Teaching Children Phonics

Phonics teaching advice#1

Don’t teach the alphabet song! There is little reason to sing this song, yet teachers go over it again and again in their classes. Knowing the names of letters doesn’t help teach children to read. The only possible reason for using the alphabet song might be to learn to look up words in a dictionary, but that should come much, much later. While we are at it, with all of the songs and activities you use in class or at home, think about the learning effectiveness. Are students learning valuable English by singing songs like ‘London Bridge is Falling Down’ or ‘Ring around the Rosy?’ Those old songs are mostly composed of useless words. Why not change the words of those songs to useful English expressions your students will remember and use.

Step 1

The first step in teaching phonics is helping children associate the basic consonant and short vowel sounds with a target word. For example, practice the short ‘a’ sound by linking it to the word ‘apple.’ Have children say, ‘a’ ‘a’ ‘apple.’

Here is a great video teaching the basic phonics sounds.

 

For some free flash cards to teach children phonics you can go to ABCfrog.net.

Another great resource to teach phonics to children, are these printable reference cards for the students to use when sounding out words.They are more useful once children have a good understanding of all the basic sounds, but I like to give these cards to students early. You can have the children point and say all the sounds and words quickly before doing you phonics activities every class. This can also be done as a game, but seeing if one team can get them all correct. Or teams could roll a dice and move ahead that number of letters. Make sure they are correctly producing the sounds along the way. If they are hesitant or get the wrong sound they have to stop. Remember that it is not about winning a competitive game. The purpose is to associate the phonics sounds in a fun way, that is not a typical boring drill.

Phonics Teaching Tip

Teach very exaggerated facial movements to make sure that students are pronouncing the sounds correctly.

Pronunciation is extremely important at all stages of learning. If students do not learn correct pronunciation from the beginning, it will be very hard to unlearn later. Teachers should try to listen carefully to all students and regularly test individual students. Make sure they are pronouncing correctly. Do not tell them they are doing a good job when they are not.

It is important to really make sure that students are pronouncing correctly at this stage. The problem sounds are going to be “L” and “R”, “B” and “V”, and “M” and “N”.

For the “L” sound have students stick out their tongues.

For the “R” sound have students put their tongue in the back of their mouth.

For the “B” sound make sure students use both of their lips. “B” is a hard sound.

For “V” only the bottom lip is used and it is a soft sound compared to B.

For “M” students close their lips at the end of the sound.

For “N” students keep their lips apart.

For  “H” students have to get their mouths open and push air from their abdomen. (There is no “F” sound, like the Japanese tend to pronounce.)

Really exaggerate these sounds. It can be a lot of fun and a great memory aid if you really make these sounds ridiculous.