The top the box
The side of the box
The Letter People Reading Readiness Program Box is a box set released in 1981 to teach the basics of Letters using the Letter People program. This box set contains the updated Letter People characters.
Contents Of the Box[]
| Number | Component |
|---|---|
| 1 | Supersonic Tutor |
| 2 | "AAA" batteries |
| 13 | Songs of the Letter People, records |
| 1 | All About the Letter People, record |
| 1 | Fun in Letter People Land, poster |
| 1 | Sheet of Letter People Stickers |
| 1 | Parent's Reference Guide |
| 1 | Coloring Book |
| 1 | Activity Book |
| 26 | Skills Assessment Booklets |
| 26 | Letter People Skill Books |
| 1 | Letter People Alphabet Review Book |
| 1 | Program storage box |
| 1 | Customer Guide |
Using The Program[]
1. The World Book-Childcraft Reading Readiness Program introduces the letters of the alpha- bet in a carefully sequenced series of steps that build on previous knowledge and pave the way for successful new experiences. The “Parts of the Program’ section of the Parent's Reference Guide outlines the program’s components and the basic sequence to follow for each letter. “Introducing... Mr. M” presents step-by-step directions for the first lesson in the program, describing in detail strategies and techniques that can then be used with each subsequent letter of the alphabet.
For maximum achievement, carefully study the steps outlined in that section of the Parent’s Reference Guide.
Follow them whenever you introduce your child to a new Letter Person. You may also wish to leaf through the section titled “Extra Activities’. These activities have been specially designed to extend and enrich such elements in the program as lower case letter recognition or identification of sounds. You are encouraged to pick and choose from this collection of activities those items you feel would inter- est your child the most.
2. Make sure that your attitude toward the program is relaxed, positive, and flexible.
The experience of working through the Letter People system should be pleasant and enjoyable for you and your child. If you are unduly anxious about your child’s progress, or about your own teaching ability, the tension you feel will be transmitted to your child and may impede learning. But if you are relaxed, it is more than likely that your child will be, too.
The plans that have been provided for presenting a model lesson (“Introducing .. . Mr. M”) have been carefully worked out with many parents and children. If you use them as a guide, you should have very little difficulty in administering the program. But no single set of lesson plans, no matter how detailed, can account for the tremendous individual differences among children, as well as parents. Feel free to use your own imagination in adapting our material to meet your special needs. Keep in mind that your child's interest and attention span will vary from day to day, just as yours will — so be flexible. And have fun!
3. No matter how diligent you’ve been about reading through the Parent’s Reference Guide or creating a pleasant atmosphere for learning, you may encounter steadfast resistance from your child.
The child may simply not be ready to learn the letters and sounds of the alphabet, especially if she or he is a younger member of the three-to-six age group. Do not be discouraged or worry if this happens. Put the program away for a while and try it again in a few months.
4. Once your child is ready to learn the alphabet, set aside a specific time each day to work with The World Book-Childcraft Reading Readiness Program.
The time you spend on each learning session will vary from 10 minutes to more than half an hour, depending on your child’s interest and motivation. The length of a session is not as important as the quality of the experience. It is important for your child to have a successful experience every day.
5. Take your time and have fun with the learning process.
Getting through pages quickly is not what makes learning happen. Your child should absorb each small segment of the program before moving on to the next. As a parent, you Know your own child’s abilities and attention span best. Proceed at a comfortable pace. On certain days, it may be advisable to complete no more than one learning session. At other times, your child may be more highly motivated. Above all, do not force your child if his or her enthusiasm is flagging. Your child’s total attention and enjoyment during a short time period are far more important to success than rushing ahead.
Parts Of The Program[]
Before beginning The World Book-Childcraft Reading Readiness Program, familiarize yourself with its components.
Records:[]
The first element of the program is a set of fourteen records. The record titled “ALL ABOUT THE LETTER PEOPLE” is intended for your listening. It consists of an informal introduction to some of the sounds and mechanics of the pro- gram, featuring children in a social situation. You should listen to this record before proceeding.
The remaining thirteen records are devoted to a presentation for your child of the songs of the Letter People. Each side of a record introduces one of the twenty-six songs of the Letter People. The songs of the Letter People serve a two-fold purpose. They create a stimulating environment that makes learning the letters an exhilarating experience. At the same time, they familiarize children with many types of music — modern, classical, national, and ethnic.
The first step in introducing your child to a new Letter Person is to play the appropriate record. Each song personalizes a different letter of the alphabet and encourages your child to “make friends” right away. The songs provide an easy and pleasant way to acquaint your child with the sounds of each letter of the alphabet. Encourage your child to sing along. The words to each Letter Person’s song are printed in the Parent's Reference Guide in the section titled “The Letter People Sing.” (Some of the words in the songs will be very advanced for your child. Remember, the objective of this program is to teach a child to recognize the letters of the alphabet and their sounds, not the meanings of words.)
Coloring Book:[]
The Coloring Book features large outline pictures of each of the twenty-six Letter People. It also shows the upper and lower case letters and the identifying characteristic of each Letter Person, such as Mr. M’s munching mouth and Miss U’s umbrella.
Use the Coloring Book, along with the record, to introduce your child to each new Letter Person. Coloring a jumbo picture of a new Letter Person friend will familiarize your child with the shape of a letter in the same way as the song reinforces its sound.
Skill Books:[]
Once your child has heard the song and colored the picture of a new Letter Person, she or he is ready to begin the appropriate Skill Book. There are twenty-seven of these in the program — one for each letter of the alphabet and one review book. The books have been numbered for your convenience. Inside the front cover of each book is a brief description of the learnings that should take place. At the bottom of each page there are suggestions for what to say to your child when presenting the page. The correct response or responses for each page are also given.
Except for the review book, each volume in the series follows the same general format. First, the Letter Person is introduced, followed by the character's upper case (capital) and lower case (small) letter forms. Next, the Letter Person's picture/sound clue is introduced — for example, Mr. M’s munching mouth. This material is followed by
a series of story-scenes, in which your child identifies pictures of objects that begin with the Letter Person’s sound. Each book concludes with application exercises. In these, your child chooses be- tween pictures of objects that begin with the Letter Person’s sound and those that do not.
The Letter People are introduced in the following order, designed to make it as easy as possible for your child to learn the shapes and sounds of the alphabet.
The review book features one application exercise for each letter of the alphabet. Your child chooses between pictures of objects that begin with the appropriate letter and those that do not.
Supersonic Tutor:[]
The Supersonic Tutor is a delightful, battery operated device designed for use with the Letter People Skill Books. Each time your child uses the Supersonic Tutor to touch the dot below a correct response, its “eyes” will light. The Supersonic Tu- tor provides the immediate feedback and positive reinforcement that are so important to your child’s success. Many children want to take their Letter People friends with them wherever they go. The Supersonic Tutor and Skill Books can travel in cars, buses, trains, and planes. They can be used at the beach, in a hotel lobby, or anywhere and anytime.
Letter People Land poster and stickers:[]
The colorful, 17” x 33”, Letter People poster is important and should occupy a prominent place in your child’s room. Each time your child successfully completes a Skills Assessment Booklet, celebrate the occasion by placing the appropriate Letter Person sticker on the poster. This will serve to reinforce your child’s sense of accomplishment. The poster will also provide you with a handy check on your child’s progress.
Activity Book:[]
As your child works through The World Book- Childcraft Reading Readiness Program, the Activity Book will provide the opportunity for valuable periodic review and reinforcement of letters she or he has already mastered. Additional activities encourage your child to use the correct left- to-right and top-to-bottom progression when eyeing a page. Still other exercises provide practice in cutting, pasting, and tracing — skills so important in developing eye-hand coordination. These are crucial in the later development of various pre-writing skills.