| The most effective way to teach children to read | | | | easily understood by children. Other methods |
| is to use the Phonics Method. Phonics encourages | | | | have been experimented with, but have failed. |
| the new reader to connect the sounds they hear | | | | One such was the 'look-see' technique of learning |
| to written letters. By teaching them to blend | | | | to read, introduced in the 1950s. Fortunately, |
| these sounds to create words, the new reader | | | | some schools didn't have the means to promote |
| begins to associate sounds with letters. They can | | | | this method and the children who attended those |
| then learn to create words themselves by | | | | schools were able to learn to read successfully, |
| blending the letters by ear. | | | | graduated from high school in the late 60s or |
| Let's use an example, the letter 'P'. Even a very | | | | early 70s and went on to higher education is they |
| young child can quickly understand that the letter | | | | wished. By comparison, of the unfortunate children |
| 'P' is pronounced 'puh'. The parent or educator can | | | | taught using the 'look-see' method, many |
| then reinforce this understanding by showing the | | | | struggled with reading and even failed to complete |
| child the written letter together with physical | | | | their education due to being unable to |
| items which begin with it. A pen (puh-e-nuh), for | | | | comprehend what was being taught. |
| instance, or perhaps a pet (puh-e-tuh). Associating | | | | Another unsuccessful method of teaching reading |
| the representative symbol ('P') with the sound | | | | was the 'whole language' method which was |
| ('puh') makes their relationship to each other easy | | | | introduced in the 1980s. This was based on the |
| to understand. | | | | premise that the child would wish to learn to read |
| The next stage is to teach the beginning reader | | | | naturally in order to receive instruction. It was |
| how to blend the sounds to create words, a | | | | thought that if motivation, suitable reading material |
| natural progression once the sounds of letters and | | | | and the opportunity to read it were provided, |
| their symbols are familiar. It won't take long | | | | then children would learn naturally. The |
| before they can look at the symbols on the page | | | | pronunciation of unfamiliar words was assisted |
| and sound out the correct word! Take the word | | | | using 'meaning clues'. Sadly, it meant that another |
| 'Cat' for instance. A child learning to read using | | | | group of young people grew up hampered by |
| phonics will know how it is said by sounding it out | | | | their inability to read well. |
| - 'kuh-ae-tuh'. Suddenly they have taken a huge | | | | Phonics has the highest success rate of any |
| step forward, and it's not uncommon for children | | | | reading method ever formulated, excepting those |
| who have achieved this stage to suddenly want | | | | suffering problems with sight or hearing. Its |
| to read everything they can find! This is of course | | | | success rate is because it is so easy to |
| to be encouraged and it is essential that the | | | | understand and because it makes learning to read |
| teacher provide plenty of fresh material for them | | | | such fun. Teachers can easily devise learning |
| in order to sustain this interest in their new found | | | | games based around the phonics method, which |
| skill. | | | | further motivate the new reader and develop a |
| Phonics is such a successful method to teach | | | | lifelong love of reading for pleasure. |
| reading because it is so simple and the concept is | | | | |