Naomi fills in each letter proudly with a unique design and colours. We try to get to it early in the week, but it has sometimes been as late as Wednesday or Thursday before the week’s letter gets up.
Still, I must say – I’m pretty proud too.
She has memorized the order of the nekudos and now “reads” when we meet each letter: Ma, ma, may, meh, mi, mi, mo, mo, moo, moo. She doesn’t recognize the nekudos out of context, but is starting to catch on. I also introduced her to her first “sofit” letter today, because I wanted to show her an end-mem.
She seemed a little baffled, but it will come. I felt guilty for ignoring them entirely, and worry she will never know them well… but mostly I figure we will have lots of time later on to make up with completeness what we are overlooking in our enthusiasm!
The way my sons learn it- the whole Alef Beis in order, including the end letters, but I don't tell them these letters are anything special.
ReplyDeleteAfter they got it down pat, I start with nekudos. We read a line:
komatz alef: uh, komatz yud: yuh, shlos mem: mmmm, komatz lamed: luh, langeh fey: fff.
You get the idea. If they ask why all other letters have a nekuda and these don't, I say the the letters with two names don't have nekudos. My oldest is 5.5 and I haven't even introduced the concept that those letters go at the end of a word yet. All he needs to know now is that they don't get a nekuda and what sound they make. When he starts reading he will notice that some letters are only found at the end. I'll let him discover it himself.