Phonics approach of learning sounds can be helpful and effective if they are taught at a very early age as young as three. This will help students to read and write better is the stand I take. You can ask me how?
Phonics is introduced in the kindergarten and Montessori approach with the books which are available in the market which are just teaching the basic sounds like ‘buh’ ‘kuh’ and so on. Is it all about phonics?
Then what is Phonics all about? Phonics is the letter sound relationship. A child has to undergo this with a proper phonics instruction, which if done by grade three or four he will be able to read independently. If not taught what happens? The child who enters the school with all enthusiasm will soon find themselves struggling to read. Now, as everyone knows English is the basis for learning all the subjects. What is the solution for this? As we all know that Reading is a key to success in school and poor readers fail miserably and this decreases their motivation to read books.
Young learners need to be motivated and empowered with the phonics knowledge which will lead to good wide vocabulary and he is able to read any book at ease. There are lots of research done in this reading aspect and how much a child should have is the question? There are two types of reading silent reading and oral reading. As a silent reader a child of grade 1 should have a speed of 80 wpm and oral reading of 53 words per minute. Then, as educators think how much of effort is required to bring a child to this standard. A child should be motivated to read and understand them and that is how reading and vocabulary goes hand in hand. Then how we should do this is the biggest question?
Then, but how does this phonics work? Phonics vs English whole Language is important aspect where English comprises of 26 letters which are having 44 -45 speech sounds and the 87 phonograms and 70 common spellings which will help them to understand the letter sound clearly and able to read any word at ease. Then, how is this going to help? If he can read better, he will gain interest in reading and this leads to improving his vocabulary and will be able to appreciate reading a variety of books.
Many studies prove that phonemic awareness ie., the ability to identify the individual sounds in words and phonics is letter sound relation are essential for skilled reading especially in the early readers. We can classify readers as early reading, assisted reading, independent reading and fluency reading. Now, to reach the fluency reading, one can understand the child should be able to go through a systematic phonics program which will lead him to a complete package which will give him a path to understand the English whole language approach.
Let us make an early start to teach children as there are two ways to provide systematic instruction ie., phonemic awareness and phonics which helps in decoding words and encoding ie., constructing words. Blending the letters and understanding it as a word and teaching it with sight words age appropriate will make a young learner appreciate and read it easily.
We can now say, phonics is not just helping in reading, but writing and expands your vocabulary for the simple reason is when children go through the concept of understanding a known word with an unknown word he will able to understand the word families and their meanings and apply it in a sentence. This will help him to gain tremendous vocabulary and able to appreciate reading of books.
So, I feel reading must be a joy, and not a pain. Hence, I am of the opinion Phonics must be taught from a very early age and in a very systematic manner which will lead the child a stress free life.
DR VATSALA IYENGER
