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Phonics

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I had been teaching reading to beginners for more than twenty years and the rule is to let the children know first the sound of the alphabet in order for them to learn how to read words easier. Combine phonics with sight reading and the child would learn how to read easier. Rather than talking only with the child to let him know the words, let him learn how to sound of the English alphabet.

Most of our pupils start reading at the age of four or five. We teach them the vowels first and their sounds with action to make them more interested. Then we give them books to read for sight reading. Our first books are those with pictures to associate with the words. We teach them to point to the words at the same time pronounce the words correctly.

When a child memorizes all the sounds of the alphabet, I am sure that he could read the CVC words. A child always start reading CVC words before reading longer words. Words with CVC pattern are easy to read once the child has learned the sound of every letter in the English alphabet. After the CVC words, four letter words that could be sounded of follows.

We have proven that teaching children how to read is easier with the use of phonics. Children could hardly read and recognize words that they couldn't sound of. They need to memorize every word that they see if you use the whole language method. Where as teaching the child phonics makes the child learn how to read a word in association to the sound of every letter.

We have observed that other schools who use the whole language method in teaching reading are not so successful in teaching little children how to read. Many parents come to us for help, wondering why their children couldn't read words that they hadn't memorized. Once we teach their children the different letters with their sounds, they start understanding how to read.

The best method for me in teaching reading is to let the children know the sounds of the letters first. Once they had learned the sounds, I let them read syllables. With the syllables, I add one letter and let them read the word using the sounds they had learned. This is still the best method I use to teach reading to beginners. I find it very effective up to now.

Small children could best learn reading and enjoy it with pictures to match the words. Children especially very young ones need too much motivation before they will pay attention to the teacher, but if the teacher has what it takes to teach young children then it wouldn't be hard really. Teaching reading to small children is fun but tiring. But once you have been successful in teaching the little children how to read, you would feel very accomplished in your objective.

Learn more about this author, Rich Rivers.
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