I have been checking out several couplet files in order to make my own.
Are couplets only meant to be two words?
It seems strange to me to teach stilted sentences. ex: dog eating, boy running.
Is it not better to teach individual words and then have them read a sentence that says The dog is eating. The boy is running.
I agree that it is better to teach them individual words and then have them read a sentence. Make individual flash cards with The, cat, is, and black. Once they know these words, make a flash card with the full sentence, “The Cat is black.”
I think the couplets are meant to be a stepping stone to sentences. I don’t think you would make chopped sentences but things like - yellow star, blue ball, black dog. I just do things that make sense as a two word statement. For example you could start with…
Bouncing Ball
Red Ball
Then combine them to make a sentence…
The red ball is bouncing.
or
The bouncing ball is red.
Ok so barking dog would be acceptable? It still seems so strange to say that.
Couplets are meant to be only 2 words. I have done some couplets, but it is harder to think of ones that make sense. I agree that they are stepping stones, but with my 4 yr old I have already moved to the simple 4 or 5 word sentences like:
Mom is reading
John is sleeping
Jane is wearing a dress
Kate is riding a horse
As Doman says, there really isn’t a wrong way to teach your child unless you are boring them.
Since your child is younger maybe the couplets will help and not really seem strange to them. It is the way that Doman has the parent keep the old words in circulation so that the child sees them again, but in a way so that hopefully the child is not bored, I think.
I hope that this helps you.
color words coupled with a noun - eg red strawberry, purple grape
other adjectives coupled with a noun - eg. wide truck, thick line, thin , big/small dog etc
verb coupled with an adverb - eg running quickly
verb coupled with a noun - eg bouncing ball (as previously mentioned)
from there you can then put them into a sentence as suggested by sb1201
Thanks for clarifying mtb999,
very helpful on the two-word combination.
If the child knows the sight words, simple sentences are great too, or if he/she knows the main words, you can add the, is,etc.
Thank you those are wonderful ideas. You have helped a lot.
I will get to work on some couplets as soon as I get out to get a new microphone.
This one doesn’t fit into my new computer.
you sound like a real mommy, Stacey,
we need time to figure out the practical details :laugh:
I use my MP3 player for recording sound 
(maybe that’s why my files are few 
)
I jumped very rapidly from couplets to sentences with my child. Couplets are only meant to be two words and then you are supposed to move to three word sentences (usually a persons name followed by is and then a verb with -ing) and then on a word at a time til you have 5-6 word sentences and beyond. My daughter jumped very fast to the longer sentences and as long as you keep the concepts understandable you should be fine - use things your child knows about.
(eg Laurana has a green bunny… Daddy is in the kitchen… Teddy is wearing a yellow hat… or anything you can actually demonstrate to your child are good ones to start with)