| How I Teach Phonics Step 1: Teach the names and sounds of the alphabet. I start out teaching only the short vowel sounds (/a/ as in alligator, /e/ as in elephant, /i/ as in inchworm, /o/ as in octopus, /u/ as in umbrella bird). I teach only /g/ as in goat and /c/ as in cat. The other sounds are introduced later. Animal alphabet a-alligator b-bear c-cat d-dolphin e-elephant f-frog g-gorilla h-hippo i-iguana j-jaguar k-kangaroo l-lion m-monkey n-numbat o-octopus p-pony q-quail r-rabbit s-snake t-tiger u-umbrella bird v-vulture w-worm x-fox (ending sound) y-yak z-zebra Step 2: As they learn the letter sounds, we begin to form blends. ba, be, bi, bo, bu Step 3: We begin to add ending sounds to form one vowel words. (One Vowel Rule-When there is one vowel in a word, it usually says its short sound.) Step 4: We begin learning sight words. Sight words are words that do not follow the rules. We call them parrot words, because they mimic other letter sounds (I use an animal theme). I teach sight words in groups of five. They are on animal charts on the wall. I also group my one vowel words together on charts. One has short a words, one short e words and so forth. Step 5: I have three charts with beginning and ending sounds that we read over every day. I introduce one chart at a time. Beginning and Ending Sounds Charts bl as in black bear br as in brown bear st as in starfish cl as in clam cr as in crab sn as in snail fl as in fly dr as in dragonfly sm as in smilodon gl as in globefish fr as in frog sc as in scorpion pl as in platypus gr as in grasshopper sk as in skunk sl as in slug pr as in prairie dog sp as in spider tr as in trout sw as in swallowtail Step 6: I have three charts with special sounds. I introduce these one at a time. Special Sounds Charts ch as in chipmunk or as in orca wa as in wasdp th as in moth le as in turtls ay as in bluejay ar as in armadillo ou as in mouse ow as in cow sh as in shark oo as in woodpecker ow as in crow ck as in duck oo as in poodle y as in butterfly g as in giraffe c as in centipede y as in ladybug Step 7: For those that are ready, I introduce two-vowel words. (Two-Vowel Rule- When two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking and says its name. The second vowel is silent. I tell them the second vowel is very polite and always listens quietly.) |