| Teaching young children how to read using phonics | | | | complex words; and in the variety of how the |
| is a fairly new method of teaching children to | | | | sound of an alphabet changes in sound in different |
| speak English. Many teachers and parents have | | | | words. |
| now got hooked on phonics learn-to-read system. | | | | There are a number of phonics language teaching |
| Of course, like with any new teaching method, | | | | methods available on the internet. You have to |
| phonics learn-to-read system is not without its | | | | make a selective choice as each tries to expound |
| share of criticism. | | | | how good their system is. But before getting |
| Those people who are an authority on the English | | | | hooked on and investing in any phonics teaching |
| language know that the English language may | | | | method, it would be best to evaluate them on |
| have just 26 alphabets, but the pronunciation of a | | | | your own. You can, with the help of audio and |
| letter can vary with the context it is used in. | | | | video introductions, evaluate each program. Do |
| Therefore, rather than confusing a child and | | | | not get caught in the advertising lingo of the |
| getting him/her to mispronounce words, phonics | | | | website, as this can be misleading. |
| teaches them the correct pronunciation. | | | | The use of phonics as a method of teaching |
| There are different approaches that have been | | | | English dates back to the Eighties in America. The |
| adopted in the phonics system to teach children | | | | debate went to the extent that the US congress |
| to learn English. The two major approaches used | | | | had to intervene and get a research conducted |
| are; synthetic phonics and analytical phonics. | | | | on using phonics as a teaching method. It was |
| Synthetic phonics involves teaching the child how | | | | only after getting positive results from the |
| to spell each word and then blend their sounds | | | | research team that the government decided to |
| together to form the word. In analytical phonics, | | | | allow its usage as an approved English language |
| children are not taught how to blend the sound of | | | | teaching method. |
| each alphabet, rather they are taught to blend a | | | | Those who stick with the conventional method of |
| group of alphabets in a word to form the sound. | | | | teaching English by cognitive reading skills are |
| Analytical phonics is further divided into two | | | | fighting a lost battle against phonics teaching |
| streams which are; analogy phonics and | | | | methods. The correct pronunciation of words in |
| embedded phonics. Both the methods are used | | | | English is quite difficult to comprehend and |
| by parents and teachers to teach reading and | | | | understand. But the phonics teaching method is |
| pronouncing English language words to children. | | | | helping children understand and learn how to use |
| In phonics methods of language teaching, children | | | | the different sounds that an alphabet can acquire |
| are taught to pronounce an alphabet and then the | | | | in different words. Audio- visual aids are a great |
| alphabet is used in simple words. From here, the | | | | help, as is the internet in teaching children to read |
| children are taken to an advanced level and | | | | using the phonics method. |
| taught how to pronounce the alphabets in more | | | | |