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 Department
of Language EducationPracticum in Language X425/L525 Dr. Hope Elkins, Ph.D. |
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1. In this module we will learn about: *The difference between phonics and word analysis *How phonics and word analysis fit into the theory of language arts instruction. __________________________________________________________ 2.We will: *Reflect on the needs of our students in terms of phonics and word analysis. *Plan a lesson integrating phonics and/or word analysis. __________________________________________________________ 3.Discussion Topic: Share your point of view about the teaching of phonics and word analysis. Should these be taught in isolation, in combination with other strategies, or integrated in a literature-based curriculum in a whole to part manner? Give reasons for your opinions. __________________________________________________________ 4.Comments: I'm sure we are not strangers to the on-going phonics versus non-phonics debate. Probably most of you have read articles and talked to colleagues about whether or not phonics should be taught in isolation, integrated with real literature, or taught at all. After a number of years observing in Title 1 classrooms, I've come to the conclusion that, like other kinds of instruction, the teaching of phonics should be geared to the individual needs of students. I would certainly agree with Moustafa (BEYOND TRADITIONAL PHONICS (See syllabus for citation) that the most important things we can do to help students learn to read are:
Sometimes, however, students have not had these enriching experiences, and even though the classroom teacher attempts to "fill in the gaps," students need an extra boost with some concentration on phonics and word analysis. Older students and ESL students can also benefit from phonics word analysis, and in fact, most people (young and old) enjoy playing with words. Why not capitalize on our natural curiosity about the English language and create some engaging lessons with phonics and word analysis? And certainly use literature as a gateway to studying letter/sound correspondence and word construction. Using invented spelling and self-editing can also be great ways to build phonics knowledge. One teacher I know uses games very successfully to teach phonics. Her students learn highly consistent phonics generalizations almost without realizing it. As discussed earlier in the course, readers rely on language cueing systems to construct meaning from text. The semantic cueing system refers to meaning within context, the syntactic system refers to the structure and flow of language, and the grapho-phonic system has to do with sound/symbol correspondence. Schematic cues refer to all the experiences we bring to text, and pragmatic cues have to do with purposes for reading and writing. Many students flourish with the language experience approach which focuses on schematic cues as the reader builds on her experiences to think, talk, write, and read. Students can build on pragmatic cues as they read and write for real purposes. It is important for the teacher to carefully observe each student's reading behaviors and know, not only how to build on the cueing systems the student uses effectively, but support her as she learns to effectively integrate all cueing systems. One of the most thorough and understandable discussions of phonics I've found is in "Decoding Development" (Chapter 6, pp.151-181) in HELPING CHILDREN LEARN TO READ (1). The authors, Lyndon Searfoss and John Readence, state that decoding is translating print into meaning. There are two kinds of comprehension: immediate and mediated. Immediate comprehension is automatic with the reader gaining meaning immediately as he reads. Mediated comprehension requires the reader to sometimes shift to individual words in attempting to gain meaning in text. When meaning is lost, students can rely on decoding strategies to mediate their comprehension needs. Fluent readers can easily shift back and forth between immediate and mediated comprehension, but struggling readers and ESL students sometimes need scaffolding to fully comprehend text. Below is a brief discussion of the Searfoss and Readence model for decoding. Within each category you will find strategies that are useful to scaffolding struggling readers and ESL students. Two types of decoding skills are identified: 1) Initial and 2) Permanent. Initial skills are those students (usually children) use as part of beginning reading instruction. I regularly adapt initial decoding instruction with adolescents and have successfully used it with ESL learners. Initial decoding includes using picture clues, function words, prompting, and oral context.
Ideas: Using Pictures Use books with pictures. Older students enjoy good picture books. Many picture books today have adult themes. Wordless picture books are also available.
Ideas: Function Words Function words, (words such as the, was, what, said, are, there, all), also known as glue words or sight words, are high frequency, making up from 50 to 75% of the English language. Knowing function words provides a strong foundation for future reading progress. Function words are best taught as whole words. Searfoss and Readence suggest three guidelines for teaching function words:
I have found that students enjoy learning function words via games. Make word bingo, go fish, memory, or other age-appropriate games. Make function word walls. Put some function words in an envelope, and have students draw out three or four. Have them make sentences using the words. Write them on chart paper for reinforcement. Have students make function word banks and review regularly. Ideas: Prompting Give students reasonable clues to an unknown word or tell them the word. Don't waste valuable time and tire readers by refusing to tell a word. Don't make a habit of telling words, but there are times when its better to tell than prolong the student's agony. Ideas: Oral context Hearing words is a great reinforcer. Modeling can be a tremendous instructional asset. Let students hear you and others read. Read predictable materials aloud. Use shared reading and partner reading. Include reading buddies in your program. Students learn much from one another. Include the struggling reader in literature circles. Make her an active member and welcome her views. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how students will blossom using oral context in an accepting setting.
Traditionally permanent decoding skills instruction begins early and builds through grades one and two, gradually tapering off by the end of grade 4. Older struggling readers and ESL students can, however, benefit from decoding practice. Be sure that work with decoding comes out of reading relevant text. If you see your instruction is primarily isolated decoding skill practice, you should take another look at what is really important in reading and writing. People learn to read and write by reading and writing; not by practicing isolated skills. Print contains language clues, signals, or hints for readers to use as they read. That is why it's important to fully integrate decoding skills into the actual reading of text.
Ideas: Context Clues Using context clues involves the semantic and syntactic cueing systems, both powerful determiners of meaning. Three strategies are mentioned as being helpful to gaining meaning in context. Before reading them, however, it should be mentioned that one easy way to use context is simply to ask the student if the word makes sense in the sentence. Sometimes this is all it takes to focus a student's attention on finding meaning within context. The talk-through method has the teacher presenting new vocabulary in a sentence taken from the story or selection. Through questioning and discussion, the teacher leads the student toward the discovery of the word's meaning. The same method can be used if a difficult word is encountered in text. It is important to work with text that has enough context clues to be useful.
Ideas: Context Strategy Lessons These lessons allow students to first seek direct help from context and then move to other avenues of help. Begin by using context clues of definition. Sometimes the unknown word is strongly implied or defined by the author. The author can also provide a clue for the unknown word by the use of a synonym, i.e., "Alicia was a novice, or a beginner." Comparison and contrast are also sometimes used in text and provide clues to word meaning, i.e. "Bill is such a serious boy, unlike John who has such a sense of joie de vivre." Teach students to be alert for these kinds of clues in text. If there are no context clues of this nature, try using structural analysis. Teach students to break down words into parts. Look at affixes, and root words. Look at the parts of compound words. Finally, teach dictionary skills. Remember, don't teach context strategy lessons outside of text. Develop mini-lessons that can be taught in literature circles or reading groups. Not only are too many isolated skills worksheets boring, but they are meaningless and tend to disconnect the reader from the real purposes for reading. Another good strategy for working with unknown words in context is presenting problem words on the chalkboard and having students copy them and guess what they might mean. They can then quickly guess a synonym or short definition. The teacher then rereads aloud the paragraph containing the word, carefully noting context clues. Finally students are asked to use the new information to revise the original meaning or confirm their guesses. Though looking at context clues is a good way to gain meaning in text, some students have insufficient background to use context clues efficiently. If you know this is the case with your student, begin the reading with some background. You might, for example, have the student read easier material on the topic, you could bring in pictures or artifacts or models, show a brief video, bring in a guest speaker, take a fieldtrip. Talking about difficult words at the beginning of the reading can also help.
Ideas: Phonics and Structural Analysis Searfoss and Readence begin their discussion of phonics and word analysis by clarifying some terms.
Searfoss and Readence suggest that phonics is a support strategy and should not be taught as the sole element of reading instruction. Not all students need the same phonics instruction, and like other kinds of instruction, phonics strategies should be geared to individual needs. Only phonics generalizations with high utility (75-80% or higher) should be taught. Though there is some debate concerning sequence, the authors suggest that instruction, especially when part of basal programs, should begin with letter names; then move from consonant to vowel generalizations. When teaching phonics and word analysis, remember to focus on providing students first with daily reading and writing experiences such as shared reading, repeated reading, practicing songs and chants, and using strategies that focus on reading and writing to communicate and solve relevant problems. Create phonics mini-lessons that are directly connected to reading and writing for real purposes. Since phonics involves sounds as well as symbols, use oral modeling as often as possible. Make phonics and word analysis fun. Create interesting learning stations that have fun puzzles and games. Go for letter sound treasure hunts in books and newspapers. Make a letter train out of shoe boxes. Put a letter or blend on each box, and have students bring objects with the various sounds to place in the appropriate train "cars." Play around with words. Tear compound words apart and allow students to put them together in creative ways. The results can be hysterical and totally absorbing. Make crazy word walls with invented words and their definitions. Illustrate the new words. Have students write fun rhyming poems, songs, and chants. Be creative! Phonics and word analysis do not have to be dull, dead, and boring. They can be the most fascinating part of your curriculum. Click here to get more ideas for phonics and word analysis from a workshop guide written by Anabel Newman and Michael Parer. (2) (1) Searfoss, L. & Readence, J. (1994). HELPING CHILDREN LEARN TO READ. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon. (2) Parer, M. & Newman, A. (1974). LITERACY INSTRUCTOR TRAINING: A HANDBOOK FOR LITERACY INSTRUCTORS. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University School of Education.
Comments: disted@indiana.edu Copyright 2004, The Trustees of Indiana University
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