This approach to reading and writing has two major components: 1) Key Words & The Steps, and 2) Phonemic Awareness & Integrated Phonics. On the 3 pages in this section devoted to phonics, we look at how to develop a strong phonics foundation.
Here, you’ll see that first the child needs to be able to distinguish the sounds in the words we speak. Given this heightened awareness of the sounds, they’re then better able to absorb phonics — the connection between sounds/letters — as they watch us spell their Key Words. Later, they’ll help us spell their Key Words and practice spelling, as they write their own sentences. This skill will later be used to sound out unfamiliar words as they read.
As we do this, we don’t ask the child to memorize phonics. We help them absorb phonics by emphasizing the sound/letter connections as we write their Key Words.
Absorbing Phonics While Writing
So, in conjunction with phonemic awareness, but in separate sessions, we work with Key Words. There, we’re showing a young child how their own “talk” looks, written down. And as we write, 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 we’re working with them during the same time they can “soak up” a second language with little effort — just by being immersed in it.
So we’re simply capitalizing on the young child’s ability to absorb and acquire skills by seeing someone model and then working to copy them — by doing something they already have found interesting.
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 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. Later, 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’re working with Key Words. So, the association the child absorbs between the Today’s Sound and the letter is incidental — and we don’t test for it.
Because we humans have a more spontaneous and complex way to make associations, we don’t need to train the child to memorize phonics. For again, the child has the ability to absorb and copy what they see and hear. So, we take advantage of that capability by repeatedly using those letters and sounds together to spell the child’s Key Words.
(Think of the complexity of what the young child’s brain does, as it manages to absorb and copy what it takes to talk. We don’t need to ask them to memorize anything to accomplish that — so why take the time to have them do it now? Playing with Key Words, which integrates phonics, is time better spent. And they can fully enjoy playing with Key Words at an early age.)
Always mindful of avoiding anything that might confuse or overwhelm a child — causing them to lose confidence with print — I want them to view phonics, not as a challenge, but as a useful tool.
(You’ll find this concern with the child’s feeling of confidence to be a common theme as I describe this approach. That’s because from my experience with helping older non-readers, I suspect that loss of confidence early on is behind many, if not most, reading problems.)
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.
For I hear from people from various countries around the world viewing this website — and not all have access to special materials. So 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, talking with them, chanting nursery rhymes with them,, playing with the sounds as described, and using Key Words — they will flourish.
However, there are phonics materials that can be very helpful with phonics/spelling — especially in a classroom, where perhaps not all children have the advantage of experiencing a print-rich environment. So on the following page, we look at how to use professionally produced phonics materials in the classroom or at home.
But before we move on — a special word to the parents of very young children.
Parents Of Infants and Toddlers
You may be thinking we’re going on now to more advanced activities. And we are. But I want the parents of toddlers to see the cartoons on the following page.
For you could use them to tell stories to a child as young as the one shown in this image — and play a bit with the sounds associated with them. So please read on to where you find another note to you.
Also, see a list of ideas for use with infants and toddlers 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.