Sign by Dr. Jean).
  • Have the students model letter sounds by using a mirror to visualize their proper mouth placement while making each sound.
  • Play sound Bingo.
  • Sing some interactive songs:
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    Seven Little Letters (Tune: "Five Little Ducks)

    Seven little letters went out one day,   
    Over the hill and far away.                    
    When the teacher called /f/f/f/f/            
    Only the letter f came back.                  

    Name Song (Tune: "C Is for Cookie")
    D is for David, that's good enough for me

              D is for David, that's good enough for me.  

              D is for David, that's good enough for me.    

              Oh, David, David, David starts with D.

                        (Have children wear the letter that their name begins with and stand as you sing the song.)


    Number Sense and Counting

  • Use rhymes, songs, and finger plays (e.g., This Old Man, Johnny Works with One Hammer, and Ten Little Monkeys.
  • Take advantage of informal opportunities throughout the day. For instance, "Tell me how many students are seating at your table", "Can you get enough napkins for everyone at your table."
  • Practice sorting and counting objects.
  • Read books that reinforce the ideas of groups and numbers and rational counting skills (e.g., The Three Little Pigs, The Three Little Pigs, The Three Little Pigs, Three Billy Goats Gruff, Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs, Six Foolish Fisherman).
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    Fine Motor Control
  • Provide opportunities to color.
  • Play games that combine small motor skills with others skills (e.g., dominos, checkers, and bingo).
  • Use hand and finger puppets.
  • Provide cutting activities.
  • Play with toys like Legos and Lincoln Logs.
  • Practice adaptive skills like buttoning, snapping, and tying.
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    Behavior
  • Redirect
  • Use hand-over-hand method to guide
  • Behavior chart using stickers
  • Use immediate reinforcement
  • Be consistent
  • Set limits
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