1. Phonics

2. What is it??
Phonics is an organized program where letter/sound correspondences are directly taught

3. Phonic Elements 44 sounds in English Language 26 letters
English = very irregular
Spanish = very regular

4. Teaching Phonics Instruction should be
systematic (building gradually from basic elements to more complex patterns)
Instruction should be explicit (making sure kids understand key points)

5. Systematic and Explicit Phonics Instruction:
Significantly improves Kdg. and 1st grade children’s word recognition and spelling
Is effective for children from all social, cultural and economic levels
Is particularly beneficial for struggling readers

6. Systematic and Explicit Phonics Instruction:
Is most effective when introduced early
Is not an entire reading program for beginning readers
Can be used effectively with whole class, small groups or individual students

7. Phonics is Systematic

8. Teaching Sequence Single consonants Short vowels
Begin with letters that are highly regular (eg., f, l. m, n, s, v, z)
Don’t add “buh” at end of sound!
Short vowels
a = apple
e = elephant
i = incense
o = octopus
u = umbrella
C-V-C words can now be read

9. Sequence (con’t)
Blends - 2 consonants blended together ( eg., bl, dr, tr, fl, st, etc.)
Long Vowels - easy to learn and reinforce with
C-VCe words ( rate, bite,
hope, tube, etc.)

10. Sequence ( con’t)
Digraphs – 2 letters that make a unique sound (sh, ch, th, ph)
Diphthongs – complex sounds formed by shifting form one vowel sound to another ( oi, oy, au, aw)
R-controlled vowels-
/ar/ /ir/
/or/ /er/
/ur/

11. The Most Useful Phonic Generalizations
Adapted from Clymer, 1996.

12. Pattern
Description
Examples
Two sounds of c
The letter c can be pronounced as /k/ or /s/. When c is followed by a, o, or u, it is pronounced /k/ - the hard c sound. When c is followed by e, i, or y, it is pronounced /s/ - the soft c sound.
cat
cough
cut
cent
city
cycle
Two sounds of g
The sound is associated with the letter g depends on the letter following it. When g is followed by a, o, or u, it is pronounced as /g/ - the hard g sound. When g is followed by e, i, or y, it is usually pronounced /j/ - the soft g sound. Exceptions include get and give.
gate go
guess
gentle
giant
gypsy
CVC pattern
When a one-syllable word has only one vowel and the vowel and the vowel comes between two consonants, it is usually short. One exception is told.
bat
cup
land
Final e or CVCe pattern
When there are two vowels in a one-syllable word and one of them is an e at the end of the word, the first vowel is long and the final e is silent. Three exceptions are have, come, and love.
home
safe
cute

13. Phonic Generalizations (con’t)
CV pattern
When a vowel follows a consonant in a one-syllable word, the vowel is long. Exceptions include the, to, and do. go be
R-controlled vowels
Vowels that are followed by the letter r are overpowered and are neither short nor long. One exception is fire.
car
for
birthday
-igh
When gh follows i, the i is long and the gh is silent. One exception is neighbor.
high
night
Kn- and wr-
In words beginning with kn- and wr-, the first
letter is not pronounced.
knee
write

14. Phonics is Explicit

15. Types of Approaches
Synthetic = explicitly converting letters into sounds and then blending them together to form words
Analogy= teaching unfamiliar words by recognizing onsets and rimes

16. Onsets and Rimes
Onsets- the initial part of a word that precedes the vowel.
Rime- the part of the word that rhymes or shares the same letter pattern

17. Onsets and Rimes
Builds upon syllable approach to teaching reading in Spanish
Stresses pronounceable syllables
Word families
-an, -at, -ell, -eg, -ill, -ip, -og,
-ot,-ub, -ug