kitchen table math, the sequel: The Phonics Page

Thursday, January 17, 2008

The Phonics Page

here

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the link!

Everyone here seems to have a good grasp of the basics of phonics and direct instruction, but from years of developing my own lessons and reading Geraldine E. Rodgers' "The History of Beginning Reading," I have learned a few things that are not common knowledge. I highly recommend Rodgers' book, you can get an e-copy for $8.95. All 1200 pages are worthwhile. Really!

Also, another phonics supporter and teacher, Don Potter (www.donpotter.net), convinced me of the importance of the MWIA as a test to determine who has been harmed by sight words and could benefit from phonics instruction. The MWIA and some other diagnostic tests are available here: http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/readinggradeleve.html Don's You Tube movie about the MWIA is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrmI318GVCI

My sight word page is especially important to anyone who knows anyone who is being taught more than a handful of sight words in school (that's about 99% of the public schools and 20% of the private schools): http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/sightwords.html It really is possible to teach without teaching sight words. I've done it, the results are very good!

My History of Reading Instruction includes a period of history that is almost unknown--a period of whole word teaching from 1826 - 1876. I found out about this from reading Rodgers' book and have verified her claims at the Library of Congress, through Google Books, and through my own collection of 1800's spellers and readers. http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Phonics/historyofreading.html

My dyslexia page talks about the syllabic nature of sound and Webster's Speller, which combines phonics and spelling and teaches based on syllables: http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/dyslexia.html

My list of good books to use includes links to Webster's Speller and Pollard's books. Pollard's books are very fun, they use songs and great pictures. They also advocate blackboard work. I use a whiteboard as a slate with my daughter, I've found having her watch me write letters on the board holds her interest better and helps reinforce left to right sounding out of words. It's much better than working from a book. It's better to do less and do it right than to run through a bunch of words on a page and have them not be totally focused. http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/phonicsandspelli.html

And, of course, the reading and spelling lessons. The spelling lessons should teach you all you need to know to teach anyone to read. http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Spelling/spellinglessonsl.html

Enjoy!