About this activity
Five open syllables and five words: ma, me, mi, mo, mu, then mamá, mesa, mano, mono, mapa. The m syllables are usually the first taught in Spanish reading, because /m/ is an early sound, it can be held and stretched, and mamá is a word almost every child already owns.
How to use it in a session
Stretch the consonant: mmmma. Holding the /m/ makes the syllable audible as two parts joined rather than a single blur, which is what a child needs before they can read an unfamiliar one. Read the five syllables until they are automatic, then the five words. Mamá is worth doing first for the obvious reason that the child already knows it — reading a word you already say is the best possible start.
What to listen for
Watch whether the child recognises the syllable as a unit. Ma read at a glance is the goal; m plus a assembled each time is the earlier stage. Notice mano and mono, which differ only in the vowel and are a good check that the child is reading both letters rather than guessing from the first.
Carrying it home
Mamá, mesa and mano are everyday words in a Spanish-speaking home. Pointing at the first syllable and asking for it takes seconds, and mamá is the one that will get the biggest reaction.
Questions
- Is this activity in Spanish?
- Yes, the syllables and words are Spanish. The page is in English so an English-speaking clinician can find and evaluate it.
- Is it free?
- Yes, all ten items play with no account.
- Why is m usually taught first?
- Because it is an early-developing sound that can be stretched and held, and because mamá is a word nearly every child already says — reading a word you already own is the easiest possible first success.