Phonics is a time-tested method of teaching the English language and laying the groundwork for reading and writing. The basic premise of phonics is that every word is made up of a combination of sounds. By exploring and studying the various sound patterns used in words, teachers can help young students learn the language and take the first steps to becoming a successful reader.
As a teacher, it is imperative that you choose research based phonics programs that have been created by educators and are backed by proven and measurable results. Take the time to research and compare the pros and cons of each program.
Elements of an Excellent Phonics Program
Systematic Instruction
A program of systematic phonics instruction clearly identifies a carefully selected and useful set of letter-sound relationships and then presents them in a logical instructional sequence. For example, a child will learn the ‘short a’ sound (can, hat, cat), and then move on to ‘short e’ (bed, men, pet), and then ‘short I’ and so on. The systematic program teaches students how to relate letters and sounds, break words into sounds, blend sounds to form words and then apply this knowledge to become a reader.
Progressive Learning
Professionally developed phonics reading programs will feature incremental learning. As previously noted, with systematic instruction one lesson is mastered before moving on to the next. On a greater scale, it is important that the phonics program itself will give students the opportunity to put their knowledge into practice.
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