 Phonics
has been in education for many years in various countries throughout the
world. However, in Malaysia it is now becoming the latest word in
schools. Teachers and parents are now adding phonics to their method of
teaching English to children. So what is phonics and how does it help
with the acquisition of English?
Phonics involves learning the sounds heard in the English language and
how to use these
sounds to read and write. The English language is made up of
approximately 42 principal sounds. Once children learn to hear these
sounds in words and represent them with letter symbols, they are well on
their way to understanding the nature of the English language. The
children learn how to utilize their knowledge of sounds by blending the
sounds together to create a word. In fact, they are beginning to
‘crack the code’
of the English language.
It is important to remember that phonics does
not
involve learning simply the letter
names of the alphabet. Instead, we must remember that phonics means
learning the sounds of the English language. For example, the word
rain
has four letters but only three sounds:
r-ai-n.
When reading and writing this word, phonics concentrates on listening
for the three sounds in this word.
In order for phonics instruction to be effective, teachers and parents
need to think in sounds and train children to hear these sounds. Good
phonics’ programmes deals with teaching children more than just the 26
letter sounds of the alphabet, by focusing on the 42 principal sounds
and showing how these sounds can be blended together. They also look at
how these phonemic skills can be utilized to read and write words in
English.
 The inclusion of phonics in education places an emphasis on ‘word attack
skills’ rather than expecting children to learn thousands of words by
memory. Teachers who follow a phonics approach to reading and writing
believe that it is much quicker and easier to learn 42 sounds rather
than thousands of words by sight. The children do not need to rely on
the teacher for teaching them correct English vocabulary. Why? Because
the children will be able to use their sounds to read words for
themselves.
Once children learn sounds and learn how to blend them together, they
will be able to read approximately 90% of the words in the English
language. The other words that do not follow a phonetic pattern are
simply learned by memory. But there are not many of these words.
Many kindergartens and learning centers in Malaysia are beginning to
adopt the teaching of phonics as part of the English programme. The
results speak for themselves. During our visits to kindergartens, we
witnessed children learning to crack the code of English. It was amazing
to see children reading, using the skill of blending the 42 principal
sounds heard in the English language. There was no doubt about it, they
were reading.
It is important to remember, however, that phonics should not be treated
in isolation when teaching the English language. Phonics itself, is a
great tool for learning to read and write. However, in an environment
where English is a second or foreign language, teachers still need to
focus on helping the children develop a spoken vocabulary of English
words. That way, when they eventually learn how to blend sounds together
to read and write words, they will have more of an awareness for the
meaning of the words they have created. Spoken English needs to be used
in conjunction with phonics.
There are many phonics programme that have been devised for teachers to
utilize. It is important to carefully choose a phonics programme that is
simple, easily understood by the children and effectively teaches the 42
principal sounds of the English language.
Jolly Phonics
is one such programme as it follows a multi-sensory approach as a means
of giving the children an awareness of these 42 sounds. This programme
gives children the necessary tools for reading and writing English in a
way that is fun and successful.
Jolly
Phonics courses for
teachers and parents are offered through Extrazeal (M) Sdn Bhd. The
courses are conducted by both local and visiting Jolly Phonics
Professional Trainers from Australia.
Five Simple
Activities to Develop an Awareness of Sounds:
- Break down words
in sounds
not
letter names.
For example: r - ai – n; sh - i - p; b - ea - ch
As you can see, the words are broken down into the sounds we hear when
we say the words. Each word contains 3 sounds even though there are
more than 3 letters. Remember to have a picture to correspond with
each word. Children who are learning a new language need pictures to
assist them with the meaning of words.
- Clap the sounds in
words. Three claps mean three sound (e.g., f-i-sh); four claps mean
four sounds (e.g. f-r-og). Allow your child to blend the sounds
together to recreate the word.
- Play ‘I Spy”.
Children try and guess something in the room that begins with a
particular sound.
- Play with words.
Change the first sound of a word and add a new sound to create a new
word. Foe example, tin…lets take the ‘t’ away and put a ‘f’. What do
we
have now?… lets take the ‘f’ away and put a ‘b’, What do we have now?
Remember, we are talking in sounds not letter names and the children
are listening to the sounds in the word.
- Create a table of
objects containing a particular sound. For example, ‘s’. Objects
chosen can have this sound at the beginning, middle or end of the
word. Objects can include, glasses, bus, scissors and sock.
By Tina Di Mauro and Celeste Musgrave
Literacy Development Consultants
Jolly Phonics Professional Trainers
Email:
cee7@bigpond.com
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