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Phonics,
a key to success in Reading
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Learn & Love to Read : Phonics
Many parents of beginning readers or
children who want to learn English may
hear about phonics from friends or
teachers. You may wonder what phonics is,
why my children needs phonics, if phonics is
essential and how I can help them to learn
phonics efficiently ?
This kiosk will answer all these questions
and help you to enhance your knowledge
of phonics . It is useful to find suitable
phonics materials for helping your children
by addressing valuable resources.
Phonics is knowing that sounds and letters have a
relationship. Phonics instruction is designed to help
beginning readers understand how letters combine to
make sounds and words. Through the phonics
instruction, children can understand letter sound
correspondences and spelling patterns.
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Many experts and researchers stress various
advantages of
phonics instruction, indicating phonics is an essential
ingredient in reading.
The knowledge gained by understanding the relationship
between sounds and letters helps children to read and
decode unfamiliar words automatically.
As children gain letter sound skills, they can transfer the
sound into spelling. This instills confidence in children’s
writing.
Mastering
explicit phonics helps children to improve
reading comprehension. In order to understand what he/she
reads, reading all sentences quickly and accurately is firstly
required. Phonics facilitates this process.
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Role of Phonics
in Reading
Approaches to
Phonics
Resources
(each type)
Tips for Parents
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Intro 2
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Roles of
Phonics 1
Methods of
Phonics1
Roles of
Phonics 2
Methods of
Phonics2
Analytical
Phonics1
2
3
Resources2
Roles of
Phonics 3
Methods of
Phonics3
Synthetic
Phonics2
2
3
Resources3
Resources1
Others
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Links
Tips for
Parents
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All contents in this kiosk are from following resources,
• Children’s Books and Reading, Synthetic Phonics, Retrieved from http://www.childrens-books-andreading.com/synthetic-phonics.html
• Children’s Books and Reading, Teaching Phonics using Analytical Phonics, Retrieved from http://www.childrensbooks-and-reading.com/teaching-phonics.html
• National Reading Panel (2000), Phonics Instruction, Retrieved from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/254
• Parlapiano, Ellen H., Sounding Out Phonics, Retrieved from http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=10219
• Time 4 Learning, Pre-Reading Skills – Phonics, Retrieved from
http://www.time4learning.com/readingpyramid/phonics.htm
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“Reading Skill pyramid” from
Role of Phonics in Reading
On-Track Reader Prepared for
Success
Grade3
Grade2
Grade1
Phonemic
Awareness
Vocabulary
Fluency
Kinder
Pre K
3-4s
Print
Concepts
Comprehension
Phonics
Phonics is one of five essential components of reading that children must to be taught in order to learn to read :
Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Fluency, Vocabulary, and Comprehension. Each component takes a large role in
achieving success in reading and also affects other parts which are vital in improving abilities to read.
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By mastering nine skills, children can accomplish goals of phonics instruction which
have a great effect on children’s process in reading and comprehension.
Distinguishes separate
sounds in words
Knows that letters in each
word correspond to sounds
Changes sounds by adding,
deleting, or substituting
phonemes
Knows that words are made
of sounds
Identifies words with same
beginning sounds
Blends sounds into words
Pays attention to sounds in
words
Hears the rhythm of
language
Identifies syllables in words
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The Role of Phonics
Over the past decades, there has been the phonics controversy. Some researchers
indicated that phonics instruction is unnecessary because children can learn to read
naturally without such instruction. They believed that we can help children to
have ability to read by encouraging them to read good books.
However, many experts had researched on the topic and concluded that early
phonics learning results in excellent reading achievement.
Adams (1990), one of the supporters of phonics teaching, indicated the role of
phonics in reading by saying,
“Phonics instruction by itself in not enough, however. To support skillful reading,
the information in all the processors must be richly interconnected. To learn to read
skillfully, children need practice in seeing and understanding decodable words in
real reading situations and with connected text. The purpose of word identification
instruction is to establish paths from the print to spelling, speech, meaning, and
context. This can be done when phonics is part of a reading program that provides
ample practice in reading and writing. Encouraging children with connected text
can also show them the importance of what they are learning and make the
lessons on phonics relevant and sensible”, (p.93-94).
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Dr. Marilyn Jager Adams
Cognitive psychologist
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Approaches to Phonics
Not all methods are created equal
The main goal of phonics instruction is to provide children with key knowledge and skills and to
encourage children to apply the knowledge in their reading and writing. In order to support
children’s phonics, there are several different methods available. It is important to know each
approach’s basic concept and pros and cons because selecting a method will be varied according
to what you and your child need.
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Phonics instruction teaches the relationships between the letters and
individual sounds. In addition, it teaches how these relationships are
used to read and write words. There are five approaches to phonics
instruction: Analytic phonics, Analogy phonics, Embedded
phonics, Phonics through spelling and Synthetic phonics.
All approaches aim to teach students to systematically recognize
familiar words and decode new works independently.
Analytical phonics and synthetic phonics are main methods for
phonics teaching. By clicking the below menu you can have more
specific information of each approach.
Analytical Phonics
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Synthetic Phonics
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Why & How Parents should use Systematic Phonics Instruction
According to the research by National Reading Panel (2000) “systematic phonics instruction has significant benefits for
students in kindergarten through 6th grade and for children having difficulty learning to read”. Children who were
taught phonics systematically in their early years are better able to decode and spell words and to read text. It has also
positive effects on English learning children who are from a variety of backgrounds.
The role of parents is essential in early child education. Since phonics
instruction is most effective when introduced early, parents should
adapt appropriate programs and teach their child carefully. Indeed,
parents should assess the needs of their child before applying the
program for phonics teaching.
Along with knowing that phonics is only one component of the reading
activity parents should give their child phonics instruction integrated
with other reading components such as phonemic awareness, fluency
and comprehension.
In order to facilitate children’s enthusiasm to learn, having various
learning activities is a valuable way. Many programs in different types
offer helpful resources and effective curriculum for your child.
For more information about programs, please see the resources section
in main menu.
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Synthetic Phonics
Letter - sounds first, words later
Most widely used in the world
Synthetic
phonics starts with the 44 sounds in the English language and teaches
children the combination of letters used to represent each of these sounds.
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Concept of Synthetic Phonics
There are 44 sounds in the English language, represented by
one, two or more letters put together. Children are taught
each of these sounds systematically and the letters used to
represent them.
Sounds are represented by
• one letter : /m/ in ‘map’
• two letters : /wr/ in ‘wrist’
• three letters : /igh/ in ‘light’
• four letters : /ough/ in ‘dough’
Children start to learn each of 44 sounds. After mastering
sounds, children are taught how to these sounds can be
blended together to make words.
Synthetic Phonics method is most widely used in countries such as the US, the UK, Germany, and Austria to help
children’s reading skills.
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Advantages
Disadvantages
• The fast pace of learning new sounds
helps children not to get bored. It will
take less than four months for children
to read simple books.
• In the beginning of the learning
process, the synthetic method does not
focus on children’s comprehension of
what the words mean, which is
essential to reading ability.
• As children learn sounds represented
by more than one letter, they can
easily understand when they see
individual letters sound different in
different words. For example, an “a”
sounds different in “cat” than in “rain”.
• This method gives a logical structure
to the writing system : Phonics connect
reading to spelling and writing.
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Analytical Phonics
Words first, letter - sounds later
Analytical Phonics starts with the 26 letters of the alphabet and teaches the sounds
associated with each of these letters. In addition, children are taught to recognize
groups of similarly spelt words.
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Concept of Analytical Phonics
A single
syllable word
Analytical phonics recognizes that a single word
= Onset + Rhyme
has two parts: the onset and the rhyme.
For example, in the word “spill”, “sp” is the onset
and “ill” is the rhyme.
Spill
=
Sp
+
ill
Goat
=
G
+
oat
Boat
=
B
+
oat
Children are taught to analyze whole words to
detect spelling patterns and then split them into
the onset and the rhyme. This decoding enables
them to make a comparison with other words.
For example, if the child knows ‘goat’ and ‘boat’, then the word ‘float’ or
‘moat’ will be easy to read. By varying the onset, one rhyme can generate
numerous words. These groups of words are called rhyme families.
Children learn the names of the letters and the sounds first, and then are
taught how to blend letters together to make words.
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Advantages
Disadvantages
• The analytical approach is good to
help children develop a large sight
vocabulary for both reading and
spelling.
• Learning the rhyme is useful to
recognize and learn other words which
have the same rhyme. For example,
after learning the rhyme “ould” in
“would” children can easily learn either
“could” or “should”.
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• Learning the sounds and their blends
can be boring for young children.
• By encouraging guessing to read
words, it may promote children to
read inaccurately.
• It normally takes one week to master
one letter sound, which is longer than
other methods, resulting in children
getting bored easily.
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Other phonics approaches
• Analogy phonics
• Phonics
Students are taught unfamiliar
words by analogy to known
words. For example, reading
“brick” by analogy to “kick” or
reading “stump” by analogy to
“jump”.
Students are taught to separate
words into sounds and to select
letters for those sounds.
• Embedded phonics
Students are taught phonics
skills by embedding the phonics
method in reading text.
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through spelling
Books
Create your own curriculum
Click on each book. You can see more information and reviews on Amazon!
Synthetic Phonics
Analytical Phonics
Awarded the best how-to book in 2000
Most widely used for learning to
read at home
Aimed to improve comprehension
and reading skills
Uses a unique system of letter
making(DISTAR), used to
accelerate the teaching of many
irregularly spelled words
Provides daily lesson plans that
are detailed and easy to follow
More information and tips
available @ here
Helps to teach essential skills to
blend sounds
Designed for mainly home use
Provides 20 lessons for children to
read
Highly simplified phonics programs
Valuable tips and materials for
this book are available @ here
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By providing games, children are
encouraged to learn reading and
decoding skills
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software/materials
Worth paying for
Click on each site. You can see more information!
Internet based software program
Has animated episodes to teach
phonemic awareness, phonics,
fluency, vocabulary and
comprehension
All contents and design on the
program reflect scientific research
“all lessons are highly interactive and
provide multiple opportunities for
practice” – from the review by Florida
Provides books and materials
world widely
Developed in 1968, Letterland
has worked for teaching
phonics literacy by providing
child friendly design contents
and various resources such as
games, painting, and songs
Provides parents with learning
materials that are fun, effective
and easy to learn
Awarded as “most practical
for preschool” in 2010
Listed by The Children’s Reading
Foundation as a good resources for
parents
Center for Reading Research
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One of the most widely used programs
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Research based strategies and child
friendly activities
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Websites
enjoy free services
Selected one of “five sites too good
to miss” in 2006
Opened in 2002 to help children
learn to read
Has four different categories to
facilitate children’s phonemic
awareness, phonics, fluency,
vocabulary and comprehension
Each section provides valuable tips
and resources
Supported by the BBC and
designed mainly to help
children gain knowledge of
phonics
All games and activities are
divided into five modules
which each focus on different
areas of phonics learning
The Sadlier company has been
working for children’s education in
various fields such as mathematics
and reading. On their web site there
are many useful resources for parents
and teachers.
Sadlier phonics provides numerous
activities which are leveled from prek to grade 6. All activities empower
children to use their knowledge of
words, sounds, and letters.
Click on each site. You can see more information!
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Tips for parents to support children’s phonics learning
Read familiar books
Work with teacher
Reading easy books helps to improve
phonics and fluency
Communicate with your child’s teacher
regularly and share your concern about
your child
Listen to your child’s reading every day
Read aloud
Help your child to read unknown words
and check her/his strengths and
weaknesses in reading
This is the best way to boost
children to have fun in reading and
to learn new words with phonics
Encourage comprehension
Let your child know the joy of
By asking questions such as “what will
happen?” or “why did the boy cry ?” you
can help your child improve
understanding of what s/he read
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reading
By having many books at home or
visiting libraries frequently, you can
encourage your child to read and
learn
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