Whether you are homeschooling a child, helping a student who is struggling to learn to read or working with learning disabled adults, using phonics to teach reaching should be part of your reading instruction program.

So how should you get started with phonics and what do you need to heave ready?

Getting Started:

1. A systematic phonics program, usually available as a software or online program.
A good phonics program can make your reading instruction much stronger and help you to stay organized and on-track. You can learn about some of the phonics programs we prefer in this site.
2. Purchase a set of phonics flashcards or print out for free from the web: http://www.mes-english.com/phonics/files/az_flash.pdf
3. Decodable stories. The reading program you choose should include decodable stories, but you can always use more. Here are some free decodable stories: http://www.freereading.net/index.php?title=Illustrated_Decodable_fiction_passages.
4. Good writing supplies like: index cards, file for the cards, wide-tip markers, beginner’s wide-ruled writing tablet, pencils, erasers.

Lesson 1 – Week 1 (continue for 4 weeks until fully memorized)
The 5 short-vowel sounds and consonant sounds.
Students need to be drilled in these sounds until they are memorized. Doing the drills frequently and consistently is the key to success. This can be done by using the flashcards. Add some consonant sounds each day until you are drilling all short-vowel sounds and consonant sounds daily.

Lesson 2
Two-letter blends.
Drill until blending is automatic.
After the student knows the short-vowel sounds and consonant sounds, next is orally blending two letters (b-a, ba) and reading two-letter blends such as: ba, be, bi, bo, bu.

Lesson 3
Three-letter blends.
Drill until blending is automatic.
Once a student can read two-letter blends, he can progress to three-letter blends – actual words. Each day, the student should practice reading a set of short-vowel words, then dictate these same words to him.

Lesson 4
Teach the twin-consonant endings, plurals, and two-consonant blends.
Drill until blending is automatic.

Lesson 5
Digraphs (ch, sh, th, wh, ng, nk).
A digraph consists of two consonants that form a new sound when combined. Also teach three-consonant blends.

Lesson 6
Introduce some high-frequency words necessary to read most sentences.
Once a student can read three-letter and four-letter words easily, move on to high-frequency words that are necessary to read sentences. Some high-frequency words are phonetically regular (such as “or”), but are introduced out of sequence because of their importance. Other words are irregular, because they don’t follow the rules of phonics (such as “once” and “who”).
Write the Basic High-Frequency Words index cards and introduce a few new words each week. The students should practice these words every day.

Lesson 7
Long-vowel sounds
There are five common spellings for each long-vowel sound. Also teach the “Silent-e Rule”: When a one-syllable word ends in “e” and has the pattern vce (vowel-consonant-e), the first vowel says its name and the “e” is silent.

Lesson 8
R-controlled vowel sounds and their spellings.

Lesson 9
Diphthongs /oi/ and /ow/ and their spellings.
A diphthong consists of two vowels that form a new sound when combined. Teach other special sounds.

Lesson 10
Teach /aw/, /awl/, /awk/ and their spellings.

Lesson 11
Teach these sounds and spelling patterns.

/s/ spelled c
Rule: c followed by e, i, or y sounds like /s/.
/j/ spelled g, ge, dge
Rule: g followed by e, i, or y usually sounds like /j/.
/f/ spelled ph
Rule: ph sounds like /f/ in words of Greek origin.
/k/ spelled ch
Rule: ch sounds like /k/ in words of Greek origin.
/sh/ spelled ch
Rule: ch sounds like /sh/ in words of French origin.

Lesson 12
Students should be ready for reading decodable stories after 3-4 months of the previous lessons and continuous practicing.

Once a student has mastered decodable stories, it is time to move to simple stories and books. In general, it takes 1-2 years for phonics understanding to be completely internalized.

The Internet is a great place for children to get enthusiastic and motivated about learning to read. While most children learn to surf and do things online even before they know how to read, they understand that once they do learn to read, they will be far more independent online. No more calling mom to tell them which button to click on or to explain how to play a certain game.
Continue Reading

Is your child is in pre-school or kindergarten? Are you concerned about whether he is ready to enter the first grade?  Most parents with young children are concerned whether or not their child is prepared to succeed in school.  Many parents want to send their kids to the first grade already knowing how to read. For some, it may be easier than others.

Some children are ready to learn to read quite early – by age 5. Some, may not be ready until age 7. But how can you know if you should start trying to teach them how to read?

You don’t need to guess. Give your child the Reading Readiness test for free right now.

One could argue that the single most important skill a child will learn is to learn to read. From early on, parents should be reading to their children and encouraging an interest in books and reading.  There are many signs we  may notice in our children that they are ready to learn to read and it is possible to begin to teach them to read even before they begin the first grade. Today, many children are arriving to school, having already mastered the basic early reading skills.

A child who is not ready to learn to read should not be pushed. Therefore, it can be helpful to assess your child’s readiness to learn to read before you eagerly set out to have him reading Tolstoy before he turns 6. We have put together a quick test you can easily give to your child to get an indication of whether now is the time to get started teaching her to read.

An adult will need to give the child this reading readiness test, but you do not need to be a teacher.  Note that you need to be online to administer the test and it should not take more than 20 minutes.

Take the test now: http://www.everyone-can-read.com/reading-test/

What is phonics?
Phonics is simply the system of relationships between letters and sounds in a language. When your kindergartner learns that the letter B has the sound of /b/ and your second-grader learns that “tion” sounds like /shun/, they are learning phonics.

Phonics helps a child read and spell

Written language is a code

Phonics teaches children to decode the code

Some children require more phonics instruction and some less

"I read a book every night before I went to bed.... Hooked on Phonics helped me to read better." Thomas, age 5 "

Here are some ideas to teach your child to recognize letters, letter sounds, and pronunciations.

Have you noticed that your child is having a tough time pronouncing letter sounds? Rather than risking that he/she will become frustrated with learning to read, you can intervene and help him at home, using phonics. Parents can make all of the difference between success in learning to read and failure. Remember – not every child that has  difficulties early on is learning disabled. Reading is a learned skill and for some, it is is more of a challenge than for others. With a little help from you, your son or daughter can overcome any challenges they face early on in learning to read.

Supplement your child with additional help in listening, pronouncing, and recognition of letters and their sounds. First, let’s see what your child’s weaknesses are:

Have your child say the alphabet — not sing it. This way, you will know he is recognizing the letters and not just the song. If your child knows only the song, this is where you will start your work with him. Break the song down to pieces.

Name some letters and have your child point to each letter you say in a book. Do this to tell if your child can recognize letters. If she cannot, try making a game in finding the whole alphabet on one page. Play this game anyplace where there are signs.

Ask your child the sounds of letters in the alphabet.

If your child knows and recognizes the alphabet, you can move on to the basics of letter sounds as an introduction to beginning reading.

Start with your child’s name. Make a flash card of her name. Break the name up into individual letters on cue cards. This builds up spelling from memory. Then once spelling from memory is achieved, you can then begin sounding the letters together as your child puts them together.

Make daily activities into an opportunity to practice letter recognition. In the mall, the zoo, a friend’s house, a restaurant . . . Quiz your child by randomly selecting words from signs, menus, packages  — first have them identify letters and then have them sound out the words. Of course be sure they are words that are appropriate for his age and level.

The Child Becomes the Teacher:

Once your child has mastered letter identification and sounding out simple words, he is ready to move on. Let him start helping you. Ask him to tell you what a sign is because it is far away or to remind you how to spell a word . . . He will find great satisfaction in helping you and a sense of empowerment.

These are just some basic ideas to get you started.

If you would like to work in a more structured and methodical environment, there are some terrific reading programs available for home use. Below are some affordable and professional programs we recommend considering.
Read more about recommended phonics software programs.

ClickN’ Read Phonics – Try Lessons for Free!

Hooked on Phonics Reading Program

Knowledge Adventure – JumpStart Phonics

Should I get a Phonics Program for My Child to Use at Home?

Pre-School / First Graders

Your son or daughter is approaching their first year in elementary school and you want to help make it a smooth transition. The most important skill that they will be learning in school is reading. Most children will enter first grade already knowing the ABC’s and some will even know how to read words or even full sentences. Basically, it’s up to you . . . and your child.

-Sally E. Shaywitz, M.D. Yale University School of Medicine

If your child has expressed interest, certainly it is good to provide them with the opportunity to learn. You may want to offer them the chance to “play” some phonics software games, work on phonics worksheets, or even buy a professional phonics program that will help them master the basic reading skills

Download worksheets and reading skills activities from the Internet.
Purchase phonics software games.
Choose a professional phonics program and set aside time to work with your child several times per week.

Challenged Readers

Once a child is in school, you or the teacher should be able to quickly recognize if there is a need for some extra help. Remember, difficulty in reading is not unusual and does not always indicate a problem. With some extra attention, most children catch up to their peers quickly.

A professional phonics program with a well-defined curriculum can make all the difference. We suggest considering this minimal investment even before going to a reading tutor. In many cases, a phonics program will not cost more than 2 sessions with a good reading tutor! Of course for a student who really does require personal attention, a tutor may be required.

Keeping it Fun

Learning to read is THE most important skill a child will learn. It is the basis for his entire education. But it should not feel like a chore. It should be fun and satisfying! If you see your child struggling, help is readily available – phonics software, guide books, tutors, online information. You can help ensure their success in learning to read.

Introduce phonics activities to your children early on.
With phonics, kids are taught to read in a systematic, methodical way. Preschool children naturally learn to read through pronouncing sounds and syllables, in addition to recognizing letter-sound relationships.

• Combine reading a good children’s book out loud with reading worksheets and reading skills activities.
• Tailor a program suitable for your child at home or at a school and teach reading skills according to your child’s learning needs.
• Integrate books and writing skills with your phonics activities to determine what works best for him.
• Compose a short story with your child and have him/her write it down. Sound the words out while writing.
• Build a personal library and have your children browse, read and discuss their stories together

Topics in Reading Keeping it Fun

Phonics at Home Recommended Magazines Ready to Read? Phonics Movies Make reading fun with a magazine! Subscribing to a magazine is a great way to encourage a child to read.  Try Zoobooks -The #1 Kids Magazine about Animals! Learning to read is THE most important skill a child will learn. It is the basis for his entire education. But it should not feel like a chore. It should be fun and satisfying! If you see your child struggling, help is readily available – phonics software, guide books, tutors, online information. You can help ensure their success in learning to read!

Check here regularly to get the latest news about learning to read and reading instruction. Learn about  what’s being discussed today, the issues, the research, the discoveries . . . Whether you are seeking the latest news about Dyslexia Research or want to learn about new programs available for teaching a child to read with phonics, you will find it here.

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