A mastery of phonics — the sound/letter relationship — is important. But there’s a lot of confusion and controversy about the best way to help a child develop a strong phonics foundation.
In this approach, we don’t teach it in isolation. That is, we don’t treat phonics as a rote memory exercise, as if it were the multiplication table.
Instead, we work on it in two ways. First, we focus on phonemic awareness — the ability to hear and discriminate between the sounds we speak.
Then at the same time, we integrate phonics into the writing process.
Absorbing Phonics While Writing
So in conjunction with phonemic awareness, we show a child how their own “talk” looks, written down. And as we write what they’re saying, we have them help us choose the letters needed.
Seeing their own words translated into print, fascinates a child, and they want to do it themselves. With their natural interest in seeing their own words in print, along with our careful modeling, they easily begin to absorb phonetic connections.
If this sounds a little too easy, recall that we’re dealing with the minds of young children. And it’s during same time they can “soak up” a second language with little effort — just by being immersed in it.
So we’re simply capitalizing on that ability.
Not only is that a more natural process, and thus easier for the child, but they end up with a much broader outcome. For phonics and the other skills developed through writing transfer to reading. Therefore, the child emerges with the ability to both write and read.
We look now at how we begin to work with children in this way.
First Introduce The Alphabet
The following describes how a group activity in a classroom. But you can use the same process at home.
First, to be sure all the children are familiar with the concept of the alphabet, help them learn to sing the Alphabet Song. As shown here, it goes to the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.”
Then have them sing and watch — as you point to each letter on an alphabet chart. Be sure to slow way down at LMNOP!
(Most classrooms already have a large alphabet chart, but if not, you can print out a copy of the chart shown here. Or make up your own, as shown here in blue, under the song. Have it enlarged, so every child can see it, as you sit together on the rug.)
This is not a memory task. This is only so they know what you mean when you talk about the alphabet and say the name of a letter.
They will begin to remember the letter names as you repeat this activity each day. But they do NOT need to know the name of every letter before you begin with the activities described next.
Following is what to do as soon as you finish with the song and the chart.
Next, Play With Sounds To Develop Phonemic Awareness
During the same daily session, have them play with sounds. Here’s an example of a sequence to follow:
- Introduce just ONE letter a day. Begin with consonants. Then do the short vowels, as in pat, pet, pot, pit and pup.
- Say the name of the letter and the common sound it makes.
Have them feel the vibration in their nose and/or throat as they say the sound, pointing out that in some cases, you can hear the sound in the letter’s name.- Have the group listen, as each child substitutes today’s sound for the beginning of their name. (Donny says, “Nonny”)
- Have a few children repeat this for the group — with what they’re wearing and with objects around the room.
- Invite them to help you make up other ways to play with that sound.
Keep this sound and letter on the children’s mind. As you end the session, put the large letter where the children will notice it the rest of the day. Have someone place an object next to it that starts with that sound. Refer to it a few times throughout the day, inviting them to decide on other objects to put beside it.
Avoid Testing Sound/Letter Relationships In Isolation
The purpose of this activity is not to memorize the letter names or the sound(s) they make. It’s so they can notice, hear and differentiate between the different sounds later, as you write a word or two they use in telling you what’s on their mind that day — their Key Words.
So, avoid holding up the letters they’ve played with before and asking them what sound they make. For this may confuse the children in the group who have not had much previous exposure to print. I emphasize this because confusing a child early on can lead to a lack of confidence with print. And from my experience with helping older non-readers, I suspect that lack of confidence early on is behind many, if not most, reading problems.
In addition to avoiding that possibility, memorizing phonics in isolation is an unnecessary hurdle, anyway. For as mentioned above, a child will absorb these connections naturally, with Key Words. And they’ll do it with pleasure and ease, emerging able to both write and read.
Special Phonics Materials
You now have a simple, yet effective strategy to help a child begin to develop phonemic awareness. I’ve described it using individual letters you can make yourself, in case special phonics materials aren’t available to you.
And if that’s the case, you needn’t be concerned. Remember that millions of people have learned to read without any other materials than the letters of the alphabet. (I did — perhaps you did, too.)
The absence of more elaborate phonics materials will not hold your child back — if you’re reading to them often, playing with the sounds as described, and using Key Words.
However, there are phonics materials that can be very helpful with phonics/spelling — especially in a classroom, where perhaps not all children come from a print-rich environment. So on the following page, we look at how to use phonics materials in the classroom or at home.
But before we move on, a special word to the parents.
Note to Parents of Infants & Very Young Toddlers
You may be thinking we’re going on now to more advanced activities. And we are. But I want the parents of very young toddlers to see the cartoons on the next page. For you could use them with a child as young as the one shown in this image. So please read on to where you find another note to you. Also, see the list of activities for infants here.
Now let’s go on to the following page. There we examine two types of phonics materials and how to use the type I recommend.