| Teaching your child to read is one of the best and | | | | recognize them upon sight. By memorizing these |
| most important gifts you could ever give to your | | | | most common phonetically irregular words children |
| child. This will make the world's opportunities | | | | can focus more on reading words that follow the |
| available to them and foster a lifelong ability to | | | | phonic rules |
| learn. Teaching your child to read requires some | | | | The most common sight words are included in |
| understanding of the mechanics of language and | | | | lists compiled by Edward B. Fry and Edwards W. |
| how literacy is learned. Some of the fundamentals | | | | Dolch after their extensive research into how |
| of literacy are phonics, sight words, word analysis | | | | literacy is acquired by children. These sight words |
| and phonemic awareness. | | | | often make up two-thirds or more of the text in |
| In English and other alphabetic languages, the | | | | beginner level books, and over half of all English |
| written language is made of letters. These letters, | | | | text. Once these common words are mastered, |
| individually and in combination, represent the | | | | children will be on the fast track to reading. |
| spoken language's sounds. We learn from a very | | | | Sight word recognition and phonics are best |
| young age to associate these sounds with letters | | | | taught together. Many different schools of phonics |
| and various combinations of letters. This is known | | | | instruction exist, each with their own emphasis. |
| as the alphabetic component of language learning | | | | Analytic phonics helps children recognize words |
| and literacy - a process which involves phonemic | | | | first and then works from this understanding to |
| awareness, word analysis, phonics, and sight | | | | help children learn about the phoneme/grapheme |
| words. | | | | pairs which make up the word. |
| Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear the | | | | Phonics in spelling teaches children to form words |
| spoken language and identify the phonemes which | | | | by using graphemes and phonemes. Analogy |
| the language is composed of. In the English | | | | phonics is focused on helping children to use the |
| language, there are approximately 40 of these | | | | words they already know to infer the meanings |
| phonemes, which are the building blocks of the | | | | and pronunciations of unfamiliar words. Contextual |
| spoken language. Phonemes are represented in | | | | phonics is the skill of learning unfamiliar words' |
| the written language by letters and combinations | | | | meanings from the context in which they are |
| of letters which are called graphemes. An | | | | used. All of these methods of teaching phonics |
| understanding of these phoneme/grapheme pairs | | | | are more effective once the child has mastered |
| is one of the first steps in learning to read. | | | | their sight words. |
| Another early step in gaining literacy is word | | | | Parents need to have an understanding of all of |
| analysis. This is a method of phonics instruction | | | | these basics of literacy in order to give their child |
| which emphasizes the grapheme/phoneme pairs | | | | a good start towards literacy. Armed with an |
| within words. It should be kept in mind that English | | | | understanding of phonics, phonemic awareness, |
| contains a relatively large number of words which | | | | word analysis and sight words will enable you to |
| do not follow the usual patterns and that many | | | | do a great job of teaching your child basic reading |
| graphemes may represent more than one | | | | skills which will serve them well for a lifetime. |
| phoneme depending on context. This is where | | | | Both children and parents can enjoy the process |
| sight words come into play. | | | | of learning to read. Various methods are available |
| Sight words are those that are frequently used; | | | | to teach children the basis reading skills - one such |
| many of which do not follow the phonics rules. | | | | approach is incorporating them into games. This is |
| Due to the nature of these words, educators | | | | often effective as it is more likely to keep |
| encourage new readers to develop the ability to | | | | children's attention. |