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Poio App Review

Jaymi Thiessen on June 28, 2024

Fun and Engaging App Doesn’t Deliver on Reading Instruction

Not sure which literacy apps to use with your children or students? Read the reviews at phonics.org to learn which ones to try—and which ones to avoid.

Read on for an in-depth look at the Poio app for literacy instruction.

What is the Poio App?

Poio is a literacy app that introduces young learners (ages 3-8) to the world of reading through adorable letter bug characters known as ‘Readlings’. The Readlings enter and exit short levels through straws, and complete levels by collecting letter sounds and words for their storybook.

The goal of the game is to complete the entire Poio storybook by collecting and rebuilding each word in the fairytale. The CEO and founder of Poio, Daniel Senn, founded the Scandinavia-based company to help his own son learn to read. Poio claims that kids can teach themselves to read by playing with their literacy app.

Is the Poio App Easy to Use?

Which factors contribute to the ease of use of the Poio app? There are a few things you might want to know.

User Controls

In Poio, navigating through levels is easy as you navigate the island maps on the home page. Playing through the Readling characters is similarly a breeze with simple and intuitive touch controls. Even for young children, the game’s mechanics are intuitive and easy to grasp.

Parent Section

Signing up for the game and adding children to play is also a hassle-free process. Accessing the parent section is straightforward, requiring only the entry of the birth year. Notably, the parent section doesn’t include an option to share the skills of the new reader or choose a place to begin learning and playing. This would be a welcomed feature in future app updates.

User Engagement in Poio

These elements impact the overall engagement of the Poio app, for both parents and children.

Rewards

Poio inundates players with many options for external rewards, ranging from coins, crystals, trophies, and stars—as well as special letters, digital books, pages, presents, cages, confetti, and cheering.

While some rewards like coins and crystals are provided as in-app currency to purchase items for the Readlings home, the sheer abundance of rewards in this app can be overwhelming and distracting. The excessive variety of rewards detracts from the app’s core learning focus and may disrupt the learning experience for young users.

*Many external rewards are available in the Poio app*

Gameplay

Poio’s gameplay is a delightful blend of fun and learning. As the adorable Readling characters traverse from one ‘straw’ to the next, players guide them to collect letters, words, and rewards strewn along the way. The game incorporates clever letter association games, such as unlocking locks to free trapped Readlings.

Visually, the app is a treat! With beautiful aesthetics and clean animations that captivate and invite exploration, Poio offers an enchanting gameplay experience.

*Users practice matching the sound (key) to the lock (letter) in a clever method of practicing letter sounds*

Passive Participation

In Poio, active participation in literacy activities appears somewhat limited. While children are encouraged to guide the characters to collect letters and words, they aren’t prompted to actively engage in sound recall or phoneme blending—both of which are crucial aspects of literacy development.

Instead, children observe the sounds produced for them in the app and observe sound blending without being directly involved in the process. The emphasis on dragging characters to collect items may overshadow opportunities for children to actively participate in literacy tasks, which are important for developing literacy skills.

Literacy Learning With Poio

The following factors contribute to the quality of the ‘learning elements’ in the Poio app.

Direct and Explicit Instruction

Unlike the direct and explicit instruction method advocated by reading organizations and research, Poio takes a different approach by employing experiential and immersive learning techniques. While this approach may suit some children, it will not be effective for everyone.

Sequential Learning

Poio uses an immersive learning experience that may pose challenges for some children. The app introduces difficult words (including rarely-used phonics patterns and multisyllabic words) from the start. It presents these words without a gradual buildup of complexity.

Instead of a step-by-step progression, all sounds are presented at all once:

Short vowels
Long vowels
Diphthongs
Digraphs
Vowel teams

This overwhelming approach can strain kids’ working memory and may not suit new readers. Furthermore, the absence of a defined scope and sequence means that the app lacks a clear progression from simple to more complex words. The result is a phonetically random, confusing learning experience.

Letter Sounds

Poio’s approach to teaching letter sounds lacks clarity and consistency. While the app initially focuses on short vowel sounds, the associated practice words deviate from this pattern. For example, it introduces the word ‘troll’ after teaching the short ‘o’ sound.

The visual design of the letters in-app can also be confusing. When the characters touch letters, they can move and roll around. This, for example, can make it unclear if the letter is a /u/ or an /n/. Additionally, the font style has a lowercase <i> and uppercase <I> that look exactly the same, lacking a distinction between the two. These features can make learning some letter-sound correspondences more challenging for children.

*Letters aren’t always clearly represented in the Poio app – uppercase <E> has been pushed over and looks like an <m>*

Finally, letter sounds are sometimes unclear in the Poio app. The sounds for /l/ and /f/ are not entirely accurate. Plus, the ‘underwater’ letter sounds are even less clear.

The Poio app also has many sounds happening at the same time. For example, background music, effect sounds, character noises, and ‘munching’ noises occur at the same time while a letter sound is stated. Differentiating between all of these sounds is distracting and not ideal for early readers.

Phonemic Awareness

In Poio, phonemic awareness development seems to receive some attention through blending and segmenting practice during spelling sessions. Although children are not actively engaged in these tasks themselves, they have the opportunity to listen to the models provided, which can still contribute positively to their phonemic awareness skills.

While this level of engagement may not be as robust as interactive exercises where children actively blend and segment sounds, it nonetheless provides a foundational exposure to these essential skills. It’s better than no exposure at all.

*Word building in the Poio app supports phonemic awareness (blending and segmenting skills)*

The Fairytale Book

In Poio, the approach to the fairy tale book may not align with best practices in literacy instruction. Ideally, the books provided to new readers would be decodable. A decodable book matches the pre-taught letter sounds and phonics patterns to the text so children can decode (sound out) words and practice reading.

However, Poio uses a leveled text approach where the text features random phonics patterns. There is controversy and limited evidence for the effectiveness of leveled texts in early literacy development. Therefore, while the fairytale book in Poio may provide an enjoyable reading experience, it may not fully support the development of phonemic awareness and decoding skills that young readers need.

*The word choice in Poio is based on a book, not the word-reading ability of the new reader*

Letter Formation

Poio incorporates a charming approach to letter formation practice by unlocking locks with correct letter formations, which is a fun and interesting concept. This interactive activity provides an engaging way for children to practice forming letters correctly, adding an element of fun to the learning process. The mechanics of this feature are user-friendly, making it easy for children to participate and benefit from the practice.

Can Kids Teach Themselves to Read With the Poio App?

It’s unlikely that all children will be able to teach themselves to read with the Poio App.

The Poio app offers an engaging and visually appealing approach to literacy learning. Its user-friendly interface and charming characters make it accessible for young learners and their parents.

However, despite the entertaining gameplay, Poio falls short of delivering effective literacy instruction. The app lacks clarity and consistency in teaching letter sounds and phonics patterns.

Furthermore, the absence of a structured scope and sequence of skills and the use of a leveled text approach are not ideal for learning to read in English. Finally, while the app incorporates some phonemic awareness activities, its passive approach to teaching does not fully engage children in learning to spell and read words.

While the Poio app is easy to use and enjoyable to play, there’s room for improvement—especially regarding the overall quality of literacy instruction it provides.

Poio is one of many reading apps available today. Read about more effective phonics instruction programs and fun literacy apps for kids on the Phonics.org reviews page!

Poio App: Overall Ratings

Quality of Literacy Instruction: 2 / 5

Usability: 4 / 5

Engagement: 3 / 5

How to Help Kids Start Reading Multisyllabic Words

phonicsorg on June 20, 2024

Learning how to read multisyllabic words is a big milestone during a child’s phonics instruction. It’s a beginner’s bridge between basic phonics and more challenging skills that lead to reading fluency. As an educator, you must understand how to teach these concepts effectively so that your students benefit from new literacy skills. In this article, we offer some insights on how you can help your students begin reading multisyllabic words with confidence.

Why You Need to Teach Decoding of Multisyllabic Words

As an educator, the instruction method you use to teach multisyllabic word decoding holds weight. Many words have more than one syllable and knowing how to read these words is the key to fluent reading!

Reading Fluency: Texts will become increasingly complex as students move through their academic lives. They need to be able to quickly, accurately, and confidently decode longer words to navigate classes.
Comprehension: Decoding multiple syllables brings a new level of meaning to text as children read. They begin to string longer words and sentences together, strengthening their comprehension.
Vocabulary: Words with two or more syllables introduce children to a larger vocabulary, influencing them to develop better communication skills and consider big ideas.
Confidence: When students learn how to master bigger and harder words, their confidence grows. They develop more curiosity about reading.
Diagnostics: Teaching and assessing children’s word-reading abilities sheds light on a student’s reading difficulties. The most critical time to identify and address reading disorders is before third grade. You play a significant role in noticing any signs of concern during this phase of literacy development.

When to Introduce Multisyllabic Words to Kids

After learning how to decode single-syllable words, children progress in their reading journeys to decode more complex words.

Before teaching children to decode multisyllabic words, they must first have a strong foundation in understanding basic phonics skills. These skills include phonemic awareness skills such as blending, automatic letter-sound correspondences, and basic decoding of single-syllable words.

Multisyllabic phonics instruction often starts near the end of first grade after students have mastered reading single-syllable words.

How to Teach Multisyllabic Word Reading

There are a few approaches that can be used to teach students to accurately decode words with more than one syllable.

1. Syllable Types

One method of teaching multisyllabic word-reading is becoming familiar with different syllable types. Generally, there are six types of syllables:

Closed syllables – words that end with a consonant sound and have a short vowel sound (ex. hat, dish)
Open syllables – words that end with a vowel sound (ex. pay, me)
Vowel team syllables – words where multiple vowels represent the vowel sound (ex. team, boil)
R-controlled syllables – words where an /r/ is after a vowel (ex. star, burger)
Vowel-consonant-e syllables – words that end in silent e with a long vowel (ex. name, pike)
Consonant-le syllables – words that end in ‘-le’ (ex. puzzle, little)

In reading research studies there is some debate on the effectiveness of teaching syllable types. It does seem helpful for learners to have some idea about what different types of syllables are and what the patterns look like. Flexibility in applying these syllable types to overall reading should be encouraged and practiced.

2. Flexible Approach

Not all words follow the rules in the syllable types. Another approach to multisyllabic word reading is described by Michael Hunter and Linda Farrell. This approach does not teach specific syllable types but does show learners how to break up larger words flexibly.

This approach follows a step-by-step process for all words:

Step 1: How many vowel letters are in the word?
Step 2: Are the vowels together or apart?
Step 3: Is there a silent e at the end?
Step 4: How many syllables are there? Draw a line to break up the word into its parts.
Step 5: Say each syllable and then combine them to read the whole word. If you do not recognize the word, flex the vowel sound (if you read the word with a short sound, try a long vowel sound instead).

In this approach, reading the word ‘pumpkin’ would involve identifying the vowels (pumpkin), noting that the vowels are apart from each other and there is no silent e at the end. This would break up the word so that the vowels are separated (pump / kin). Finally, each part of the word would be decoded and then blended to read the whole word, ‘pumpkin’.

Additional Tips for Decoding Multisyllabic Words

Teaching children how to read multisyllabic words requires a systematic and explicit framework. They need to learn how to syllabicate (divide words into syllables), identify prefixes and suffixes, and follow new phonics rules.

1. Introduce Multisyllabic Words Strategically

Start with two-syllable words that follow a closed-syllable pattern. Because closed syllables contain only one vowel followed by a consonant ending, kids who are familiar with CVC or VC words typically grasp these multisyllabic words first. Example words include ‘rabbit,’ ‘kitten,’ ‘napkin,’ and ‘puppet.’ Each syllable contains a closed vowel (‘rab-bit’).

Later, you can introduce the schwa sound as students move on to more advanced words. Schwa sounds often appear in unstressed syllables and need to be identified when reading multisyllabic words. Understanding the schwa sound helps students decode “lazy vowel” words like ‘carrot,’ ‘wagon,’ ‘bagel,’ and ‘away.’

2. Teach Syllabication

Syllabication practice is necessary so that children can grasp word structures. Students learn how to divide words into syllables by identifying their different parts—prefixes, suffixes, spelling patterns, and so on.

Common syllable division patterns are:

VC/CV (vowel-consonant/consonant-vowel)
V/CV or VC/V (vowel/consonant-vowel or vowel-consonant/vowel)
VC/CCV or VCC/CV (vowel-consonant/consonant-consonant-vowel or vowel-consonant-consonant/consonant-vowel)
Consonant-le

These rules help students break down longer words into manageable parts. Syllable division is often taught using visual indicators like dots above vowels, circles around prefixes, slashes between syllables, and boxes around suffixes. Different visual aids such as syllable cards and word ladders also help make these abstract phonics concepts more approachable for kids.

3. Highlight Morphological Awareness

Morphology refers to the meaningful units of language and how they’re combined in words. It’s helpful to teach students basic morphological awareness concepts early as they learn to decode multisyllabic words. Teach common prefixes and suffixes, their meanings, and how they affect word pronunciation.

For example, the prefix ‘re’ means “again.” When children learn that words with ‘re’ imply something is done again, they can approach new words with that understanding, such as: ‘replay,’ ‘react,’ ‘rewind,’ etc.

Root words are also important morphemes for students to be aware of. Help your students identify root words and prompt them to consider how prefixes and suffixes change the meaning. For example, ‘untouchable’ has the root word ‘touch’ but has a different meaning due to its prefix and suffix.

4. Facilitate Practice and Repetition

Practice is key for teaching multisyllabic words! Facilitate opportunities for your students to repeat the concepts they learn. Include targeted words in classroom activities and games. Systematically introduce words into connected text such as decodable books and other reading materials. While students need to practice isolated decoding activities in class, they also need to practice in real-life reading experiences.

5. Monitor Progress and Provide Support

Consistently monitor students’ progress through learning assessments such as a phonics screener. Look at where students need extra support or further practice. Provide multiple different instruction approaches to meet the needs of different learners. You can also work with other teachers, parents, and reading specialists to learn about additional strategies to help struggling students understand multisyllabic words.

More Phonics Teacher Tips and Resources at Phonics.org

Teaching kids how to read multisyllabic words is an important process. Through explicit instruction of syllable types, division patterns, decoding strategies, and lots of practice, you help your students strengthen the skills they need to grow into strong, confident readers.

Don’t forget to make the learning process fun and engaging for kids. For more tips on proven phonics instruction methods, check out the resources at Phonics.org.

Basic Concepts in Language Development

phonicsorg on June 14, 2024

In language development, basic concepts are words that set the foundation for children’s learning. These words are essential for understanding instructions, completing daily tasks, and describing experiences. Basic concepts include opposites (like hot/cold and big/little), locations (like up/down and in/out), descriptions (like colors, shapes, and textures), and more.

While these words may seem simple to adults, mastering basic vocabulary words is crucial for children in early education. Having a strong grasp of basic concepts lays the groundwork for following directions, communicating effectively, and developing more advanced literacy skills over time.

Let’s look at some of the basic concepts children should learn and then introduce a few helpful ways you can guide this aspect of language development.

Examples of Basic Concepts for Kids

Broadly, basic concepts are the simple word relationships that children must learn in order to listen, learn, and describe things. They equip children to understand and convey basic information about objects, actions, people, and experiences.

There are several main categories of basic concepts. Most of them involve opposites. These include:

Comparative: includes comparative and superlative adjectives such as hot/cold, big/little, fast/slow, hard/soft, old/new
Quantitative: includes words related to quantity and measurement such as one/many, more/less, full/empty
Spatial: includes words related to location, directions, and prepositions like up/down, in/out, over/under, front/back, right/left, stop/start, here/there
Temporal: includes words related to concepts of time such as now/later, today/tomorrow, morning/night, first/last

These basic words are some of the first vocabulary terms children must learn to begin matching words to real life. When kids have a strong understanding of these, they start building the skills they need to grow and learn.

The Role of Basic Concepts in Daily Life

Consider how often basic concepts affect children’s daily lives. To follow simple directions and commands, there must be an understanding in place.

For example:

“Put the green cup on the small table.”
“Go get the big yellow book.”
“Stop and look both ways before you walk to the neighbor’s house.”

Basic concepts inform children exactly what is expected of them at home and in educational settings.

Plus, when kids have the vocabulary necessary to describe opposites, locations, and attributes, they can better express their own observations. This supports language development and social interaction.

Research shows that children’s knowledge of basic concepts in prekindergarten and kindergarten can be a predictor of future reading comprehension. Delays in basic concept vocabulary can limit children during further language development.

These basic skills are closely related to phonics education. As young students learn to connect basic concept words to written forms, it reinforces the alphabetic principle and decoding. Overall, when kids have a strong grasp of these simple words, it sets them up for long-term success.

How Children Learn Basic Concepts

Every child learns basic concept words at a different pace. Some may learn quickly while others might take time to grasp them fully. Let’s look at how children develop basic concepts.

Learning Through Experiences

Kids learn basic concepts early on through everyday experiences. Verbal language development is a natural process as children pick up on sounds, speech patterns, and word meanings from their family and environment. Their interactions with people, places, and things begin to show them connections between spoken words they hear and real world references.

However, experience isn’t always enough for any child to fully master basic concept knowledge.

Receiving Explicit Instruction

Children also need explicit (direct) instruction to grasp certain vocabulary concepts. Repetition is important to reinforce their understanding.

Instruction typically involves:

Teaching one or two concepts at a time to avoid information overload
Relating new concepts to the child’s world so they make personal connections
Creating a daily routine to give examples and practice basic concepts
Using concept words in regular conversation with your child

It also helps to start with the simplest concepts and then gradually move onto more challenging ones. An explicit instruction approach to basic concepts can look like:

Starting with opposites (hot/cold, big/little)

Moving onto locations (in/out, up/down)
Then teaching descriptions (colors, shapes, textures)
Then teaching time/quantity concepts
Moving on to more challenging concepts

Even with implicit and explicit exposure to basic concepts, a few things can affect how children pick up on them.

Influencing Kids’ Acquisition of Basic Concept Vocabulary

There are a few signs that a child might be delayed in language development or struggling to grasp basic concepts.

A child who’s 2-3 years old might describe what they observe using generalized words like “that one,” “there,” or “this thing” instead of using more specific descriptions with colors, locations, or sizes.

Some kids might seem confused when given verbal instructions—as if they have to guess what they were just told to do. If storytelling, problem solving, or expressing their thoughts verbally continue to be a challenge beyond expected milestones, they may still be developing basic concepts.

If you are concerned about the vocabulary development of your child or student, it may be wise to use the Basic Concepts Skill Screener to check and see how their skills measure up to the average performance of other children their same age. This screener can also let you know which specific basic concept skills have been consolidated or still need direct instruction and practice.

Several factors impact how quickly and thoroughly children pick up basic concepts:

Amount of repetition and modeling of words in context
Some concepts are harder to grasp, especially the more abstract ones
The child’s quality and quantity of language exposure
The child’s learning environment
Socioeconomic background
Presence of a disability or language delay

The more interactive and systematic the instruction is, the more likely the child will acquire the full scope of basic concepts.

Tips for Teaching Basic Concepts

To help young children learn basic concepts, here are some practices to implement at home and in the classroom.

Use Concrete Examples

Use familiar objects and pictures to make basic concepts as concrete and tangible as possible. Physically demonstrate opposites like big and small. Point out locations like over vs. under. Show examples of different colors, shapes, and textures.

Read Concept Books Together

Read books with your child and emphasize basic concept words during read-alouds. Many children’s books intentionally focus on particular categories of concepts through the text and illustrations.

Define Words Explicitly

In daily interactions with your child, take opportunities to explicitly define and explain basic concept words you use. “That car is big. Can you find a little car?”

Ask Comprehension Questions

Check your child’s understanding by asking them to identify or demonstrate the meanings of basic concept words. “Can you show me which toy is soft?”

Play Concept Games

Word games, songs, and early reading activities that reinforce basic concepts make the learning process more engaging and interactive for kids. Play Basic Concepts Chipper Chat for a ready-made game that focuses on applying these words and learning their meanings.

Give Corrective Feedback

When children use a basic concept word incorrectly, provide corrective feedback in the moment and model the proper usage. Praise your child when they grasp a new concept or get a question right.

Integrate Into Other Lessons

Include basic concept words into other learning activities like phonics, math, and following multi-step directions to reinforce their meanings.

Use Repetition

Basic concepts take repetition and time for kids to fully get. Be consistent and use the vocabulary frequently across many contexts.

Adjust Based on Ability

Be flexible and adjust the level of instruction complexity based on each child’s current grasp of basic concepts. It helps to meet them where they’re at. Refer to results in a basic concepts screener to know which specific words a child needs support with learning.

Connecting Basic Concepts to Phonics Instruction

As kids develop an understanding of basic concept vocabulary words, eventually they’ll use these concepts in phonics education. Comprehension is an integral part of reading and writing. Basic concepts set a foundation for reading comprehension as children interpret meaning and associate descriptions with the words they begin to read.

Want to know more about basic concepts? Explore similar topics that are crucial to early phonics instruction on the Phonics.org website today.

Phonetic Sounds in the English Language

phonicsorg on May 17, 2024

Have you ever wondered why the English language can be so complex? While there are only 26 letters in the English alphabet, there are 44 variations of sounds these letters can produce when spoken. These different individual speech sounds are called phonemes.

Understanding these fundamental sounds and having phonemic awareness (the ability to recognize and manipulate individual sounds of speech) is crucial for language learning, communication, reading fluency, and overall literacy development. Let’s take a look at these 44 sounds in the English language and how they play an important role in language and literacy.

What are Phonemes?

Phonemes are the smallest individual units of sound in language. Each word contains a different combination of phonemes. To understand words, we must be aware of their individual units and how they work together.

Since phonemes are sounds (not letters), a single letter of the alphabet can represent multiple phonemes depending on the word. For example, the letter <a> can make the /a/ sound in “cat” and the /ei/ sound in “cake.” While English spelling can get a bit challenging in this regard, understanding phonemes provides a clear foundation for language learning.

It’s also worth mentioning that phonemes have slight variations depending on context. These variations are called allophones. For example, in the well-known variation of the word tomato (“toe-may-toe” / “toe-mah-toe”), the /a/ sound is the same phoneme, just spoken differently. Therefore, phonemes can vary based on factors like dialect, accent, and the way a person speaks the word.

How Many Sounds Are in the English Language?

There are 44 sounds (phonemes) in the English language. They can be classified into two main groups: consonants and vowels.

There are 24 consonant phonemes and 20 vowel phonemes, each containing slightly more complex sound categories.

Consonant Sounds

Consonants are typically created by partially or completely blocking airflow somewhere in the vocal tract during speech. Think about the sound /p/ — your lips come together to momentarily stop airflow and then push a small amount of air between the lips. Examples of other consonants include /b/, /t/, /f/, /m/, and /s/.

There are further classifications within consonants based on how they’re produced (called manner of articulation), including:

Plosives (stops): complete blockage and then release of air like /p/
Fricatives: airflow creates friction like /f/
Nasals: air escapes through the nose like /m/
Affricates: stops followed by fricatives, such as /ch/

Consider some examples of the consonant phonemes.

/b/: bad, big, bubble
/d/: dog, dad, had
/f/: fig, stiff, calf
/g/: got, egg, girl
/h/: has, him, who
/j/: job, giraffe, joke
/k/: cat, kit, queens
/l/: love, well, melon
/m/: mop, summer, math
/n/: nice, know, gnat
/p/: play, pine, snip
/r/: ran, wrist, carrot
/s/: smile, miss, since
/t/: time, right, tripped
/v/: vine, five
/w/: wet, why, word
/y/: yellow, yes, you
/z/: zip, zen, his

There are also consonant digraph sounds. A consonant digraph is two consonants put together that form one individual sound (for example, /sh/).

/ch/: chip, watch
/sh/: ship, fish
/ng/: ring, long
/th/ (voiced): leather, whether, this
/th/ (unvoiced): thought, that
/wh/: what, wham
/zh/: vision, treasure

Vowel Sounds

Vowels are spoken using an open vocal tract, allowing air to flow freely during speech. This openness is what gives vowels their characteristic sustained sounds. The five main vowel phonemes in English are /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, and /u/. However, there are nearly 20 different vowel phonemes in the English language: singular phonemes (monophthongs) and two vowel sounds joined together (diphthongs).

Because vowel sounds can be complex and are limited to only six alphabetical letters, their phonemes are represented by different combinations of letters. You can find a full list of English phonemes on the International Phonetic Association website.

Monophthongs:

/ɪ/ as in “sit”
/iː/ as in “see”
/ɛ/ as in “bed”
/æ/ as in “cat”
/ɑː/ as in “father”
/ɒ/ as in “hot”
/ɔː/ as in “saw”
/ʊ/ as in “book”
/uː/ as in “boot”
/ʌ/ as in “cup”
/ɜː/ as in “bird”
/ə/ as in “banana”

Diphthongs:

Diphthongs are a special category of sounds created by combining two vowel sounds within a single syllable. For example, the /oi/ sound in “boil” or the /ow/ sound in “house” are both diphthongs.

/eɪ/ as in “day”
/aɪ/ as in “time”
/ɔɪ/ as in “boy”
/aʊ/ as in “now”
/əʊ/ as in “go”
/ɪə/ as in “near”
/eə/ as in “hair”
/ʊə/ as in “tour”

Understanding these phoneme categories and how they interact can help you master the intricacies of spoken English. It can also help you teach children phonics. By recognizing the different roles of consonants and vowels, and how diphthongs add another layer of complexity, we gain a deeper awareness of how words are spoken, read, spelled, and learned.

How Phonemes Shape Our Language

Phonemes, the individual sounds of language, combine to form the building blocks of words—and ultimately, our spoken language. They don’t exist in isolation. Instead, they join to create syllables, the building blocks of words. Phonemes also play a crucial role in how we recognize and understand words. Think about the minimal pairs “bat” and “pat.” Just by switching the first phoneme (/b/ to /p/), we create entirely different words with distinct meanings.

Phonemic awareness, the ability to identify and manipulate these sounds, becomes essential for fluent reading and clear communication. Furthermore, phonemes contribute to morphemes, the smallest units of sound that carry meaning. For instance, the word “unhappy” consists of two morphemes: “un-” (a prefix meaning “not”), and “happy” (the root word).

Understanding how phonemes combine to form morphemes allows us to decipher the meaning of complex words and ultimately, unlock the full potential of language. But none of this would be possible without phonemes.

English, Phonemes, and Phonics Instruction

The basic units of sound in the English language are fundamental for building strong reading and spelling skills. By using a systematic phonics program that explicitly teaches phonemes and their connection to letters, children gain the tools they need to decode unfamiliar words, sound them out effectively, and ultimately become confident readers and spellers.

To learn more about literacy development and phonics instruction, follow Phonics.org for more information.

Sight Words vs. High-Frequency Words

phonicsorg on May 6, 2024

During phonics instruction, children learn to sound out or “decode” words. With enough practice, decoding turns into sight word recognition. Sight words are defined as any word that can be recognized instantaneously at first sight, without the need to decode it.

High-frequency words are defined as the most commonly occurring words found in texts and books. Some high-frequency words are regular, meaning they follow common phonics patterns.

Irregular words, however, do not follow common phonics patterns. An example of an irregular high-frequency word is ‘of,’ in which the <f> makes a /v/ sound—which is not a regular phonics pattern.

The two terms “sight words” and “high-frequency words” are often used incorrectly or interchangeably, which can lead to confusion. It can also lead to ineffective phonics instruction methods.

What is the real difference between sight words and high-frequency words? Let’s clarify each term so you can master your approach to proper instruction. Keep reading to learn the difference and the relationship between sight words and high-frequency words in children’s literacy development.

How Does a Word Become a Sight Word?

As children develop sight word recognition, their reading fluency and comprehension improve. Students learn to recognize sight words through the process of orthographic mapping.

Children learn letter-sound correspondences.
Readers use their knowledge of letter-sound correspondences to decode new words.
Each time a student decodes the same word, their brain “maps” the written word to the spoken word and its meaning.
Repeated orthographic mapping of the same word reinforces that word in the child’s memory.
After so many repetitions, the brain instantly maps words when reading texts.

Once new words are committed to a child’s memory, they can focus their cognitive efforts on comprehending the words rather than stumbling over frequently encountered ones.

What are High-Frequency Words?

As the name implies, high-frequency words are words that appear frequently in written texts. Students encounter them repeatedly as their reading abilities progress. In fact, 100 high-frequency words make up 50% of the words we read and write in English!

As students encounter frequently-appearing words in their reading materials, their familiarity with the words’ phonetic patterns supports their fluency and accurate reading. Eventually, high-frequency words will become sight words that students can recognize automatically. This is an important goal and milestone in phonics instruction.

How Do Kids Learn to Read Irregular High-Frequency Words

Some irregularly-spelled words appear frequently in texts. These words can be tricky for children to “sound out” using basic phonics rules on their own. Teachers must take a different approach.

While there is some debate in reading research about how children learn to read irregular words, there are generally two approaches used in instruction.

The “Heart Word Magic” approach focuses on decoding letter sounds, while explicitly pointing out the irregular sound parts that should be memorized “by heart.”
The Paired Associate Learning approach emphasizes word memorization. It pairs the visual word with the pronunciation of that word. However, this is not useful for all words as rote memorization can become a challenge or even a disadvantage for learners.

Are Sight Words and High-Frequency Words the Same Thing?

By knowing the difference and the relationship between sight words and high-frequency words, teachers ensure well-rounded phonics instruction. The importance of explicit, systematic phonics instruction cannot be overstated in the context of reading development, no matter which type of words students are learning to decode. Extensive research demonstrates that a strong foundation in systematic phonics is crucial to long-term reading success.

Phonics Activities to Master High-Frequency Words as Sight Words

What are some effective ways teachers and parents can introduce (and practice) high-frequency words when their child is learning to read? Take a few of these pointers.

Irregular High-Frequency Words

Teaching irregular words that occur frequently should not be the primary focus of reading instruction. Knowing these words well does play a role in developing fluency and efficiency. Word-reading instruction blends explicit phonics practice with repeated exposure to build automatic word recognition over time.

Effective strategies for explaining irregular high-frequency words include:

Word Builders: Use movable letter tiles or Elkonin boxes to let students sound out new words and explain the irregular portion of the word.
Decodable Books: Having students read decodable texts that contain targeted high-frequency words helps with repetition, encouraging them to apply their phonics knowledge while decoding new words.
Break Down Irregular Words: Introduce an irregular word to students (such as “said”). Have them underline the sounds they know, and circle the sounds they don’t know. In this case, /ai/ is likely unfamiliar as the word ‘said’ sounds like it has an /e/ in the middle. Students underline /s/ and /d/ but circle /ai/, and the teacher explains this irregular word in full.

Regular High-Frequency Words

High-frequency words should be taught primarily through explicit, systematic phonics instruction. As students encounter these common words in their reading materials, they should be encouraged to apply their phonics knowledge to decode and analyze the words’ patterns.

Incorporate high-frequency word study into phonics lessons by having students blend the sounds and practice reading and spelling the words in context. Provide decodable texts that contain the high-frequency words being studied, allowing students to reinforce their phonics skills while gaining repeated exposure to these words.

Help Kids Learn to Read Through Phonics

Providing a strong foundation in phonics is crucial for raising skilled and confident readers. This evidence-based approach aligns with the science of reading and sets children on the path to long-term learning and success.

To learn more about implementing accurate, research-based phonics methods in your classroom or home, explore the wealth of resources available at Phonics.org.

Types of Phoneme Blending for Early Readers

phonicsorg on April 18, 2024

One of the most crucial skills for kids learning to read is learning how to blend phonemes. This is a foundational skill that not only relates to spoken language but also the ability to decode and comprehend words in text.

Phonemes are the individual sounds that make up spoken language. In English, there are 44 blendable phoneme units out of the 26 letters of the alphabet. For students to begin blending sounds into words, they first need an understanding of letter-sound correspondences.

When a child knows some letter-sound correspondences, it’s time to introduce blending! To help your new reader make sense of words in print, here are several types of phoneme blending techniques to consider.

Segmented Blending

One well-known form of phoneme blending taught during phonics instruction is called segmented phonation, also known as final blending. This is when children read a word by sounding out each letter sound from left to right. There is typically a pause between each sound. The sounds are blended together at the end of the word.

Here’s what segmented blending would look like in practice.

You’re helping a child blend the word, ‘sit.’

The child sounds out each letter individually and pauses between each sound:

/s/ (pause) /i/ (pause) /t/

Then, the reader brings the letter sounds closer together: /s/ /i/ /t/.

The three sounds are held in the child’s memory and blended or put together at the end of the word.

Continuous Blending

Continuous blending—also known as connected phonation—is the most straightforward type of phoneme blending. It works by blending letter sounds smoothly and continuously without stopping in between sounds, as you would with segmented phonation reviewed above.

Here is how a child can practice continuous blending:

The child is reading the word ‘ran.’

They sound out each letter sound slowly, continuously, and smoothly:

/rrrr/ /aaaa/ /nnnn/

Sometimes the child may need to repeat the process with an increased pace. Typically, immediately after continuous blending, the child can understand the word: ‘ran.’ Continuous blending is known to be an easier form of phoneme blending for kids, as it’s closer to how humans naturally speak. In comparison, segmented blending requires more working memory of phoneme sounds, making it more challenging for some kids.

This type of phoneme blending is typically first introduced with letters that make continuous sounds. These are sounds that can be held longer like /mmmm/ or /ssss/. Some phonemes are ‘stops’ that can’t be elongated like /p/ or /g/. It is difficult to use continuous blending when those sounds appear at the beginning of a word. Phonemes that work best for introductory continuous blending include /m/, /n/, /s/, /l/, /f/, /r/, /v/, and /z/.

Successive Blending (Additive Blending)

Successive or “additive” blending is a slightly different approach to blending. Instead of sounding out a word all the way through, letter by letter and then repeating the whole word, successive blending repeats each blended portion of the word before the following letter is sounded out.

Here’s how it’s practiced:

The child is sounding out the word ‘slip.’

First, start with /s/.

Then, restart from the beginning of the word to sound out /s/ and /l/ together to make ‘sl’.

Next, go back and repeat ‘sl’ while adding /i/ to the end: ‘sli’.

Finally, formulate the whole word by saying ‘sli’ once again and adding /p/. You then say the whole word, ‘slip.’

This method particularly helps struggling readers who have difficulty retaining which sounds they sound out during blending. It helps them remember and integrate all of the sounds in a word, instead of getting lost in the middle or the end of the word and forgetting what they sounded out.

Onset and Rime Blending

Onset and rime (also called onset-rime) blending separates words into its onset (the beginning consonant or consonant blend) and rimes (the vowel plus any other remaining consonants in the word). In this approach, readers sound out the onset and then blend it into the rime.

For example:

To blend the word ‘can,’ the reader first sounds out the onset /c/ and then the rime /an/.

Then, they blend them together: /c/ + /an/… ‘can.’

The onset-rime blending method is ideally used as a supplementary practice to phoneme blending, not the main approach.

Onset-rime blending can be confusing. It might give early readers the impression that words are made up of smaller word sections when really words are made up of individual sounds (phonemes) strung together.

For example, imagine a child is learning to read the word ‘right.’ The onset /r/ plus the rime /ight/ involves more complex phonics rules that some children would struggle to discern with this method. Additionally, there are more than 300 rimes (also known as word families) in the English language. It would take much more cognitive effort to memorize these rimes than to blend individual sounds.

In many cases during onset-rime, the initial consonant spoken by itself sounds distorted or is spoken with an added schwa sound. The phoneme for the letter <d>, for example, should not be pronounced ‘duh’ as it could distort the rime that follows. You wouldn’t say, ‘duh-im’ for the word ‘dim,’ but a child is likely to make this mistake when using the onset-rime method.

Body-Coda Blending

Another type of phoneme blending that involves separating words into segments is called body-coda. First, readers sound out the body (the consonant and vowel) and then the coda (the final consonant or consonant blend). It’s the reverse of onset-rime.

For example:

When blending the word ‘cat,’ the reader sounds out the body of the word ‘ca’ and then the coda /t/.

Then, they blend them: /ca/ + /t/… ‘cat.’

The body-coda method is often easier than the onset-rime method. If children can practice the beginning consonant, they can use continuous blending to finish reading the word—for example: ‘caaaaa-t.’ Because vowels are always continuous sounds, the body-coda method helps kids overcome and automate the difficult part of blending, which is knowing how to put a “stop” sound (consonant) with a vowel sound together.

Just like onset-rime, the body-coda blending method can reinforce the concept of “word chunks” rather than the importance of actual phonemes. Therefore, it should also be a supporting technique and not the initial or primary one.

Best Ways to Teach Phonics to Early Readers

Blending is an essential phonics skill for children learning to read. While there are several types of blending practices to introduce in phonics instruction, several methods have been shown to work better than others.

Continuous blending is the most effective type of phoneme blending as it is most similar to how we naturally speak words. Segmented blending is also a reliable method for many children learning how to read, although it may be difficult for students who struggle with working memory.

For more tips and information on teaching phonics effectively to kids, read more insights from phonics.org.

The Different Types of Phonics Instruction

phonicsorg on April 12, 2024

Teaching children how to read is a crucial and sometimes complicated process. Phonics instruction becomes the foundation of reading, so taking an effective and proven approach is required if kids are to grasp these essential skills.

If proper instruction is so important, why are there different types of phonics in English education? Which method works best for teaching kids to read?

Let’s look at the four main types of phonics instruction, the relationship each one has with reading, and how effective they are. Whether you’re a teacher of a classroom or a parent wanting to help your early reader, knowing these methods can help you make informed decisions about which phonics program to use as your child develops literacy skills.

Synthetic Phonics

Synthetic phonics focuses on alphabetical letters (graphemes) and their correspondence to phonemes (individual sounds of spoken language). It is the ‘synthesis’ or combination of individual letter sounds to decode words.

The most effective method of using synthetic phonics is with an explicit and direct approach to teaching.

Here’s how it works:

Students learn individual letter sounds (/a/ for ‘apple,’ /b/ for ‘bin,’ etc.)
They then learn how to blend letter sounds together (/b/ /i/ /n/ = ‘bin’)
Reading instruction is systematic, meaning children learn the simplest concepts first and then progress toward more complex ones. This motivates the mastery of buildable skills.
Readers learn to rely on decoding to read new, unfamiliar words they encounter in text.

Decades of scientific studies point to the reliability of synthetic phonics instruction. Because reading is a skill that doesn’t come naturally to humans, it must be taught with clear, systematic instruction and lots of practice.

Synthetic phonics has also become the most effective and recommended method of teaching phonics to children diagnosed with or at risk of reading difficulties. Extensive brain research has found that this structured, synthetic method helps kids develop strong reading foundations.

Analytic Phonics

The analytic phonics approach uses the “analysis” of text. It teaches children to associate letter sounds with whole words. Typically, it involves a lot of recognition as well as breaking down familiar words into smaller parts.

For example, students learn whole words such as ‘mat.’ They then learn to identify individual sounds within the word and the alphabetical letters they represent. Instruction also involves pointing out similarities and patterns across words.

Analytic phonics can be useful in some cases but it’s typically not as structured as a systematic teaching method. With the lack of foundation, children might struggle with this method—especially if they have a learning or reading disability.

Analogy Phonics

Analogy phonics is a subtype of analytic phonics. It focuses on identifying patterns and “analogies” of words.

Children learn word families that share letter-sound correspondences, such as ‘cat,’ ‘mat,’ ‘rat,’ ‘hat,’ and ‘sat.’ All of these words contain the ending /-at/. Students are expected to use prior knowledge of a similar word (such as ‘cat’) to make sense of patterns and then interpret new, related words.

While analogy phonics can supplement more systematic methods of phonics instruction, it’s no longer recommended for educational settings.

Embedded Phonics

Embedded phonics is the opposite of explicit phonics, in which case students learn to read words through contextual, implicit reading.

Typically, teachers provide whole texts to students and then use the material to teach specific concepts—whether it be letter-sound correspondences, spelling patterns, or word families.

Through embedded phonics (also known as incidental phonics), phonics instruction occurs on an “as-needed” basis. Instead of preparing children with a strong foundation of explicit, systematic concepts so they can practice decoding new texts, students learn concepts “as they arise” in the text they’re provided. Through this, students often have to rely on contextual letter recognition and memorization of sight words since the provided literature dictates which letter-sound relationships are practiced (often randomly).

Today, embedded phonics is widely known as an ineffective instruction method because it involves a lot of guesswork. Although it can be a useful exercise to expose readers to real-world, connected texts, it cannot replace the instruction needed to develop a reading foundation based on the science of reading.

Taking a Systematic Approach to Phonics Instruction

A systematic approach to phonics instruction has been proven to be the most reliable method because:

Emphasis is on decoding as soon as children begin learning to read, equipping them to figure out new words without relying on context or guesswork.
Reading specialists use synthetic instruction to help students with specific learning disabilities (such as dyslexia) learn to read.
The use of structured, progressive skill-building enables students to master the simplest skills first and gradually work their way up to the most complex.
It is the method that most aligns with how the brain learns to read.

Overall, the other types of phonics—analogy, analytic, and embedded—should not be the primary method of instruction. They often lead to confusion for many children unless there is a synthetic and explicit foundation provided first.

Which Type of Phonics is Best for Teaching Kids to Read?

The goal of phonics instruction is to equip students with the strongest foundation of skills for lifelong reading. Although different types of phonics have been used (and are still used) in specific scenarios, there is an abundance of modern research proving systematic, synthetic phonics works for most children.

Children must learn how to decode words and gradually progress onto more complex skills, eventually building strong reading proficiency. Other types of phonics such as analytic or analogy methods are most useful as a supplemental approach, with synthetic phonics taking the lead.

To learn more about phonics instruction, reading science, and literacy development, explore the resources at Phonics.org. We review synthetic phonics programs and provide educators and parents with honest ratings to see which one works best for young readers.

Orthographic Mapping and Sight Words: Developing Reading Fluency

phonicsorg on April 5, 2024

Skillful readers can read words effortlessly and automatically with full comprehension. This process often seems impossible to kids as they begin to learn basic phonics skills—how do adults read so easily, without trying? The answer is that there’s a crucial process involved that develops this reading fluency over time. This process is called orthographic mapping.

Essentially, orthographic mapping is the necessary bridge students cross from sounding out single words using lots of effort to automatic word recognition. Reading researcher Linnea Ehri coined this term.

In this article, we discuss what orthographic mapping is, how it works, and ways you can improve this process to encourage students to become fluent, confident readers.

What is Orthographic Mapping?

In simple terms, orthographic mapping is a process where words are decoded until automatically recognized. This skill develops over time. It happens when a reader permanently stores a word they’ve already learned and can retrieve it instantly from memory when they come across it.

When a reader decodes (sounds out) an unfamiliar word, they connect the word’s letters to corresponding sounds, blending them to formulate the word. For example, the word ‘bat’ is decoded by blending the sounds /b/ /a/ /t/. Every time the reader successfully maps the same word again, it’s committed to memory. Eventually, the reader no longer has to sound it out completely from scratch. Instead, they retrieve the word mapped during previous readings.

Even though orthographic mapping involves remembering, it’s not the same thing as rote memorization of whole, unfamiliar words. With whole-word memorization, readers associate the visual representation of a word directly with its meaning. This bypasses any mapping of letters to sounds.

While some high-frequency words may initially be visually memorized this way, orthographic mapping through proven phonics instruction is what allows readers to build their sight word vocabularies long-term.

How Orthographic Mapping Works

To turn an unfamiliar, printed word into a remembered word, children must form permanent connections between a word’s letters, its pronunciation, and its meaning in memory. Here’s how it works.

Letter-Sound Correspondences

The foundation of orthographic mapping is decoding. A beginner reader must first learn how individual letters and letter patterns represent the sounds in spoken words. These skills should be mastered for easy recall.

Decoding and Encoding

The practice of blending letter-sound correspondences to identify unfamiliar words in print is called decoding. Encoding is the ability to spell words by breaking up a word (segmenting) into its sounds. Practice with decoding and encoding is part of the process of orthographic mapping. Each time a reader sounds out or spells a word, they are mapping its written form and its spoken form.

Repetitive Mapping

Successful orthographic mapping requires repeated practice. The first few times readers decode a new word, the mapping can be forgotten quickly. But with repeated mapping of a word’s spelling to its pronunciation, the connection gradually builds a strong representation in the reader’s long-term memory. The number of repetitions that will be necessary depends on the individual profile of the child. Some children will need many more repetitions of decoding and encoding than others.

Connect to Meaning

Once a new reader has successfully decoded a word, it is important to connect this word to its meaning. This helps new readers remember words more quickly. Building vocabulary knowledge also improves reading comprehension.

Building Sight Word Vocabulary

Successful repetition of decoding gradually results in sight word knowledge. Sight words develop when a word has been mapped so many times that it can be instantly recalled. The reader recognizes the word as a familiar unit rather than consciously decoding the individual letters.

Skilled readers have robust mappings for between 30,000-90,000 words in their vocabulary, allowing them to read quickly without having to stop and analyze every letter. Additionally, decoding and mapping are lifelong skills. Even highly literate adults learn new words that they haven’t orthographically mapped yet, pausing upon a new, complex word to sound it out and learn its meaning.

Orthographic Mapping vs. Rote Memorization

While orthographic mapping and sight word mastery rely on memory, the process is different from rote visual memorization. Relying on memorization to build a sight vocabulary is problematic for several reasons:

How the brain works: Words and images are processed differently in human brains. Learning to read by sounding out is more efficient and effective than learning to read by visually memorizing words. A great deal of scientific research has demonstrated that we do not remember words based on visual memory.
Reading new words: Rote memorization teaches words as unanalyzed wholes, ultimately discouraging readers from developing the decoding skills they need for lifelong learning. It is impossible to visually memorize all words needed for foundational reading ability and comprehension. Decoding skills help readers figure out new words they haven’t previously memorized.
Difficulty memorizing longer words: Memorizing words by visual shape is difficult to apply to longer, more complex words. Additionally, human memory can only memorize so many entire word shapes, preventing students from advancing their full vocabulary.

Orthographic mapping avoids these pitfalls by accurately linking spellings to pronunciations through phonics practice. Words are mapped, not traced like pictures. This lays the groundwork for an expansive, efficiently-acquired sight vocabulary.

Orthographic Mapping Strategies for Reading Instruction

Understanding orthographic mapping is crucial for educators and parents who are helping kids learn to read. With a knowledge of what it is and how it works, you can implement supportive strategies to help kids become stronger readers.

Systematic Phonics Instruction

Since orthographic mapping stands on solid phonics skills, beginners’ reading instruction typically involves explicit, systematic phonics lessons. Students must learn to proficiently decode words, which explicit instruction provides.

Guided Practice

Building up skillful readers doesn’t stop at teaching. Students must be given many practice opportunities to apply these skills and develop automatic word-reading abilities. Repeated, successful mappings are required for orthographic representations to become firmly set.

Decodable Texts

To facilitate this essential mapping practice, students benefit from reading decodable texts containing a high number of words following the phonics patterns they have learned. Texts should be readable for the child’s skill level, with only a few unknown words to allow for productive challenge.

Assessment and Progress Monitoring

Students’ reading progress and behavior must be monitored so you can discern whether they are actively mapping spellings to pronunciations, rather than guessing words from context. The key to this is using a phonics survey or inventory that breaks down the phonics skills by type and uses nonwords to determine if a child can read a new word they haven’t seen before.

Resources for Orthographic Mapping and Other Phonics Skills

Orthographic mapping is an important bridge that allows beginning readers to turn their hardworking attempts at decoding into automatic sight word recognition. While rote memorization alone provides an inefficient shortcut, orthographic mapping through systematic phonics practice helps children build a solid foundation for long-term reading development.

Equipping students with this mapping ability is key to helping them become fluent, skilled readers. To learn more about similar strategies and evidence-based phonics instruction, visit Phonics.org.

10 Tips for Parents Teaching Phonics at Home

phonicsorg on March 29, 2024

Teaching phonics to kids is no easy feat. Reading and writing are complex skills that must be explicitly learned, practiced, and mastered over time if children are to become proficient readers.

Whether your child is learning phonics in their classroom or you’re educating them from home, a consistent and proven phonics program can have positive outcomes.

In this guide, we share practical tips on how parents can start teaching phonics at home—in ways that are proven to support kids’ development. Let’s dive in!

1. Create a Phonics Routine

The first thing you need to do if you want to teach phonics at home is to start an at-home phonics routine with your child.

Consistency is important not only for children’s emotional development but cognitive development as well. Practice, routine, and clear expectations help children feel more comfortable and confident in their everyday lives.

When learning something new such as phonics—even if it’s challenging—children benefit from daily routine. Whether it’s ten minutes or thirty minutes per day, a structured learning practice makes a big difference.

2. Read Aloud With Your Child

Read books to your child regularly when they’re little. As they learn basic phonics skills, read with them, making a point to include them in the reading process.

Let your child choose books they want to read with you
Welcome your child’s questions about the story and characters
Take turns reading and kindly correcting each other’s mistakes
Encourage active participation, using questions and real-world connections

When you read to (and with) your child, you model fluency and reinforce positive reading experiences. Even when you might not notice it, your child is “absorbing” a lot of useful information from reading aloud with you.

3. Prioritize Letters and Sounds

No matter what you include in your child’s phonics education at home, make it a priority to practice letter-sound correspondence.

This is the relationship between alphabetical letters and the sounds they represent in spoken language. It’s the fundamental basis of reading because essential skills like decoding rely on knowledge of letter sounds. To learn a few letter-sound teaching exercises, read this article from phonics.org.

4. Make Phonics Education Playful

Try playing some entertaining phonics games with your child to keep them interested and engaged. Kids typically learn best through play, so make this an opportunity to enjoy quality time together and strengthen those budding phonics skills.

For example, to focus on letter sounds, play games like “I Spy,” where you silently identify an item in your surroundings and give letter clues. For pineapple, you’d say: “I spy something that starts with <P>.”

5. Take a Multisensory Approach

Leverage the use of multiple senses during phonics instruction to go beyond sight and sound. Ideas include:

Tactile objects (foam letters, alphabet tiles, writing in sand)
Auditory cues (alphabet songs, nursery rhymes)
Physical movement (jumping/clapping along with syllables, letter hopscotch)

Sensory phonics games are especially helpful for kids who hate sitting still or those who need a break from focused “work” at a desk.

6. Apply Phonics to Everyday Life

Use real-life situations as opportunities for phonics instruction. Ask your child to sound out words on restaurant menus, find a specific letter on a street sign, point at labels in the grocery store, and do other fun quests.

7. Use Educational Technology

Learning phonics isn’t limited to print. Thanks to the development of digital learning today, some educational apps and resources can enhance your child’s phonics learning.

For kids who are digital natives, online phonics programs can be useful, beneficial, and fun. Put screen time to good use and choose a phonics app that implements proven instruction methods, engaging activities, and user-friendly experiences.

To find online apps that help kids learn to read, check out our phonics program reviews from literacy experts.

8. Extend Patience and Encouragement

Seeing your child progress in their phonics lessons is so exciting! It’s easy to provide words of praise when they’re doing so well. When a new concept or skill doesn’t come naturally, though, it’s even more important to extend patience to your child and offer encouragement.

According to Havard’s Center on the Developing Child, consistently encouraging children to learn through curiosity, play, and social interaction can have a direct impact on the level of intrinsic motivation they experience into adulthood. So in addition to words of encouragement, model curiosity to your child and show them it’s okay to make mistakes when learning.

9. Monitor Your Child’s Strengths and Weaknesses

Every child has strengths and weaknesses when it comes to literacy development. Regardless of their skill level or expected abilities for their age, it’s important to monitor their unique experience. That way, you can notice which areas they need more support in.

Ensure your child has a reading assessment to understand where they’re succeeding and if they need additional support. Generally, children are assessed or screened for reading difficulties three times a year – at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year. Some children may require additional help and could be monitored more frequently to track progress and next steps.

Some reading assessments are more reliable than others. The DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) is a reliable resource for this. Explore the DIBELS screening tips for parents and families.

10. Give Your Child the Support They Need

Adequate phonics instruction provides a solid foundation for kids to become avid learners. When children know how to read and write effectively, the world is theirs to discover. With these tips, we hope you can better support your child’s phonics journey at home.

An additional note: It’s worthwhile to acknowledge that sometimes, children may need more help than what we can offer as parents. If a student experiences underlying issues that result in reading difficulties—such as stress, learning disorders, or a behavioral struggle—those issues must be addressed. If you and your child’s teachers have tried everything but still notice little improvement, talk with a clinician or reading specialist.

No matter where your child is on their path to literacy, you can learn more reading education tips from our parent resources at phonics.org.

Phonics Intervention for Struggling Students

phonicsorg on March 22, 2024

Phonics is a must-have foundation for reading instruction—especially for children just learning to read. Even more importantly, kids struggling to read often benefit from explicit instruction through some type of phonics intervention.

To help your child gain the knowledge and skills they need to become great readers, here are some things you need to know about phonics intervention.

What is a Phonics Intervention?

A phonics intervention is a specialized, targeted instructional program for people struggling to build essential literacy skills.

Typically, phonics interventions focus on reading concepts, building a solid foundation from the ground up. An intervention can be suitable for young children first learning to read or even older students who have yet to develop these skills.

A reading intervention should focus on improving the weaknesses or skill deficits that a person has. Some interventions may need to focus on improving letter-sound correlations, while others may focus on blending letters and sounds together to decode or read words. All reading interventions should teach concepts explicitly and provide ample time for practice until the concept is mastered.

There are several recommended characteristics of reading interventions that focus on phonics instruction:

Explicit: The phonics concepts, correlations, and rules are explained and modeled clearly by an instructor so the student feels free of ambiguity.
Systematic: Each new skill is introduced in a logical, proven sequence, beginning with the most basic one and then building upon each component.
Cumulative: In addition to instruction being systematic (sequential), it’s also cumulative, meaning that while learning builds upon itself, the previous skills are continually practiced alongside new ones so that the student can achieve mastery.
Multi-Sensory: It’s common that students who need phonics intervention also need a different approach to learning sound-letter correspondences. Reading interventionists and educators often engage students in activities incorporating multiple senses—sight, sound, touch, and physical movement—to diversify learning experiences and encourage retention.
Synthetic: This type of phonics focuses on using individual letters and sounds to read and spell words. This differs from the analytic phonics that uses ‘word families’. It has been shown to be the most efficient method of teaching children to read and spell.

With these core principles built into a phonics intervention, students are more likely to achieve reading proficiency.

How Phonics Interventions Work

Phonics or “reading” interventions work by providing struggling readers with the tools they need to overcome specific challenges, all within a supportive learning environment.

Educators typically determine a child’s phonics intervention needs using assessments and observation. There are three tiers educators currently use to decide the required level of intervention.

Tier 1: Instruction is provided to the whole class using the explicit and systematic approach. Phonics screeners and benchmark assessments throughout the year can identify which students may be at risk of reading difficulties and who need more attention.

Tier 2: Phonics instruction targets a small group of struggling students who would benefit from more specialized teaching. Children are often grouped based on their skill level.

Tier 3: Instruction must be given at the individual student level, sometimes incorporating an IEP (individualized education program) for students with specific learning disorders such as dyslexia.

In all three tiers, effective phonics instruction focuses on developing the following skills.

Phonemic Awareness

Phonemic awareness is the ability to identify and manipulate segments of sound in spoken language. The most important phonemic awareness skills are:

Blending: Combining letter sounds to read, or sound out, a word.
Segmenting: Breaking a word into its individual phonemes (sounds).
Syllabication: Breaking a longer word into its syllables or parts.

These skills can be practiced orally (just sounds) or with letters. Practicing these skills with letters has shown to be almost twice as effective when teaching someone to read and spell.

Sound-Symbol Correlation

Once a child has an awareness of phonemes and how they’re different, they can begin to learn sound-symbol correspondence. This is the connection between speech sounds and letters. This important skill requires a lot of practice and modeling. Through this, the brain develops connections between visual and verbal components (also known as Paired Associate Learning)—a sophisticated and incredible ability unique to humans.

Pronunciation

Sometimes a new reader has difficulty pronouncing or articulating specific speech sounds in a language. For example, the sound of /r/ can be difficult for many children to pronounce accurately. When a sound is difficult to articulate, it can be difficult for a learner to read and spell using that sound. Reading interventions can incorporate the practice of accurate speech sounds. This should be guided by a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) who has expertise in this area.

Explicit Instruction

It cannot be emphasized enough: direct or “explicit” instruction is the way to go when teaching phonics. This is especially true for children who are struggling with these complex skills. Learning to read is not a natural process—it must be taught, guided, practiced, and mastered.

Modeled and Guided Decoding Practice

Decoding is the way we “sound out” words in print. As soon as students begin acquiring letter sounds the instructor can guide them through decoding their first words. These words are typically simple, high-frequency words such as ‘me’ or ‘it,’ or CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words like ‘mom’ or ‘cat.’

Modeling and practice are important at this stage of intervention because 1) the student is starting to gain confidence by overcoming new challenges and 2) the instructor is instilling an “I do, we do, you do” process, equipping the student to incorporate these skills for life. Guidance and practice should continue until the skill is easy and automatic for the learner. The number of repetitions and amount of practice will depend on the profile of each specific learner.

Decoding at the Word Level

As a student continues to master foundational skills, he or she is encouraged to practice decoding words. The goal is to equip the child to eventually decode on their own so that they can overcome new, unfamiliar words in print, growing into a competent reader.

Reading Decodable Texts

Once a student has learned to decode words quickly and accurately, they can begin to read phrases or even whole sentences. Decodable texts and books support new readers in applying their word-reading knowledge to continuous texts.

Does My Child Need Phonics Intervention?

If your child is struggling to read, they’re not alone. National reading scores continue to decline among elementary students today, while teachers do all they can to incorporate more effective phonics instruction.

Phonics interventions are crucial for students who cannot meet basic reading proficiency. But it’s even more important that children receive the interventions they need as soon as you notice a significant struggle. Ideally, when necessary, an intervention begins before third grade. Talk with your child’s teachers and healthcare providers to learn about what intervention options are available.

More Phonics Resources for Students Learning to Read

If you’re concerned about your child’s literacy development, we encourage you to reach out to a phonics teacher or reading specialist to address it. In the meantime, to find more tips on phonics instruction to help your child learn to read, explore our parent resources at phonics.org.