Teaching of Reading/Phonics is Fun

It has taken me a year to finally complete the "Phonics is Fun" set. Please see the following introductory letter to the set. Sets can be purchased as a whole or as individual items. For further information please contact edwina@letni.co.za.

HOW PHONICS IS FUN CATERS FOR THE TEACHING OF READING
Reading is usually taught in groups using a combination of methods. However, there are many times when the teacher and the whole class are involved in reading or when the teacher guides one child in the art of reading.

A teacher will usually use all of the methods listed below every day. The eclectic method used by most teachers in the teaching of reading is:

· The Look and Say Method
This involves the use of flash cards. The child is shown a card with a word (in large, bold print) and told what it says. The child looks at the word and repeats it a couple of times. The child then uses his visual memory to recall what the word says.

Flashcards of the letters are supplied in this set. The flashcards are designed to be placed at the top of the verse when it is taught. They should be put on the wall of the classroom as a reminder once they are known.

· The Sentence Method A sentence is written under a picture and the children read it together with the teacher as she points to the words. In this way children learn that words have meaning and are strung together to form a sentence, which also has meaning.

This set contains a verse for each letter of the alphabet. Children read the sentences with the teacher and learn that words have meaning. The verse can be placed under the flashcard and left on the wall.

· Shared Reading Shared reading involves the teacher and children reading together from a large book or from a chart with large print. The teacher reads aloud and models reading – the pace, flow and expression of the text, and demonstrates the skills she uses to make meaning of the words and the text. During discussion the teacher and the children construct a shared understanding of what has been read. This assists children to learn, understand and experience the joy of being able to read.

Shared reading can be carried out using the verses. There are also 26 laminated story books in the set. The teacher and a group, or an individual, read a story together. The teacher demonstrates the pace and the flow of reading. She will also stop at times to discuss how she arrived at the meaning of the words and the text.


The Phonetic Method
Phonology is the sound system of a language. “Phonics” is derived from this word. Children who do not develop phonic awareness usually have difficulty in learning to read and spell.
Phonics is a method of teaching reading that involves the understanding of the connection between sounds of speech (phonemes) and written symbols (graphemes). Phonics is a tool to assist children in decoding words – they learn the sounds of individual letters or letter combinations. Letters in a word are sounded and blended together (analysis and synthesis) such as c-a-t or d-o-g. However, phonics need to be taught and pronounced correctly (refer to list below). Not all words can be sounded.

When teaching phonics, present one sound over a week and revise it before introducing the next sound. Revise the two sounds before introducing the third. It is important to note that if children are faced with too many sounds and letters they will become confused. In writing we start with the letter “c”. When teaching the formation of a letter in writing, teach the sound it makes at the same time. Thus knowledge will be connected.

It has been my experience with children who are battling to read, that they have either never been taught the sounds letters make or that they have been taught them incorrectly. A common error is the incorrect teaching of the sound of the “b” letter. If a child is taught that the letter “b” says “bu” and he attempts to sound the word “bus”, he will sound it as “bu-u-s”. Should the letter “c” be taught as sounding like “cu” and the child tries to sound the word “cap” it will sound like “cu-a-p”. Many times I walk into classrooms and see the wrong words and pictures for the different letters on beautifully made charts. However, a beautifully made chart does not negate the mistake of using the sound “o” as in the word “owl” instead of using the word “orange”.

Repeated experience is the best tool for learning. The flash cards, verses, stories and CD will simplify the teaching and learning of phonics.


HOW THIS SET CATERS FOR DIFFERENT LEARNING STYLES
There are three main learning styles:

Unique learning styles have an effect on how children learn and the daily program in a school should cater for all three styles of learning. However, we all have a main and secondary learning style, for example, one’s main learning style may be visual but the secondary way of learning may be auditory.


1. The Visual Learner (learns best by seeing)About 65% of people are visual learners. The child who is a visual learner needs to see pictures, objects, body language and facial expressions to fully understand or grasp information.

This set caters for the visual learner as there are:

· Visual aids, such as pictures which incorporate the grapheme (written letter) on the verse chart of each letter.
· Visual aids such as story books, which have explicit, colourful, bright pictures which portray the story of each letter.
· Visual aids such as the alphabet frieze with letters and pictures. This can be left on the classroom wall permanently.


2. The Auditory Learner (learns by hearing)

The child who is an auditory learner learns best by hearing. The auditory learner wants to hear the tone and pitch of a voice, what a voice sounds like, to fully understand and remember what one is saying.

This set caters for the auditory learner as:

· The phonemes are taught in verse form. Children usually learn verses very quickly.
· The sounds of the letter, which the story book is about, are heard repeatedly in other words in the stories.
· The compact disc (CD) that accompanies each set has the words and tune of each phoneme of the alphabet. Children love singing and learn the songs and the sounds very quickly and in a fun way.


3. The Kinesthetic Learner (learns by feeling and doing)The kinesthetic learner likes a “hands-on” approach. He must touch, feel and do in order to learn fully. He wants to “do it” – he does not like to learn by watching it being done or by hearing how to do it, he wants to do it in order to learn.

This set caters for the kinesthetic learner as:

· The letters on the cover of each book are raised in order for the child to feel the formation of the letter.
· The kinesthetic learner often loses concentration and gets tired of being told to sit or stand still, so teachers need to allow him to take an active part as much as possible. The kinesthetic learner can role-play, or act out, scenes from the stories, poems and songs.