Imagine every letter and sound as a steppingstone towards literacy proficiency.
Unveil the power of phonics as one of the keys to unlocking endless possibilities in reading and writing for every child!
In an article titled “Boosting Literacy with Phonological Awareness,” we defined and highlighted the benefits of phonemic awareness. To recap, we identified phonemic awareness as the ability to hear, identify and manipulate individual sounds in spoken words. We also emphasized that it was exclusively an auditory skill and did not involve any letters or written symbols.
On the other hand, phonics involves the relationships between sounds and letters, or combination of letters, in a written form to represent that sound or word. For example, in phonics a child learns that the letter ‘b’ represents the /b/ sound in buzzing bee. Phonics helps children learn that letters are linked to sounds, how those sounds make words, and how those words make meaning. This understanding is critical for reading comprehension and effective written communication.
So why is phonics important? Phonics is essential for developing decoding skills and supports reading fluency by helping children recognize sounds and words more quickly and with less effort, which ultimately supports reading comprehension. Additionally, phonics helps with spelling which has reciprocal benefits in the writing and spelling of new words.
In a nutshell, phonics is more than just rote learning about letters and sounds; it’s about creating a joyful and solid foundation for reading and writing. It’s a ticket to a world where letters come alive and the ‘b’ buzzes like a bee. Sounds make sense and words are just waiting to be discovered, explored, and written.
Download the Flying Start to Literacy: PHONICS™ Brochure at https://flying-start-phonics.myokapi.com/ and look at the sample phonics lesson on page 7. Look at the goals under the section titled “Phonics: Write It.” Jot down what you noticed. Do the goals and lesson activities touch on and teach the key areas we mentioned earlier? (That letters are connected to sounds.) Does it explicitly teach the written form of the letter as well as how sounds make words, and that you can write those words?
Notice the variety of the phonics lessons and that they are not rote drills but fun and engaging activities that are connected to The Big Book of Rhymes which your learners already have been exposed to and enjoy. So, yes, I am going to say it again… Have Fun with Phonics! and enjoy a pleasurable experience for both you and your learners! Nilaja Taylor.