What is Phonics???
Phonics is the relationship between letters and sounds. It is one of the primary building blocks of reading. Phonics instruction begins in Kindergarden, and proceeds up to the 3rd grade. There are several elements within Phonics, which are: syllables, onsets and rimes, and phonemes. As discussed previously, phonemic awareness and phoncs are closely connected. Phonics instruction connects the phonemes of words with written letters, which allows children to transfer their previous knowledge of sounds to the printed word.
The main goal of phonics instruction is to aid readers in determining unfamiliar words. When children encournter a word they do not know, they use phonics and apply it to what they are reading. An example of this occurance could be if a reader came across the word "apple" and did not recognize it, the child would sound out each segment of the word (/a/ /p/ l/) and blend these sounds together to complete the entire word.
The main goal of phonics instruction is to aid readers in determining unfamiliar words. When children encournter a word they do not know, they use phonics and apply it to what they are reading. An example of this occurance could be if a reader came across the word "apple" and did not recognize it, the child would sound out each segment of the word (/a/ /p/ l/) and blend these sounds together to complete the entire word.
expectations on children in phonics
Kindergarten:
First Grade:
Second and Third Grade:
- Student can recognize and name all uppercase and lowercase letters.
- The student understands that the sequence of letters in a written word represents the sequence of sounds in a spoken word.
- Student has learned many one-to-one letter-sound correspondences.
- The student can recognize some sight words immediately.
First Grade:
- The student can count the number of syllables in a spoken word.
- The student can recognize common, irregularly spelled words by sigh. Examples of this could be: have, said, where, two.
- Student can use letter-o-sound correspondence knowledge to sound out unknown words when reading text.
Second and Third Grade:
- Student uses knowledge of print-sound mappings to sound out unknown words
- The student uses letter-to-sound correspondence knowledge and structural analysis to decode words.
- Student has the ability to accurately decode orthographically regular, multisyllable words and nonsense words (for example: capital, Kalamazoo).
- The student can accurately read many irregular words and such spelling patterns as diphthongs, special vowel spellings, and common word endings.
New research about phonics
Research shows that when children are provided early phonics instruction in grades (K-1st), they show significant strides in reading comprehension, spelling abilities, and moderate growth in oral reading instruction. There is still noted some growth in grades 2nd to 6th, but not as much as when children start phonics instruction in the lower grades. There is significant impact from Phonics instruction in the upper grades as well. Phonics instruction seems to hep those with reading disabilities, low achieving non-disabled students, and also those from low socio-economic backgrounds.
According to the National Reading Panal, there is proof that Phonics instruction has significant benefits in k-6th grade with those who have trouble reading. Research has also shown that it has positive effects on disabled readers' skills. It also seems to have led to improved socioeconomic status and spelling.
According to the National Reading Panal, there is proof that Phonics instruction has significant benefits in k-6th grade with those who have trouble reading. Research has also shown that it has positive effects on disabled readers' skills. It also seems to have led to improved socioeconomic status and spelling.
Traditional phonics approaches
Syllable types
Although the differences in phonics instructions are small, some reviews have discovered slight advantages over other approaches. Please note that these differences may not be due to the differences in method, but instead due to the coverage in material or other factors.
Analytic Phonics Approaches:
Analytic approaches consist of beginning with a word a child already knows, then breaking it down into its components parts.
Example: A teacher writes the word met on the board, then states, “The sound in the middle of the word met, makes a /e/ sound. This is called short e.” Then the teacher states another word aloud, such as bed, bat, run, hen, and rest. The teacher then asks the student to identify the word with a short e sound in it. The lesson could end with the teacher asking the student to write more words that have a short e sound on the board.
Linguistic Approaches:
The Linguistic Approach was based on the idea that because children cannot sound words out, they should learn words in patters and bring the pronunciations of unknown words from known patterns.
Example: “Stan is a man. / Nat is a cat. / Nat is fat. / Nat sat on a mat.”
This approach is also called visual tongue twisters, because the text made little sense and the sentences were loaded with so much similar words, they were a challenge to anyone! It did not matter if someone was an excellent reader or learner.
Synthetic Phonics Approaches:
This sort of approach is where you teach students individual letters or groups of letters, and then show them how to blend the letters together to form words.
Example: The lesson might begin with the teacher writing a letter such as a on the board and then state, “This is the letter a, and it makes the sound /a/.” The teacher would write a word containing the letter, such as bat, and then pointing to the letters from left to right to have the entire class blend the word together in unison. The lesson would go on to reading words with a short a or having the students read a story which contains a lot of words with the a sound.
Much research has gone into review phonics programs in the schools, and it seems Synthetic approaches are most common in schools.
Analytic Phonics Approaches:
Analytic approaches consist of beginning with a word a child already knows, then breaking it down into its components parts.
Example: A teacher writes the word met on the board, then states, “The sound in the middle of the word met, makes a /e/ sound. This is called short e.” Then the teacher states another word aloud, such as bed, bat, run, hen, and rest. The teacher then asks the student to identify the word with a short e sound in it. The lesson could end with the teacher asking the student to write more words that have a short e sound on the board.
Linguistic Approaches:
The Linguistic Approach was based on the idea that because children cannot sound words out, they should learn words in patters and bring the pronunciations of unknown words from known patterns.
Example: “Stan is a man. / Nat is a cat. / Nat is fat. / Nat sat on a mat.”
This approach is also called visual tongue twisters, because the text made little sense and the sentences were loaded with so much similar words, they were a challenge to anyone! It did not matter if someone was an excellent reader or learner.
Synthetic Phonics Approaches:
This sort of approach is where you teach students individual letters or groups of letters, and then show them how to blend the letters together to form words.
Example: The lesson might begin with the teacher writing a letter such as a on the board and then state, “This is the letter a, and it makes the sound /a/.” The teacher would write a word containing the letter, such as bat, and then pointing to the letters from left to right to have the entire class blend the word together in unison. The lesson would go on to reading words with a short a or having the students read a story which contains a lot of words with the a sound.
Much research has gone into review phonics programs in the schools, and it seems Synthetic approaches are most common in schools.
good phonics instruction should:
Develop the Alphabetic Principle
The Alphabetic Principle is the notion that letters in words may stand for specific sounds. Children learn more about letters and sounds with each word they analyze further. This can consist of consonant blends, consonant digraphs, vowel digraphs, diphthongs and phonograms. A teacher can observe a child's growth in knowledge of the alphabetic principle through both their reading and spelling skills.
Not have to be boring!
Although Phonics can be taught by using worksheets, it does not have to be. In fact, it is encouraged to use engaging activities and instruction. What seems to work in phonics instruction is direct teacher instruction as opposed to practicing worksheets. It appears that time spent reading connected text is much more relevant to the teaching phonics. Effective Phonics instruction does not require an immense amount of time.
The Alphabetic Principle is the notion that letters in words may stand for specific sounds. Children learn more about letters and sounds with each word they analyze further. This can consist of consonant blends, consonant digraphs, vowel digraphs, diphthongs and phonograms. A teacher can observe a child's growth in knowledge of the alphabetic principle through both their reading and spelling skills.
Not have to be boring!
Although Phonics can be taught by using worksheets, it does not have to be. In fact, it is encouraged to use engaging activities and instruction. What seems to work in phonics instruction is direct teacher instruction as opposed to practicing worksheets. It appears that time spent reading connected text is much more relevant to the teaching phonics. Effective Phonics instruction does not require an immense amount of time.
activities
Phonics Fighter
The game "Phonics Fighter" is an interactive online game that allows children to practice their knowledge of the alphabetic principle. The only adjustment that would take this game to a new level would be if the game repeated the sounds that the child clicks on. The button below will take you directly to this game.
The game "Phonics Fighter" is an interactive online game that allows children to practice their knowledge of the alphabetic principle. The only adjustment that would take this game to a new level would be if the game repeated the sounds that the child clicks on. The button below will take you directly to this game.
This is the worksheet that goes with Picture Dominos
Tactile Practice
Provide lots of tactile involvement through salt trays, instatnt pudding, shaving cream, hair gel, finger paints, and other edibles. Have the students to say letter names as they trace and write letters. Instruct the students to glue macaroni onto letter forms and say letter names.
More practice with Phonics
Here is a video demonstrating the correct way to teach children blending to children.