{"id":9,"date":"2017-08-22T11:37:36","date_gmt":"2017-08-22T11:37:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/elementary-education\/?page_id=9"},"modified":"2017-09-18T15:07:37","modified_gmt":"2017-09-18T15:07:37","slug":"phonics-instruction-part-i","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/elementary-education\/phonics-instruction-part-i\/","title":{"rendered":"Phonics Instruction, Part I"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Phonics Instruction, Part I<\/h1>\n

Objective<\/h4>\n

In this section, we\u2019ll continue to examine how students become readers, specifically how letter knowledge, mastering conventional spelling patterns, and other skills move them closer to comprehension and fluency. We\u2019ll also review some more phonics terms that you\u2019ll need to know.<\/p>\n

Previously Covered<\/h4>\n

Students who have gotten the hang of phonemic awareness and basic phonics concepts are more likely to become successful readers than students who haven\u2019t. Specifically, we spent some time familiarizing ourselves with how word study relies heavily on solid letter knowledge and the distinctions among implicit and explicit phonics, analogy phonics, analytic phonics, synthetic phonics, embedded phonics, and phonics through spelling.<\/p>\n

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Back to Basics: Letter Knowledge<\/h3>\n

For students to become good decoders (and, later, fluent readers), it\u2019s imperative that they have solid letter knowledge. Knowing which phoneme corresponds with the grapheme t, for example, should be automatic. Conversely, when presented with a phoneme, such as \/f\/, students will be able to match it to the letter f<\/em>. With more advanced letter knowledge, that student would also be able to match the \/f\/ phoneme with the letters gh<\/em>, as in the word enough<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Fostering Letter Knowledge<\/h4>\n

While kindergarten is the likely time that teachers begin working on letter knowledge, the methods can take a variety of forms. In addition to many commercial products, including software, oversized inflatable letters, and letter cards, teachers also use writing as one way of helping students gain knowledge of letters. Early writing may take the form of scribbling or drawing images that resemble letters, but with support students at this age should begin to write or draw letters.<\/p>\n

Writing words as they sound can help children get a tighter grasp on the phoneme-grapheme connection. The physical act of writing may be harder for some students than others due to differences in motor-skill development rates, but instructors can use letter blocks or letter cards like the ones below to facilitate easier word construction.<\/p>\n

\"Letter<\/center><\/p>\n

Letter Cards<\/p>\n

Assessing Letter Knowledge<\/h4>\n

Of course, assessing the student\u2019s mastery of any skill is important. There are many rubrics for letter-knowledge assessment available, and instructors also use more informal approaches. For example, the teacher may hold up a series of letter flashcards and ask the student to identify the letter on the card. The teacher may also ask the student to produce the phoneme that matches the letter on the card. Performing this test and recording the results several times during the school year will give the teacher a sense of how each student is progressing.<\/p>\n

Spelling Patterns<\/h3>\n

Working on conventional spelling patterns is also important to decoding and eventual fluency. Again, there are a vast number of methods out there, but let\u2019s look at a simple one that uses the student\u2019s prior knowledge.<\/p>\n

Using three words that the student already knows, create a simple chart like this one:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Get<\/u><\/strong><\/th>\nCat<\/u><\/strong><\/th>\nCake<\/u><\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

After creating the chart, you may introduce the idea that spelling uses patterns\u2014this will depend on the individual student. Have the student fill in the chart with other words that have the same rime, like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Get<\/u><\/strong><\/th>\nCat<\/u><\/strong><\/th>\nCake<\/u><\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
set<\/td>\nfat<\/td>\nbake<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
bet<\/td>\nhat<\/td>\nmake<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Depending on the student\u2019s penmanship ability, you could make word cards that they place in the chart. For example:<\/p>\n

\"A<\/center><\/p>\n

Facility<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s important to have some fluency when analyzing words. For example, you should be able to name the basic parts of a word\u2014affix, syllable, onset, rime\u2014quickly and effortlessly.<\/p>\n

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Question<\/h4>\n

What is the rime of the second syllable of the word below?<\/p>\n

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  1. -ase<\/li>\n
  2. B-<\/li>\n
  3. -ment<\/li>\n
  4. -ent<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Reveal Answer <\/a><\/p>\n

    Answer D is correct. In this case, -ent is the rime of the second syllable. Its onset is the consonant m. Click here<\/abbr> to review onsets and rimes.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n

    Terms and Techniques<\/h3>\n

    Phonics is a powerful way to reach the students who need your best efforts in direct instruction, while ensuring that the \u201cnaturals\u201d really are \u201cgetting it.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Let\u2019s examine some of the terms and techniques that you\u2019ll need to know for effective phonics instruction.<\/p>\n

    Consonant Blends<\/h3>\n

    When a lady with a chocolate bar turns a corner and collides with a gentleman who is holding an open container of peanut butter, the resultant confection is a blend. You will still see and taste the chocolate, and you will still see and taste the peanut butter. Blending them together creates a synergistic whole that is somehow greater than the sum of the parts. Nonetheless, you have not taken away any of the properties that distinguish the chocolate from the peanut butter.<\/p>\n

    So it is with consonant blends. Two or three letters come together to form a phonemic blend, but the sounds that distinguish one letter from the other remain. In the word stray, for instance, one can discern the individual phonemes \/s\/, \/t\/, and \/r\/, yet they are blended together like chocolate, peanut butter, and graham crackers. An easy mnemonic goes like this: \u201cBlend is a word that contains two blends.\u201d<\/p>\n

    flagrant<\/h2>\n

    Take a look at the word above. Consonant blends (also called consonant clusters) may appear at the beginning of a word, within the middle of a word, and\/or at the end of a word. For instance, in the word flagrant<\/em>, there are three consonant blends: fl<\/strong>, in which one can clearly hear both constituents, \/f\/ and \/l\/; gr<\/strong>, in which the \/g\/ and \/r\/ sounds are still distinguishable; and nt<\/strong>, which allows the voices of both the \/n\/ and the \/t\/ to be heard.<\/p>\n

    Of course, not all unions of consonants permit the members to maintain their individuality. There are some couples who surrender their individuality and produce a totally different sound altogether. These, you may remember, are called digraphs. Click here to review them.<\/a><\/p>\n

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    Consonant Digraphs<\/h4>\n

    As you recall from our discussion of consonant blends, there are times when multiple consonants come together. When you can hear the phonemes associated with each consonant in such a union, it is a consonant blend. When the union of letters creates an entirely new sound, however, you\u2019re looking at a consonant digraph.<\/p>\n

    For instance, the ph<\/strong> at the end of the word digraph<\/em> contains neither the \/p\/ phoneme nor the \/h\/ phoneme. Rather, it represents the \/f\/ phoneme. Note, however, that the gr in the middle of the word digraph contains both the \/g\/ phoneme and the \/r\/ phoneme, which makes that union a blend.<\/p>\n

    Other common digraphs include ch<\/strong>, as in charity; sh<\/strong>, as in shovel; wh<\/strong>, as in whistle; and th<\/strong>, as in thistle or rather. The manner for writing the phonemes of the preceding digraphs is to contain the entire digraph within the customary slashes, like this: \/ch\/, \/sh\/, and \/wh\/. Since the th digraph can be read as two distinct phonemes, we need to be able to distinguish one th<\/strong> from the other. There are at least two acceptable ways to do this:<\/p>\n