Riggs (kindergarten)

Riggs - MITCH Writing and Reading Program in Kindergarten

Dear Parents,

Each morning your student will be participating in the Riggs program for approximately 30 minutes. The Riggs program will provide your child with phonemic and writing skills that are crucial for academic and professional excellence. Riggs is a rigorous program that provides excellent results and will begin to prepare your child for success in the global society in which he or she will live, work, and thrive.

http://www.riggsinst.org/

 

This year Riggs will teach your kindergartner to:

  • Pencil hold, paper tilt, circle hand, sitting for success, comfortably close without touching
  • Understand and apply line names checkpoints, clock face checkpoints, 7 letter strokes, and the terms: up, down, around, straight, sit on, just below and above
  • Participate in "writing and reciting".
  • “We read and write from left to right”
  • Sounds and formation of first 55 phonograms.
  • Formation of lower case and capital letters.
  • Develop legible handwriting skills and cross out with one line that goes top to bottom, left to right, instead of erasing.
  • Complete spelling list 1 (approximately 76 words)
  • Understand and apply a marking system to spelling words.
  • Handwritten simple sentences.
  • Hear and write syllable breaks in spelling words. (Sound vs. Syllable vs. Letter)
  • Respond to Socratic questioning, direct and multisensory instruction.
  • Give a choral response.
  • Take daily exams. And learn test taking skills and strategies
  • Keep eyes on their own paper, hands to selves.
  • Use of environmental print (wall charts) as reference.
  • Read and write!!!!
  • (This list will be updates as we progress and learn.)

 

Kindergarten Riggs Homework Guidelines

 

  • A Riggs phonogram sheet is sent home every other Monday in the purple homework folder. It will have phonograms for 2 weeks of lessons and homework. You must leave the phonogram list in the folder at all times. You may only take it out when I give you a new one, which will be every 2 weeks on a Monday.

 

  • There is Riggs homework daily. It is always due the next school day, unless otherwise noted.

 

  • All Riggs work is practiced with sitting for success, circle hand, paper tilt, and pencil hold.

 

  • Do not use an eraser. Mistakes are crossed out with ONE line that goes left to right, top to bottom. It is helpful for me, the student, and you to see how a student might be stuck.

 

  • Student name is written on the 1st baseline. Leave a finger space and then write the date. Usually this is done in class but if it is not, it MUST be on all work.

 

  • RECITE and WRITE! Homework should never be completed in silence. RECITE and WRITE.

 

  • Write each new phonogram (checked) 4 times. Write any missed phonograms (underlined) 5 times.

 

  • A phonogram only counts as practiced if it meets all checkpoints.

 

  • Always complete new phonograms first and then move onto phonograms missed on the test.

 

  • Each new phonogram gets it’s own baseline. Do not start a different phonogram on the same baseline. Example ‘a’ is on one baseline and ‘c’ would be on a different baseline.

 

  • Skip a baseline after name/date and between phonograms. Example: name is on baseline 1. Skip a baseline. ‘a’ is on baseline 3. Skip a baseline. ‘c’ is on baseline 5. Skip a baseline even if you need a 2nd baseline for ‘a’ (or other phonogram). Always skip a baseline.

 

  • When writing more than one missed phonogram, use an AB pattern (for 2 words), ABC pattern (3 words), or ABCD pattern (4 words) rather than writing the same word over and over. Each word is on its own row but the pencil is moving up and down between each new word. Example: There are 2 phonograms to write – Write phonogram 1 on its own row once. Then skip a baseline and write phonogram 2 on the next line down. After that you’ll jump back up to the first phonogram, then back down to the 2nd phonogram, alternating between the 1st and 2nd in an AB pattern. If there are 3 words skip around in an ABC pattern. Its best of you skip around in an ABC and then ACB and then BCA etc. Alternating as much as possible like this helps make it so that the HW is not being done on autopilot.

 

  • Once we have enough phonograms, 10 phonograms will be tested per day. For each new phonogram learned, the oldest phonogram will be dropped from the test. Until 10 phonograms are learned, tests will consist of line strokes so that there are always 10 items on the test.

 

  • It is important to constantly review, even if your kindergartener does not miss phonograms. Old phonogram might go off the test for a little while but they will be back on the test at some point. If it is missed, it ill be homework, no matter how old it might seem.

 

  • Even after a phonogram is removed from tests, there will be assignments to review old phonograms.

 

How You Can Assist Your Child at Home

  • Understand correct position of pencil and paper.
  • Allow your student to complete their homework independently- do read instructions and double check assignment, if time.
  • Be willing to spend time learning about Riggs.
  • Be positive with your child's slow or quick development of skills.
  • Be assured that all students can learn Riggs by the end of the year through multisensory instruction and perseverance.
  • ASK QUESTIONS! (I check and respond to email daily: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )
  • I highly recommend purchasing Riggs cards. The Riggs audio CD for parents and audio CD for students can also be helpful but cards are most, most, most important. http://www.riggsinst.org/