Chapter 1
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=How to Teach Phonics=
By
LIDA M. WILLIAMS
Primary Supervisor and Instructor of Methods, Northern Normal and Industrial School, ABERDEEN, SOUTH DAKOTA
HALL & MCCREARY COMPANY CHICAGO
Copyright 1916, Hall & McCreary Company P 2143 Printed in the U.S.A.
FOREWORD
Phonics is not a method of teaching reading, but it is _a necessary part_ of every good, modern method. It is the key to word mastery, and word mastery is one of the first essentials in learning to read. A knowledge of the sounds of letters, and of the effect of the position of the letter upon its sound, is an essential means of mastering the mechanics of reading, and of enabling children to become independent readers.
A knowledge of phonics not only gives power to pronounce new words, but it trains the ear, develops clear articulation and correct enunciation, and aids in spelling. Later, when diacritical marks are introduced, it aids in the use of the dictionary. The habit of attacking and pronouncing words of entirely new form, develops self-confidence in the child, and the pleasure he experiences in mastering difficulties without help, constantly leads to new effort.
The little foreigner, greatly handicapped where reading is taught by the word and sentence methods only, begins on an equal basis with his American neighbor, when the "Alphabet by sound" is taught.
In recent years only has the subject of phonics found a place on the daily school program; and there is perhaps, no other subject on the primary program so vaguely outlined in the average teacher's mind and therefore taught with so little system and definite purpose.
The present need is a systematic and comprehensive but simple method of phonics teaching thruout the primary grades, that will enable any teacher, using any good text in reading, to successfully teach the phonetic facts, carefully grading the difficulties by easy and consecutive steps thus preparing the pupils for independent effort in thot getting, and opening for him the door to the literary treasures of the ages.
It is with the hope of aiding the earnest teacher in the accomplishment of this purpose that "How To Teach Phonics" is published.
L.M.W.
LEARNING TO READ
Every sound and pedagogical method of teaching reading must include two basic principles.
1. Reading must begin in the life of the child, with real thought content. Whether the thought unit be a word, a sentence, or a story, it must represent some idea or image that appeals to the child's interests and adjusts itself to his experience.
2. It must proceed with a mastery of not only words, but of the sound symbols of which words are composed.
The child's love for the story, his desire to satisfy a conscious need, gives him an immediate and compelling motive for mastering the symbols, which in themselves are of incidental and subordinate interest. While he is learning to read, he feels that he is reading to learn and "symbols are turned into habit."
If the child is to understand from the beginning that reading is thot getting, we must begin with the sentence, rhyme or other language unit. If a story is the initial step, a few well chosen sentences that tell the heart of the story will constitute the first black board reading lesson.
The next step is the analysis of the sentence, or the study and recognition of the individual words therein.
Finally the word is separated into its elementary sounds, the study of the sound symbols growing out of the stock of words learned first as purely sight words.
Following this phonic analysis comes the final step, the blending of these phonic elements to produce new words. Thus gradually increasing prominence is given to the discovery of new words by this analytic-synthetic process, and less time to sight word drills, until they are entirely omitted, except for the teaching of unphonetic words.
There should be at least two ten-minute lessons in phonics each day. These lessons are not reading lessons and should not trespass on the regular reading period, when thot getting and thot giving are uppermost.
While greater prominence is given to the thot phase in reading, the technical drill and active effort in mastering the mechanical phase is of equal importance as necessary preparation for good reading.
FIRST YEAR
1. _Ear Training:_
From the first day a definite place on the program should be given to phonics. This period, at first very short, will gradually increase to ten, fifteen or twenty minutes.
To enable pupils to recognize words when separated into their elementary sounds, exercises in "listening and doing," will constitute the first step in phonics teaching. Words are sounded slowly and distinctly by the teacher and pronounced or acted out by the pupils.
ACTION GAME
(First Day.)
c-l-a-p s-w-ee-p f-l-y b-ow d-u-s-t r-u-n j-u-m-p s-i-t s-l-ee-p p-u-sh d-r-i-nk w-a-k-e m-a-r-ch s-t-a-n-d s-t-r-e-t-ch
If at first children are not able to distinguish the words when separated thus; s-t-a-n-d, d-r-i-n-k, blend the sound less slowly thus: st-and, dr-ink, gradually increasing the difficulty to st-an-d, d-r-ink, and finally to the complete analysis.
These ear training exercises should continue until a "phonetic sense" is established. Not all children can readily blend sounds and "hear the word." Patient drill for weeks, even months, may be necessary before a sense of phonetic values is attained. Haphazard and spasmodic work is fatal to progress; but a few minutes of brisk, lively drill, given regularly each day will accomplish wonders.
The exercises should be varied from day to day to insure active interest and effort.
_Second Day:_
Touch your n-o-se; your ch-ee-k; your ch-i-n; l-i-p-s; k-n-ee; f-oo-t; b-oo-k; p-e-n-c-i-l; d-e-s-k; sh-o-e; d-r-e-ss, etc.
_Third Day:_
Place a number of toys in a basket. Pupils find as the teacher sounds the name of each, saying: "Find the t-o-p"; "the s-p-oo-l;" "the d-o-ll"; "the h-o-r-n"; etc.
_Fourth Day:_
Sound the names of pupils in class; or names of animals; colors, fruits, places, etc.
_Fifth Day:_
R-u-n to m-e. C-l-a-p your h-a-n-d-s. W-a-v-e the f-l-a-g. Cl-o-se the d-oo-r. F-o-l-d your a-r-m-s. B-r-i-n-g m-e a r-e-d b-a-ll. B-ou-n-ce the b-a-ll. Th-r-ow the b-a-ll to Fr-e-d. R-i-n-g the b-e-ll. H-o-p to m-e. S-i-t in m-y ch-air. R-u-n to the ch-ar-t. S-i-n-g a s-o-n-g. B-r-i-n-g me the p-oin-t-er. B-o-w to m-e. F-l-y a k-i-t-e. S-w-ee-p the fl-oo-r. R-o-c-k the b-a-b-y. W-a-sh your f-a-ce. D-u-s-t the ch-air-s. Sh-a-k-e the r-u-g. F-ee-d the h-e-n-s. C-a-ll the ch-i-ck-s. M-i-l-k the c-ow. Ch-o-p w-oo-d. R-ow a b-oa-t. B-l-ow the h-o-r-n.
The pupil should now begin sounding words for himself, at first, if need be, repeating the sounds after the teacher, then being encouraged to attempt them alone. He will soon be able to "spell by sound" names of common objects in the room, as well as easy and familiar words dictated by the teacher.
II. _Teach the Single Consonant Sounds._
b, d, f, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, r, s (as in see), v, w, g (hard), c (hard), and qu as in queer.
Teach but one sound for each letter at first. Nothing need be said at this time about the fact that some letters have more than one sound. When words like "city" or "gem" occur simply explain that sometimes "c" or "g" has this sound, (giving the soft sound), but continue in the phonic drill to teach the sounds that will be needed first--those most often met in the early reading. The sounds of initial s and y are taught first, rather than final y and s; q is taught with the u--qu (as in quiet, queer, quick) not q alone.
The sounds must be given distinctly and correctly by the teacher, and she should insist on perfect responses. Good reading is impossible without clear and distinct articulation.
1. _Analyze Known Words in Teaching the Consonant Sounds._
For the first lesson teach perhaps two consonant sounds. Suppose the words "ball" and "red" are chosen to be analyzed as words familiar to the class. (Selected from the reading lessons as the ones best known and most easily remembered.)
Write "b all" on the board, and pointing to the separated parts, sound slowly several times. Pupils repeat. Teacher say, "Show the letter that says 'b.' The part that says 'all.' Write "b" under "ball" thus:
b all b
Pupil sound "b" several times, as it is written elsewhere on the black board.
Proceed with "red" in the same way. Keep these two forms,
b all r ed b r
before the class, asking frequently for the sounds until thoroly fixed in mind.
For the second lesson, review "b" and "r" and teach one or two new consonants. It is better to have short and frequent lessons at first, than to present too many sounds at once, resulting in confusion.
Suppose "c" is to be taught next and the type word chosen is "cup." It is not necessary to teach the consonants in the order in which they occur in the alphabet,--it will depend rather upon the occurrence in the primer of the words chosen for type words. Write the word "cup." Pupils recognize it at once as a sight word, and pronounce. Rewrite it, separating it thus, c up, and let the pupils make an effort to sound the parts alone. If they fail, sound it for them asking them to repeat it after you. Proceed as with "ball" and "red," being sure that each one gives the sound correctly.
(1.) After teaching "c" say, "Who can find a word on the chart beginning with this sound?" "In your books?" "on the blackboard?" the pupil sounding the letter as he points to it.
(2) Say, "I'm thinking of another word beginning with "c." "It is something Grandpa uses in walking." (Cane.) "I'm thinking of something sweet that you like to eat." (Cake) (Candy) "Of the name of someone in this class." (Clara) (Carl) "A little yellow bird." (Canary) "You think of a word beginning with that sound." "Another." "Another."
2. _Begin At Once Applying Knowledge of the Sounds Learned._
As new words are met containing known sounds, the pupils should apply their knowledge of phonics. For example, if the word "catch" appears, the pupils sound "c," the teacher pronouncing "atch" underlining that part of the word as she tells it,--the pupil puts these sounds together and discovers the new word for himself. If the new word is "cab," the only help from the teacher is the short sound of "a". This given the pupil sounds "a" and "b" slowly; then faster, until the result of the blended sounds is "ab." Combine "c" with "ab" in the same manner until by the blending of the sounds the word is recognized. Only such help should be given, as will enable the pupil to help himself.
"Ball," "red" and "cup" now become type words with which "b" "r" and "c" are associated respectively, and from which the pupil gets his "cue" if he fails to give the sound of the letter at sight. Thus all the consonants are taught, from suitable sight words which the child has already learned. They need not however, be the ones given here,--for "b" it may be "baby," "ball," "boy," or "box," but let it be a word familiar to the class and easily remembered. For "d" it may be "doll," "day," or "dog;" for "y", "you", "yellow", etc.
The teacher should previously go through the text and select the words she wishes to use as type words in teaching the consonant sounds.
3. _First Steps in Writing and Spelling._
As each consonant sound is taught its written form may be learned. On rough manila paper, using waxed crayons, make copies of the letters about two inches in height, for each pupil. At his desk the child traces with his fore finger, going over the smooth path again and again--thus developing psycho-motor co-ordination. Each time the letter is traced, the pupil sounds it softly, and as soon as he is sure of the form, runs to the board and writes it.
The writing at first may be entirely at the blackboard, where the teacher's copy may be reproduced. For the slower ones who have difficulty with the form, a good practice is to "write it in the air," the pupil pointing with index finger and following the teacher as she writes, also tracing the teacher's copy with pointer, using free, rapid movement. (Tracing with crayon or pencil tends to slow, cramped writing, and should not be encouraged.) Thus when the forms of the letters are learned and associated with the sound, the pupils are able to write phonetic words from dictation as well as to "spell by sound."
4. _Consonant Drill._
(1) With a rubber pen, a set of type, or with black crayola, and cardboard, a set of consonant cards may be made, one for each sound. On one side of the card is written or printed the type word with the consonant sound below; on the other side, the consonant alone, thus:
----- |b all | | b | |b | | B | -------- -----
The number of cards will increase each day as new sounds are learned. Rapid daily drill with these cards is most valuable in associating instantly the sound with its symbol and should be continued until every child knows every sound. After the analysis the side of the card containing only the consonant should be used for the drill. But if the pupil fails to give the right sound, or is unable to give any sound at all, the card should be reversed and he readily gets the right sound from the word.
Other devices for teaching the consonants are sometimes used by successful teachers who do not use the type-words and cards. For instance, the letter may be associated with its sound in this way:--The clock says "t"; the angry cat, "f"; the cow says "m"; etc. The difficulty here is to find suitable symbols for each sound. If, for example, the sounds of "l", "v" and "sh" are represented by a spinning wheel, a buzz saw, and a water wheel respectively, and if the child is not familiar with these symbols, they will not call up a definite sound in his mind; but if "l" is taught from "little," "sh" from "sheep," and "v" from "very", (or other familiar words,) there can be no uncertainty and no time need be spent by the child in laboring to retain and associate the sounds with unfamiliar symbols.
Not the method, but the motive, is the essential thing. What we want is that every child should know the consonants thoroly. Get the _motive_, then use the method that brings the best results with the least expenditure of time and energy.
(2) For variety in reviewing and fixing the consonant sounds, give frequent dictation exercises.
a. With all the consonants on the board, the teacher sounds any consonant, the pupil finds and repeats the sound as he points it out. As the teacher points, pupils sound, occasionally in concert, and in individual recitation of the entire list. Individual work should predominate, to make sure that the pupil is giving the correct sound and putting forth independent effort.
b. Pupils write sounds as teacher dictates. If a pupil fails to recall and write the form, the teacher may pronounce the type word and ask the pupil to sound the initial consonant (tell the first sound in the word). To illustrate: The teacher pronounces "cup", pupils sound "c", then write it. If they have mastered the written forms they will enjoy this exercise.
Children soon acquire the ability and become possessed of the desire to write whole words. Then the teacher should direct this effort, teaching the child to visualize (get a picture of the word as a whole) and write short, simple words.
5. _Blending._
When a number of consonant sounds are mastered, practice in blending may begin. When the need arises--when words are met which begin with a combination of consonants the blends are taught, e.g., bright--b, r,--br, br ight, bright. f, l,--fl, fl ower, flower. Keep a separate set of cards for these blends--and drill upon them as the list grows.
(br, pl, fl, sl, cr, gl, gr, bl, cl, fr, pr, st, tr, str, sp, sw, tw, sk.)
gr ow dr aw pl ay s ky sm all sl ay fl ower cr ow st ay st and cl ean fr ay gl ass pr ay tr ay br own sp in str ay bl ue sw ing sl ow st ore sl ack bl ow tr ack dw arf gl ow
The teacher must pronounce the syllables that the children have, as yet, no power to master, e.g., with the word "grow", (1) the children will blend g and r, gr; (2) teacher pronounces "ow"; (3) children blend "gr" and "ow" until they recognise "grow."
Teach also the digraphs sh, ch, th, wh, as they are met in the common words in use: when, they, chick, etc.
sh eep ch ick wh at th at sh ell ch ild wh en th is sh y ch air wh y th ese sh ore ch ill wh ere th ose sh ine ch erry wh ich th ere sh ow ch ildren th en th eir sh e ch urch th ey th ey sh all ch ase sh ould ch est
III. _Teach the Short Vowels._
Since more than 60 per cent of the vowels are short, and since short vowels outnumber long vowels by about four to one, they are taught first. Teach one vowel at a time by combining with the known consonants. And what fun it is, when short "a" is introduced, to blend it with the consonants and listen to discover "word sounds." Henceforth the children will take delight in "unlocking" new words, without the teacher's help. She will see to it, of course, that the words are simple and purely phonetic at first; as:
c-a-n, can h-a-d, had c-a-p, cap m-a-t, mat c-a-t, cat m-a-n, man r-a-t, rat f-a-n, fan h-a-t, hat s-a-t, sat
Whole "families" are discovered by placing the vowel with the initial or the final consonants, thus:
ca n r at f an ca p h at an d ca t c at s an d ca b b at st an d ma t f at l an d ma n s at b an d
The children will enjoy forming all the families possible with the known sounds.
_Short "a" Families or Phonograms._
at an ap ad ack ag and r ang b ank b at c an c ap h ad b ack b ag b and s ang r ank c at m an g ap l ad h ack f ag h and b ang s ank f at p an l ap m ad J ack j ag l and h ang t ank m at t an m ap g ad l ack l ag s and f ang bl ank p at r an n ap b ad p ack n ag st and cl ang cr ank N at f an r ap c ad r ack r ag gr and spr ang dr ank s at b an s ap f ad s ack s ag br and Fr ank r at D an t ap p ad t ack t ag str and pl ank h at N an tr ap s ad st ack w ag th ank th at V an str ap gl ad sl ack st ag sn ap br ad tr ack br ag wr ap bl ack dr ag
After a little drill in analyzing the words of a family, (sounding the consonant and phonogram separately) they should be pronounced at sight, analyzing the word only when the pupil fails in pronunciation.
The teacher's chart of phonograms as she works it out for herself may be something like this.
[(a] [)e] i [)o] [)u] at et it ot ut ack ed ick ock ub ad en id od uck ag est ig og ug an end im op um ap edge in ong un and ent ip oss uff ang ess ift ung ank ell ing unk ash ink ump amp ill ush ust
While this gives the teacher a working chart, it is neither necessary nor advisable that the above order be always followed in teaching the phonograms and sounding series of words, nor that they be systematically completed before other phonograms found in the words of the reading lessons are taught. Such phonograms as "ound" from "found", "un" from "run", "ight" from "bright", "est" from "nest", "ark" from "lark", etc., may be taught as soon as these sight words are made a part of the child's reading vocabulary.
f ound r un br ight ound un ight s ound f un m ight r ound s un r ight gr ound b un f ight b ound g un fr ight p ound n un l ight f ound r un s ight h ound s un sl ight ar ound st un n ight
n est l ark c atch est ark atch b est d ark h atch l est b ark m atch p est m ark m atch r est h ark b atch t est p ark l atch v est sp ark p atch w est st ark th atch cr est sh ark scr atch ch est sn atch gu est
Attention is not called here to the various vowel sounds, but the complete phonogram is taught at sight.
_Short "e" Phonograms._
bed h en b end b ent fed d en l end c ent led p en m end d ent n ed m en s end l ent r ed B en t end s ent Fr ed t en bl end r ent sh ed wr en sp end t ent sl ed th en tr end w ent bl ed wh en sp ent gl en
edge B ess b ell sh ell h edge l ess c ell sm ell l edge bl ess s ell sp ell s edge ch ess t ell sw ell w edge dr ess f ell dw ell pl edge pr ess n ell sl edge gu ess w ell
_Short "i" Phonograms._
D ick s ick cl ick th ick k ick t ick qu ick tr ick l ick w ick sl ick p ick br ick st ick
b id p ig d im p in th in d id b ig h im t in tw in h id f ig J im b in k id d ig r im f in l id r ig T im s in r id w ig tr im w in sl id tw ig br im ch in sk id sk im gr in sl im sk in sw im sp in
d ip l ift s ing p ink b ill h ip g ift k ing l ink f ill l ip s ift r ing m ink h ill n ip dr ift w ing s ink J ill r ip sh ift br ing w ink k ill s ip sw ift cl ing bl ink m ill t ip thr ift sl ing br ink p ill ch ip st ing dr ink t ill cl ip str ing ch ink w ill sl ip spr ing cl ink ch ill dr ip sw ing shr ink sp ill gr ip th ing th ink st ill sh ip wr ing tr ill sk ip tr ip str ip wh ip
_Short "o" Phonograms._