Title – Last Name (Surname) Recognition

By – Heidi Mosser

Subject – Other

Grade Level – Pre-K-Kindergarten

I was amazed at the number of my five year olds who did not recognize their surnames, so I set out to incorporate this information into my lessons. Some ways I have found to encourage last name recognition are:

1. Call the children to sit down for their lesson by writing their last name on the chalk/dry erase board. As they grow more proficient at the recognition, you can write the name, point to it, but not say it.

2. Label work sheets with last name only and have the children find their place.

3. List all surnames on the board and as you point to each, call out, “I want the person whose last name I am pointing to to stand up and clap two times, wiggle their fingers, do the twist, act like a monkey, etc. You choose the activity. They love this one, and it is a great assessment method to find out who your early readers are; you can help the children who do not recognize their names by looking at them while you point.

Hope this helps!

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Heidi Mosser

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