Unlocking Literacy with the Power of Names
By Denise M. McDonald
Literacy instruction is complex and a significant challenge in meeting the diverse needs of learners (Gunning, 2013). Educators are constantly searching for effective strategies and tactics that support learners’ acquisition and proficiency of reading skills. Although not every learner may find this name game engaging, many will relish the opportunity to find their own name in a game with clues. This process piques students' interests by generating meaningful connections to phonics.
To play the game, create clues based on common language knowledge, literacy terms, and/or phonics rules aligned with students’ names. This takes time, but with each iteration, you can build a library of clues to be recycled or refined for future use. For any single game, make sure that no clue can apply to two different names, as all clues must be distinctive and unique to each name. The example below provides clues for elementary learners with second through sixth-grade reading skills and can be used by all content teachers. For language arts instructors, heavy-laden phonics terminology clues are added to some examples as complementary options (italicized in parentheses).
Name Game
Names in the Classroom:
Abeer, Allison, Constance, Kristin, Levi, Mabel, Mary, My-Huong, Najjiyya, Pat, Queenetta, Vivianna, Yaneisy, Zenpachirou
Name Game Questions:
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Each different letter in this name is repeated.
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The letters in this name are in alphabetical order.
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This three-syllable name has 2 ½ more vowels than consonants.
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This name has two different consonant blends.
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All the letters in this hyphenated name are different.
(This two-syllable name ends in a consonant digraph.)
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The last four letters in this name are all vowels.
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This name uses the most letters to form two syllables.
(One consonant is presented twice in this name. The first time uses the hard sound for the letter and the second time, the soft sound.)
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This name has the same vowel repeated three times.
(This name begins with a consonant that makes the /kw/ sound and is almost always followed by the same vowel.)
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“______ had a little lamb.”
(This name has an “r” controlled vowel, the long /e/ sound and is a homophone for two other words. One means, “wed,” the other “be jolly.”)
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Each syllable in this three-syllable name forms a real word.
(Going left to right with letters in this name, you can form SEVEN different words.)
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This name rhymes with label.
(The name is an anagram for a word that means, “To accuse someone else.”)
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This name begins with the 12th letter of the alphabet.
(All the letters in this name can be rearranged to form four different words.)
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This name includes all the vowels.
(This name is an isogram that has both the most and least common letters used in the alphabet.)
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This name is a word when read backwards, forms a different word with a similar meaning.
(This name is a semordnilap that forms a synonym for itself.)
Answer Key
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1. Vivianna
2. Abeer
3. Yaneisy
4. Kristin
5. My-Huong
6. Najjiyya
7. Constance (C-“k” & “s”)
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8. Queeneta
9. Mary (marry, merry)
10. Allison (A, all, I, is, so, son, on)
11. Mabel ("blame")
12. Levi (evil, live, veil, vile)
13. Zenpachirou (“e” and “z”)
14. Pat (tap)
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One of the first words that children learn to read and write is their name. They take pride in their emerging literacy abilities and the fact that their written name represents them as individuals. Children’s names present the perfect launching pad for promoting literacy, where their names can serve as a connection to learning objectives. The game can also offer valuable phonics practice, as many students struggle with the many rules and exceptions of learning to read (Johnston, 2001)! Additionally, terminology used in phonics instruction (e.g., diphthong) and literacy terms (e.g., antonym) can be difficult to comprehend, even with examples. However, learners can be motivated to engage with phonics if presented as a playful, sleuthing process where their own names are embedded in instruction. Furthermore, research indicates that using children’s names during instruction personalizes the learning environment (McDonald, 2014). Lastly, with regard to reading, instruction must incite interest (Mahiri & Maniates, 2013), be relevant, and provide opportunities for authentic engagement (Gambrell, 2011; Parsons et al., 2014), making the use of children's names a naturally motivating strategy. What better way to teach phonics and literacy skills than infusing students’ names within a lesson?
References
Gambrell, Linda B. "Seven Rules of Engagement: What’s Most Important to Know About Motivation to Read." The Reading Teacher 65, no. 3 (2011): 172–78.
Gunning, Thomas G. Creating Literacy Instruction for All Students. 8th ed. Boston: Pearson, 2013.
Johnston, Francine P. "The Utility of Phonic Generalizations: Let’s Take Another Look at Clymer’s Conclusions." The Reading Teacher 55, no. 2 (2001): 132–43.
Mahiri, Jabari, and Helen Maniates. "The Tough Part: Getting First Graders Engaged in Reading." The Reading Teacher 67, no. 4 (2013): 255–63.
McDonald, Denise M. "‘Pearls of Wisdom’ for Beginning Teachers." Academic Exchange Quarterly 18, no. 4 (2014): 70–76.
Parsons, Seth A., Leila R. Nuland, and Allison W. Parsons. "The ABCs of Student Engagement." Phi Delta Kappan 95, no. 8 (2014): 23–27.
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Denise McDonald is Professor Emerita of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Houston – Clear Lake. She has extensive experience teaching undergraduate, masters, and doctoral courses in classroom management, curriculum, and instructional strategies. Her research interests include learning motivation and teacher preparation. |