Teaching Kids Phonics

Teaching Kids Phonics

For those of you who don’t know, phonics is a method of teaching elementary reading and spelling based on the phonetic interpretation of ordinary spelling. It is considered by some to be a very important part of a child’s literary education as it allows children to make the jump between the written and spoken word. The teaching of phonics/phonetics has been controversial over the years – particularly in the US. However, controversy aside, there are a number of different resources available online to help you with the teaching of phonics to children – a comprehensive list is available on the eLearning Yellow Pages. The important thing right now is to evaluate the child and begin taking steps in the right direction.

Many children do not need an individual formal study in phonics; if parents spend a lot of time speaking very clearly and emphasizing the right sounds children will generally learn on their own. However, certain children have difficulties, particularly if they are around more than one language or thick regional accents. Every child is different, and the most important thing is to evaluate all children as a matter of course. This should obviously be done in a relaxed, fun, game-like fashion – sing the alphabet song and then try and get them to say each letter individually. If there are problems just make a quick mental note of them and try briefly to correct them – if they don’t get it straight away it is best not to push it. Once you are aware of it, it will come with time and there is always support, particularly online.

A good idea is to make flash cards of words the child hears and uses every day, so that they can see visually how the words they say are formed. This can be extended over time by taking the child out and randomly quizzing on spelling – the real key to this problem is continual improvement over time. No child has perfect pronunciation immediately.

Remember to be patient and use all the resources at your disposal. There is a fairly vast collection of information and teaching aids online; a simple google search or a trip to http://www.elearningyellowpages.com/ will turn up a wealth of information.

Good Luck

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