V-tech Phonics Reading Center Guide

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Dear Parent,
You know how important reading is to your child’s future. If your child can
read, your child can do anything. That’s because reading is the foundation
upon which all fundamental learning is built. A good beginning is absolutely
essential.
That is why VTech designed the Fundamentals of Reading product line to
help your child develop language skills, the skills crucial to learning how to
read. Our age-appropriate activities will help your child feel successful
every step of the way. In fact, we provide three levels of reading progres-
sion to help your child move from a beginning reader, to a growing reader,
and finally to an advancing reader. Our curriculum begins with letters, let-
ter sounds, and letter formation all the way through vowels, consonants,
word recognition - even full sentences. With the Fundamentals of Reading
product line, children think they’re playing, but they’re actually learning.
So their confidence grows, their self-esteem grows and their appetite for
learning grows, too.
How Can You Help?
You’ve already started by showing you’re interested in your child’s reading
development. By being a good role model, your child should see you read
books, magazines and newspapers. Of course, there are other sources in-
cluding billboards, grocery lists, recipes and street signs. What’s most im-
portant is that reading is a fun, interactive experience that should be shared
with your child daily.
We encourage you to play the activities in the Fundamentals of Reading
product line together. You’ll see first hand what progress your child is mak-
ing. Children love positive reinforcement so praise your child’s achieve-
ments. As your child embarks on the road to learning, he or she will en-
counter challenges. This is a natural part of the learning process. Please be
patient and if your child needs help, be sure to provide it. Have fun. Re-
member, learning to read isn’t a race. It doesn’t matter who gets there
first, it’s simply “getting there” that really counts.
We wish you the best as you help your child get off to a great start in
becoming a lifelong learner. As your child grows, count on VTech to be
there with fun, innovative learning toys to help your child do his or her
best every step of the way.
We thank you for entrusting us with the responsibility of building your child’s
future. When your child can read, your child can do anything.
Sincerely,
Your Friends at VTech®
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PHONICS READING CENTER™
TO BEGIN PLAY
1. To begin play, press the ON BUTTONON BUTTON
ON BUTTONON BUTTON
ON BUTTON ( ).
You will hear a short tune followed by “Hello!
Are you ready to play?”
2. Select from 22 activities by pressing the TOUCHTOUCH
TOUCHTOUCH
TOUCH
SENSITIVE ACTIVITY BUTTONSSENSITIVE ACTIVITY BUTTONS
SENSITIVE ACTIVITY BUTTONSSENSITIVE ACTIVITY BUTTONS
SENSITIVE ACTIVITY BUTTONS. When you have
chosen an activity, the friendly voice will guide
you while you are playing.
3. Press the LETTER BUTTONSLETTER BUTTONS
LETTER BUTTONSLETTER BUTTONS
LETTER BUTTONS to hear letters, let-
ter sounds, and objects identified or to enter
your answer for most of the activities.
ROLLER BALL
MOUSE
REPEAT
BUTTON
HELP
BUTTON
OFF BUTTON
VOLUME CONTROL
SWITCH
MELODY
BUTTON
NUMBER BUTTONS/
ARROW AND
ENTER BUTTONS
LETTER/OBJECT
BUTTONS
CONTRAST
SWITCH
LCD SCREEN TOUCH SENSITIVE
ACTIVITY BUTTONS
SPEAKER
MOUSE
PAD
SHAPE
BUTTONS
ON BUTTON
TO BEGINTO BEGIN TO BEGINTO BEGIN
TO BEGIN
PLAYPLAY PLAYPLAY
PLAY
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4. Press the SHAPE BUTTONSSHAPE BUTTONS
SHAPE BUTTONSSHAPE BUTTONS
SHAPE BUTTONS to hear the shapes
identified. You can also use these buttons to
hear the 20 built-in melodies played in dif-
ferent instrument sounds.
5. Press the NUMBER BUTTONSNUMBER BUTTONS
NUMBER BUTTONSNUMBER BUTTONS
NUMBER BUTTONS to hear numbers
identified or to enter your answers in the
number-based activities. You can also use the
ARROWSARROWS
ARROWSARROWS
ARROWS to move the LCD screen cursor up,
down, left, or right. Press the ENTER BUTTONENTER BUTTON
ENTER BUTTONENTER BUTTON
ENTER BUTTON
after using the arrows to enter your answer
for most of the activities.
6. Use the MOUSEMOUSE
MOUSEMOUSE
MOUSE to select answers on the LCD
screen.
7. Press the REPEAT BUTTONREPEAT BUTTON
REPEAT BUTTONREPEAT BUTTON
REPEAT BUTTON to hear the previ-
ous phrase or question repeated.
8. Press the HELPHELP
HELPHELP
HELP BUTTONBUTTON
BUTTONBUTTON
BUTTON once to hear the pre-
vious question repeated. If you press the Help
button a second time, the learning toy will give
you the answer. You will hear “Let me help”
followed by the answer to a question. For ac-
tivities that do not ask questions, you will hear
an invalid sound.
9. Press the MELODY BUTTONMELODY BUTTON
MELODY BUTTONMELODY BUTTON
MELODY BUTTON ( ) to hear
twenty different melodies randomly.
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10. To adjust the volume, slide the VOLUME CON-VOLUME CON-
VOLUME CON-VOLUME CON-
VOLUME CON-
TROL SWITCHTROL SWITCH
TROL SWITCHTROL SWITCH
TROL SWITCH ( ) located to the left of
the LCD screen up for the high volume posi-
tion ( ) or down for the low volume
position ( ).
11. To adjust the contrast of the LCD screen,
slide the CONTRAST SWITCHCONTRAST SWITCH
CONTRAST SWITCHCONTRAST SWITCH
CONTRAST SWITCH ( ) located
to the left of the LCD screen up for the high
contrast position ( ) or down for the
low contrast position ( ).
12. To turn the learning toy off, press the OFFOFF
OFFOFF
OFF
BUTTONBUTTON
BUTTONBUTTON
BUTTON ( ). You will hear a short tune
followed by “Bye-bye!”
13. You can choose from 22 different activities:
1. Letters, Numbers and Shapes 12. Alphabetizing
2. Find It 13. Puzzle Pictures
3. Alphabet & Number Order 14. Spatial Relationships
4. Learn the Words 15. Word Scramble
5. Sounds of Letters 16. Complete the Sentence
6. Sounds of Words 17. Sentence Scrambler
7. Beginning Letters 18. Sound Match and Music
8. Ending Letters 19. Mouse Skills
9. Spelling 20. Counting
10. Missing Vowels 21. Addition
11. Word Families 22. Subtraction
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PHONICS READING CENTERPHONICS READING CENTER
PHONICS READING CENTERPHONICS READING CENTER
PHONICS READING CENTER™ACTIVITIES
ACTIVITY 1 - LETTERS, NUMBERS AND SHAPES
This activity will help your child strengthen his or her letter, number and
shape recognition skills by reviewing the 26 letters of the alphabet, the
numbers 1-10, and four basic shapes.
Learning Benefits for Your Child -Learning Benefits for Your Child -
Learning Benefits for Your Child -Learning Benefits for Your Child -
Learning Benefits for Your Child - The Letters, Numbers and Shapes activity
is presented to your child to reinforce the twenty-six letters of the alphabet,
numbers 1-10, and four shapes. Your child may explore at his or her own pace
by choosing which letters, numbers or shapes to press. This free explora-
tion is very inviting and encourages your child to take risks by pressing let-
ters, numbers, and shapes that he or she may not be familiar with.
ACTIVITY INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Press the Letters, Numbers and ShapesLetters, Numbers and Shapes
Letters, Numbers and ShapesLetters, Numbers and Shapes
Letters, Numbers and Shapes touch
sensitive activity button and you will hear a
short tune followed by “Let’s learn the let-
ters, numbers and shapes!” The friendly
voice will say “Press a button.”
2. Press the letter buttons to hear the letters
identified. The letter animation will appear
on the LCD screen.
3. Press the number buttons to hear the num-
bers identified. The number animation will
appear on the LCD screen.
4. Press the shape buttons to hear the shapes
identified. The shape animation will appear
on the LCD screen.
LETTERS, NUMBERSLETTERS, NUMBERS LETTERS, NUMBERSLETTERS, NUMBERS
LETTERS, NUMBERS
AND SHAPESAND SHAPES AND SHAPESAND SHAPES
AND SHAPES
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PHONICS READING CENTERPHONICS READING CENTER
PHONICS READING CENTERPHONICS READING CENTER
PHONICS READING CENTER™ACTIVITIES
ACTIVITY 1 - LETTERS, NUMBERS AND SHAPES (continued)
How Can You Help?
• Encourage your child to find the beginning letter of his or her name as
well as other names of family members on the learning toy. Ask your
child to think of his or her friends’ names or favorite toys, stuffed ani-
mals, etc. and guide your child in finding and saying the beginning
letters of those words on the learning toy.
• Write some random letters, numbers, or shapes down on paper and
encourage your child to find the matching letter, number or shape on
the learning toy. After your child presses the letter, number or shape
button, ask him or her to tell you what letter, number, or shape it was.
• Allow your child plenty of free time to explore this activity. Have your
child touch and trace the letters, numbers and shapes on the learning
toy. He or she should say the name of the letters, numbers, or shapes
while tracing them. Have your child say, “The name of the letter, num-
ber, or shape is ____.”
ACTIVITY 2 - FIND IT
This activity reinforces letter, number, word, and shape identification by having your
child locate random letters, numbers, words or shapes. A friendly voice will ask
your child to find a certain letter, number, word or shape. Your child must rely
on the skills presented in the previous activity in order to play this activity.
Learning Benefits for Your Child -Learning Benefits for Your Child -
Learning Benefits for Your Child -Learning Benefits for Your Child -
Learning Benefits for Your Child - The Find It activity is presented to famil-
iarize your child with the twenty-six letters of the alphabet, numbers 1-10,
fifty-two words and four shapes.
ACTIVITY INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Press the Find ItFind It
Find ItFind It
Find It touch sensitive activity but-
ton and you will hear a short tune followed
by “Let’s find a letter, number, word or
shape.”
2. The friendly voice will ask a random ques-
tion. For example, “Find the letter A.” The
question animation will appear on the LCD
screen.
FIND ITFIND IT FIND ITFIND IT
FIND IT
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PHONICS READING CENTERPHONICS READING CENTER
PHONICS READING CENTERPHONICS READING CENTER
PHONICS READING CENTER™ACTIVITIES
ACTIVITY 2 - FIND IT (continued)
3. Press the letter buttons to answer the ques-
tions about letters or words.
4. Press the number buttons to answer the
questions about numbers.
5. Press the shape buttons to answer the ques-
tions about shapes.
6. If the answer is correct, you will hear a re-
warding sound with a positive phrase and
the answer will be identified. A positive ani-
mation and the answer will appear on the
LCD screen.
7. If the answer is incorrect, you will hear a
negative sound with an encouraging phrase
and the question will be repeated. A nega-
tive animation and the question animation will
appear on the LCD screen.
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PHONICS READING CENTERPHONICS READING CENTER
PHONICS READING CENTERPHONICS READING CENTER
PHONICS READING CENTER™ACTIVITIES
ACTIVITY 2 - FIND IT (continued)
How Can You Help?
• Watch your child play this activity. You will be able to determine which
letters, numbers, words, or shapes your child is successful in identifying.
It will also give a good indication of which letters, numbers, words or
shapes your child is having difficulty identifying. Be sure to make note of
those and continue to have your child work on them. Remember to be
positive and praise the good work that your child has done!
• Write some letters of the alphabet, numbers (1-10), words, or shapes down
on paper and encourage your child to find the matching letter, number,
word or shape on the learning toy.
• Create a list with your child of words that begin with each of the letters
of the alphabet. You may want to create a booklet for your child with
these words. Devote a page to each letter of the alphabet.
ACTIVITY 3 - ALPHABET & NUMBER ORDER
This activity strengthens alphabetical and numerical order skills. Your child
will recognize that the letters of the alphabet and numbers are arranged
in a certain order. He or she will have opportunities to tell which letter
comes before or after certain letters as well as which number comes be-
fore or after certain numbers. Your child will be asked specific questions
such as, “Which letter comes before the letter B?” He or she will then have
the opportunity to look at the learning toy and find that letter.
Learning Benefits for Your Child -Learning Benefits for Your Child -
Learning Benefits for Your Child -Learning Benefits for Your Child -
Learning Benefits for Your Child - The Alphabet Order activity is designed
to familiarize your child with the alphabet and numbers 1-10. Your child will
also be taught the concept of before and after. This activity provides op-
portunities for your child to identify letters of the alphabet and numbers
on his or her own.
ACTIVITY INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Press the Alphabet & Number OrderAlphabet & Number Order
Alphabet & Number OrderAlphabet & Number Order
Alphabet & Number Order touch
sensitive activity button and you will hear a
short tune followed by “Let’s learn alpha-
bet and number order.”
ALPHABET &ALPHABET & ALPHABET &ALPHABET &
ALPHABET &
NUMBER ORDERNUMBER ORDER NUMBER ORDERNUMBER ORDER
NUMBER ORDER
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PHONICS READING CENTERPHONICS READING CENTER
PHONICS READING CENTERPHONICS READING CENTER
PHONICS READING CENTER™ACTIVITIES
ACTIVITY 3 - ALPHABET & NUMBER ORDER (continued)
2. The friendly voice will ask a random ques-
tion. For example, “Which letter comes be-
fore the letter C?” The question animation
will appear on the LCD screen with four
answers to choose from.
3. Press a letter button or use the mouse to
select the answer.
4. You may also use the arrow buttons and
the enter button located on the number
buttons to select your answer from the LCD
screen.
5. Or, the friendly voice will ask a question
such as “Which number comes before the
number 7?” The question animation will
appear on the LCD screen with four an-
swers to choose from.
6. Press a number button or use the mouse
to select the answer.
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