Knowing the content and methodology of phonics, high-frequency words, and syllabic analysis is essential if teachers intend to be able to help all of their pupils, both struggling and achieving readers, succeed. The chapter emphasizes the importance of phonics (if needed), high-frequency (sight) words, and syllabic analysis as tools for decoding words, but emphasizes that these elements must be taught and applied in the context of real reading and must be adapted to fit the needs of older students and struggling readers. Monitoring progress and gearing instruction to students’ level of development are emphasized. A system for leveling books according to the decoding skills needed to read them is presented. Fluency is also discussed. To empower readers to create their own instruction, the chapter presents basic concepts essential for planning a word recognition program: major consonant and vowel correspondences, generalizations, single-syllable and multisyllabic patterns, and methods and materials for teaching phonics, high-frequency words, and syllabication. Techniques for fostering fluency are presented in detail
In this discussion, based on your reading of the chapter ,indicate your understanding of Phonics awareness by responding to the questions below. Reflect upon and discuss ALL Two of the following questions
1. What does it mean if a 5-year-old child writes “pez tak me yet u” (Please take me with you)? what instructional help would you give?
2. What are the basic principles of phonics instruction?
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1. If a 5-year-old child writes "pez tak me yet u" instead of "Please take me with you," it suggests that the child lacks phonics awareness and is not applying the correct letter-sound correspondences to spell words. The instructional help would be to provide explicit phonics instruction. This may involve teaching the child the letter-sound relationships and how they correspond to the sounds in spoken words. By presenting examples and engaging in multisensory activities, such as using letter cards or manipulatives, the child can learn to recognize and apply the correct letter-sound correspondences in their writing.
2. The basic principles of phonics instruction include:
- Teaching the relationship between letters and sounds: Phonics instruction involves teaching students the sounds that individual letters or groups of letters make. Students learn how to associate these sounds with the corresponding letters or letter combinations.
- Providing systematic and explicit instruction: Phonics instruction should be systematic, following a logical progression from simple to complex letter-sound relationships. It should also be explicit, with teachers clearly explaining the rules and patterns of phonics.
- Applying phonics skills in context: Phonics instruction should not be isolated from real reading and writing. Students should have opportunities to apply their phonics skills in meaningful contexts, such as reading books or writing sentences.
- Differentiating instruction: Effective phonics instruction takes into account the individual needs of students. Teachers should adapt their instruction to meet the needs of struggling readers or older students who may require different approaches or materials.
- Monitoring progress: Regular assessment should be conducted to monitor students' progress in phonics. This helps teachers identify areas of strength and areas that need further instruction or support.
- Fostering fluency: Phonics instruction should ultimately aim to develop fluent readers who can decode words accurately and automatically. Fluency is achieved through repeated practice and exposure to a wide range of texts.