Phonics What Teachers Should Know?
Main points What is Phonics? What is Phonemic awareness? How do we start teaching phonics in primary schools? How can we teach letter sounds in class?
What is phonics? Phonics is a method of teaching students to read, write and pronounce words by learning the letter sounds; blending the sounds and syllables.
What is phonemic awareness? It s the ability to hear and manipulate sounds in spoken words. Essential to learning phonics Helps identify rhyme and speech mapping.
How do we start teaching phonics? Step 1 44 letter sounds in English. Teach the 5 short-vowel sounds and consonant sounds. Drill until memorized.
The 44 Sounds in the English Language 5 Short-Vowel Sounds 18 Consonant Sounds 7 Digraphs short /ă/ in apple short /ĕ/ in elephant short /ĭ/ in igloo short /ŏ/ in octopus short /ǔ/ in umbrella /b/ in bat /k/ in cat and kite /d/ in dog /f/ in fan /g/ in goat /h/ in hat /j/ in jam /l/ in lip /m/ in map /n/ in nest /p/ in pig /r/ in rat /s/ in sun /t/ in top /v/ in van /w/ in wig /y/ in yell /z/ in zip /ch/ in chin /sh/ in ship unvoiced /th/ in thin voiced /th/ in this /hw/ in whip * /ng/ in sing /nk/ in sink * (wh is pronounced /w/ in some areas) 6 Long-Vowel Sounds 3 r-controlled Vowel Sounds Diphthongs and Other Special Sounds long /ā/ in cake long /ē/ in feet long /ī/ in pie long /ō/ in boat long /ū/ (yoo) in mule long /ōō/ in flew /ur/ in fern, bird, and hurt /ar/ in park /or/ in fork /oi/ in oil and boy /ow/ in owl and ouch short /ŏŏ/ in cook and pull /aw/ in jaw and haul /zh/ in television
Examples Short-Vowel Sounds short /ă/ in apple short /ĕ/ in elephant short /ĭ/ in igloo short /ŏ/ in octopus short /ŭ/ in umbrella Consonant Sounds /b/ in bat /k/ in kite /s/ in sun /k/ in cat /l/ in lip /t/ in top /d/ in dog /m/ in map /v/ in van /f/ in fan /n/ in nest /w/ in wig /g/ in goat /p/ in pig /ks/ in fox /h/ in hat /kw/ in queen /y/ in yell /j/ in jam /r/ in rat /z/ in zip
What material? Flash cards Writing supplies Decodable stories A textbook
Step 2 Different Spellings of Vowels Once the children are able to identify the 44 letter sounds, they need to be learn the different styles that some of the vowels can be written.
More consonants Teach the digraphs (ch, sh, th, wh, ng, nk). A digraph consists of two consonants that form a new sound when combined. Also teach three-consonant blends. Digraphs chin, such, patch (silent t) ship, wish thin, with (unvoiced /th/) this (voiced /th/) whip sang, sing, song, sung sank, sink, honk, sunk Three-Consonant Blends scruff split strap thrill
Step 3 After your student can read three-letter and four-letter words easily, it s time to add a few high-frequency words that are necessary to read most sentences. Example Me, he, I, the, was, said, they, your
Step 4 Tricky Words (Irregular Words) For example come give live your said here there have are
Step 4 Syllables in words Help children to identify the syllables in words.
Start blending! Two-Letter Blends b + a = ba s + a = sa j + a = ja b + e = be s + e = se j + e = je b + i = bi s + i = si j + i = ji b + o = bo s + o = so j + o = jo b + u = bu s + u = su j + u = ju Three-Letter Blends fa + t = fat ki + t = kit ro + d = rod de + n = den ma + d = mad se + t = set bo + x = box ye + s = yes tu + g = tug hi + d = hid no + t = not wi + n = win ju + g = jug pu + n = pun la + p = lap
Sound /oi/ /ow/ short /ŏŏ/ /sh/ /zh/ Common Spellings oil, boy owl, ouch cook, pull vacation, session, facial vision
Some rules which can help children spell words: 1. A short word with a short vowels, ending with a c sound, is written with a ck, e.g. black, neck, tick, tock, lock, duck. 2. A short word with a short vowel, ending in f, l, s or z, needs a double ending, e.g. cliff, spill, miss, buzz, etc. 3. If the suffix ing, ed, er or y is added to a word with short vowels, there have to be at least two consonants before the suffix is added. running bending shopping landing chopped jumped thinner older funny handy
Why should we teach students phonics in primary schools? l English is a system of sounds. l Phonics helps students read. l Phonics helps students write. For reading and writing the students need to be fluent at saying the sounds that go with the letters. l Phonics is easier for students to learn. (When compared with Phonetics).
How can we teach letter sounds in our classrooms? Suggested steps; students: 1. Hear 2. See 3. Read (sound) 4. Write 5. To read (words) 6. To blend 7. To spell
Teaching letter sounds 1. Tell a story; students hear the sound first. 2. Show a flash card; students can see it. 3. Ask students to do an action and read the sound. 4. Show them how to write the letter sound. 5. Put the letter sound in words; ask students to read. Ask students to find more words with the sound. 6. Challenge students with some new words. 7. Ask students to listen and write some words.
Questions? These slides can be found on my web page: www.drhanantaqi.weebly.com