Phonics/Reading/Numbers
Kindergarten students learn to read through the use of phonics. As soon as the short sounds of the vowels and the sounds for only three consonants are introduced, they are able to sound out their first words. Later, they learn to read many more words, including words with two vowels and words that contain special sounds. (Special sounds are letter combinations like sh and ar.) Their reading vocabulary naturally grows with each new sound learned.
In numbers, the students learn to count and recognize numbers 1 through 100. We introduce the concepts of addition through the sum of 10 and subtraction at a basic level. Students also learn to work with telling time and money.
Writing
Students learn cursive writing that correlates with their phonics. As they learn to recognize the letters of the alphabet and learn what sound they say, they also learn to write them. Later they learn to write blends, words, and sentences.
Skills Development/Activity Time/Language Enrichment
During Skills Development, students learn visual perception skills, motor coordination, and listening/thinking skills. During Activity Time, they enjoy music, art, a unit of Community Helpers, an introduction to American history and geography in America: Our Great Country, and a chance to meet people living in other countries in Children of the World. The second semester, they enjoy learning about the world around them in God’s World. During Language Enrichment, they learn about positional words and opposites, rhyming words and analogies, drama, and poetry. They will also get a chance to share their experiences and ideas during “Telling Time.”