LA 5.06Command Cards
The child silently reads a card with an action ("hop", "Fold a napkin and put it on the shelf.") and performs it without speaking.
Age 5–6Work 6 of 6 in Reading: Phonetic
Presentation
- 1
Tell the child, "This card tells us to do something. We read it quietly and then do it."
- 2
Take one card, read it silently (move your lips slightly if needed), and perform the action.
- 3
Return the card face down.
- 4
Invite the child to take a card, read it silently, and act it out.
- 5
Guess out loud what the child's card said ("You hopped. Your card said hop.") and check the card together.
- 6
Continue with several cards.
Extensions, easiest to hardest
- Two-part commands ("Walk to the door and knock.")
- Small-group game where others guess the command
- Commands that include phonograms and puzzle words
- The child writes command cards for friends
Control of error
Another child or the adult watches and checks the action against the card.
Ready to move on when the child…
- Reads single-word commands silently and acts correctly
- Carries out sentence commands with two parts