Why Learn to Read Works: Reason #6

PhonicsKid — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 01:56:45 +0000

Bite-Sized Learning: Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read uses short lessons that help keep children interested, engaged, and eager to learn. The new Learn to Read is a reading program designed to help children learn how to read and improve reading skills using phonics. Follow us: learntoread.hookedonphonics.com http blog.hookedonphonics.com http hookedonphonics.com

Guide To Choosing A Phonic Program

PhonicsKid — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:58:05 +0000

Overall statistics now show without doubt that explicit instruction in phonics provides the essential foundation for competency in reading, writing and spelling. What can we expect of our teachers, many of whom have never had the opportunity to discover – or experience – what explicit instruction in phonics is actually about. How threatened might you feel if you were suddenly informed that the way you had been conducting your business or carrying out your work was now regarded as inefficient and inappropriate and should be replaced, but no-one could show you how competently to implement the alternative. But this is the position in which many teachers find themselves. The answers are there, and meeting the challenge is both rewarding and exciting. But pitfalls are there too! To examine some of these, we must firstly be sure of the true meaning of phonics – not just a letter/sound relationship (b is for banana, s for snake) – this is phonetics. Phonics is the study of the relationship between speech sounds and units and their function in words. For example: Phonetics would teach that ‘ck’ is pronounced ‘k’. Phonics explains that the use of the letter unit ‘ck’ as in back indicates a preceding short vowel – whereas a silent final ‘e’ indicates a long vowel as in bake. It includes the knowledge of the function of suffixes to who parts of speech – e.g. magnet (noun) becomes magnetize (verb). No wonder students of phonics say “This puts the pieces of the puzzle together.” So how can we choose a phonic program when so many so-called are sprouting up in the marketplace? The following may help: Is it linguistically sound? We cannot be guilty of giving our students incorrect information. One advertised program claims that u (as in use) is not a vowel because it consists of y + oo. Check this with any speech book or dictionary. Expediency is not an excuse for inaccuracy. The same program did not portray i (as in ice) as u + i (dipthong). Has it stood the test of time? Has the program been in use long enough to show successful results over a reasonable period of time and in more than one situation? Has it been compiled by experienced people with teaching experience, the needs of students being their prime objective. Good literacy programs include in their authorships, or have been edited by, a person or persons with an understanding of linguistics and English language structure, including aspects of speech and pronunciation. Do pictures take precedence over words? Pictures are intended to enhance the meaning of text but you cannot read pictures! A good phonics program can work even without pictures, and give children ownership of their own learning. Is it fully structured, does it follow a logical progression? Does it teach ‘bed’ before ‘bread’, ‘hop’ and ‘hope’ before ‘hopping’ and ‘hoping’? Many systems fail to structure or even grade text properly and assume that beginning reading depends on guessing from clues. Does it offer fully integrated resources? Are the phonograms taught in the same order as in the writing and spelling. Does it move forward, logically, step-by-step. Is the program acceptable to students of all ages? Teenagers and adults can cope with “Dad has a map of the dam”, but are turned off by stories about lost teddy bears. Many widely marketed phonics programs are directed at child beginner level only, they are not suitable for older students and often do not proceed to mature level language instruction. Does the program lend itself to being reinforced by other material already in use? Specific gimmicks peculiar to a program can provide crutches which actually slow progress by requiring a student to learn a whole set of graphic clues (or symbols) only to be discarded at a later date. This is often a publisher’s ploy to lock you into a specific program and rely on its peripheries. A good phonics program illustrates that these cues already exist within words. They do not need to be replicated with the use of invented symbols. Does the program generate an interest in words by reflecting their cultural connections? Showing children where words come from really helps their overall understanding of the English language and fires a love of the language which results in better performance. Is the program limited to use with specific target groups or individuals or is it widely applicable? A good phonics program gives accurate information in a structured way – it lends itself to a flexible approach and is therefore adaptable for use with students at any level with any learning need. Is it gimmicky and brightly coloured but lacks substance? Children love learning and respond to ‘ownership’ of their own learning process. They are only temporarily taken in by superficial attention grabbers. As for students who are no longer children they find use of such material patronizing. Is it supported by a range of suitable resources? If you wish to teach a student the features of letter ‘b’, you need the relevant information in handy form, (audio, exercises for practice and a reading scheme to correspond) without wasting time searching for suitable exercises or hunting for appropriate reading matter which may not exist! Still the whole should allow for the creativity of the teacher/tutor. Will you enjoy teaching your students with it? Nothing fails more spectacularly than a scheme which does not suit the teacher/tutor. If it bores you, rest assured it will bore the students. Is it economically viable? Is it value for money? Vast sums are wasted on literacy schemes that don’t work. Exercises which ask students to ‘box’ or ‘circle’ do not provide essential reinforcement; and adequate learning does not take place. Expensive programs are often restricted to ‘at risk’ students, the degree of need being decided by the funding and leaving out many students on the fringe. Does it work? Many programs are designed ‘in theory’. Just because the program worked in a trial, do not assume it will work ‘in practice’ or the results translate to your situation. This is one of the most important decisions you will ever make for your children or for your school.

I can read using phonics miami, I can read using phonics Fl

PhonicsKid — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 14:59:07 +0000

www.bettereducationplace.com This remarkable program teaches children fun visual phonics based lessons.

Phonic Faces Punctuating Visually

PhonicsKid — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 08:57:39 +0000

Beginning writers (and older poor writers) are pretty clueless about punctuation. I started using visual strategies such as framing to show them what a sentence looks like, and to explain the purpose of punctuation using kid logic. Materials are available at elementory.com

Teachers Testimonial 2

PhonicsKid — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 08:24:46 +0000

Testimonials from teachers and students about Cranium core and how it works.

Phonics Reading

PhonicsKid — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:51:30 +0000

WEBSITE: www.teachertube.com Sing Spell Read and Write

GUIDED READING

PhonicsKid — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 17:41:38 +0000

FIFTH GRADE GUIDED READING LESSON

Any tips for improving reading comprehension?

PhonicsKid — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 18:38:03 +0000

I’m curious to know of any tips that might improve reading comprehension.

I’m currently in college and have been reading a lot more then I used to, but I believe I could improve my comprehension rate. I’d be most interested in any tips that will help me get through reading material which is not from a modern writer (i.e. Plato, Aristotle, Kant).

Any general reading/comprehension tips will also be greatly appreciated!

Between the Lions: “Chicken Jane and the Fat Cat”

PhonicsKid — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 15:24:10 +0000

Chicken Jane saves Scot and Dot from an out-of-control acrobatic cat in this thrilling, yet oh-so-easy-to-read, adventure from pbs’s award-winning “Between the Lions.”

Reading, Writing & Education : Activities for Teaching Phonics

PhonicsKid — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 11:17:16 +0000

Activities that help teach phonics include having students connect the sound of a letter to the shape, allowing the students to trace the shape of a letter and having students look at objects that all start with the same sound. Provide visual interest for students learning about phonics with advice from awriting instructor and former classroom teacher in this free video on education. Expert: Laura Minnigerode Bio: Minnigerode earned a Master’s in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in Cambridge, Mass., and is a credentialed teacher. Filmmaker: Todd Green

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