Learning Initial Sounds with QR Scan & Learn

Learning Initial Sounds: As a kindergarten teacher, you are always on the lookout for innovative and effective strategies to engage your students in the learning process. When it comes to teaching initial sounds, incorporating technology can add an element of excitement and interactivity to your lessons. In this blog post, we will explore the power of QR Scan activities in helping kindergarten students grasp initial sounds, opening up a world of discovery and learning right at their fingertips.

Introducing QR Codes:

QR codes are fascinating, matrix-like patterns that, when scanned using a mobile device or tablet, can reveal hidden information or links. Begin by explaining to your students how QR codes work and how they can use them to uncover initial sounds in a fun and interactive way.

Additionally, this is a huge time saver for the teacher because each student can be focusing on a sound they need to work on. For example, one student can be learning initial sounds /h/ and /t/ while another student can be learning initial sounds /w/ and /t/

Learning Initial Sounds

Let me introduce you to the newest QR Scan & Learn item, QR Scan & Learn~ Initial Sounds. This is a fun way to use technology to learn. This pack contains 26 initial sound sheets, covering each letter of the alphabet on its own sheet. Essentially… this is print-and-go! No prep is needed. You also get a set of directions, shown here, detailing what you need, how to use it, and a little more about QR Codes.

You Can Use Without the Codes

And before you ask… NO, YOU DON’T HAVE TO USE THE QR CODES. You can use these sheets in your classroom without the codes. Because they all follow the same pattern of activities, your little learners can quickly pick up on the purpose and task of the activity. But, let me detail how the QR Code aspect works. Print out the desired sheets for your students. Your students will also need a smart device, with a camera and wi-fi.

After You Scan

 Once it scans, you will hear an AUDIO FILE and your students will hear me READING the sheet and directions to them! They can pause, rewind, and repeat the directions as needed… and you aren’t the one who has to keep saying it over and over again!

Each file is between 3 and 4 minutes long. They are easy to follow along with and they help guide learning. Is it hard for some of your learners to complete? YES. Those that struggle following directions will have trouble here too,  but what a GREAT WAY TO WORK ON THIS SKILL.

Since this is print-and-go, you don’t have any prep work for this activity.  In fact, you can easily collect data on the independence of listening and following directions skills using these sheets. Others will have no issues. My highest students love these so much that they often listen to the audio file a few times because they enjoy it. These sheets focus on short vowel sounds.

There are no sheets for the long vowels in this pack, as it focuses only on 26 sounds.  Another question you might ask is about those letters that can make more than one sound… So the letter G sheet focuses on the /g/ sound in grapes,

the letter Y sound is for /y/ yarn, and X is the /ks/ sound IN THE WORD. {X is the only letter that doesn’t use the initial sound, but I know most of us do the same in our classrooms.} You can pick up your copy of the QR Scan & Learn~ Initial Sound here.