Phonics

Tutor Handout: Teaching Word Recognition

Why Teach Phonics?

Builds Critical Confidence

"It's all about confidence. With Reading-Tutors, the tutor knows the selected books and lessons are appropriate for the reading level of the child. Children are successful readers because they learn reading strategies at the right level. And the Reading-Tutors lessons help extend learning in a fun way!"

Sue Arnold; Program Coordinator; Literacy; OSU Extension; Findlay, Ohio

Phonics instruction teaches children the relationship between sounds and the symbols (letters) that make the sounds. The process is known as decoding. Children lacking the ability to decode words must be taught sound-symbol relationships and practice these relationships until the skill of decoding becomes automatic.

Phonics Packets

Reading-Tutors provides multi-session & single-session lesson packets to teach children who have not yet mastered word-attack skills. Each packet focuses on sound-symbol relationships in a predetermined sequence that allow children to build on previous knowledge. Each packet contains:

  • Lesson Plan/Tutor Tips - Instructions for introducing and teaching sound/symbol relationships
  • Picture cards - Displays for matching and sorting activities
  • Letter cards - Cards designed for word-building, segmenting, and manipulating activities
  • Sound/Letter Mat - Workmats for blending and segmenting activities
  • Practice Sheet - Decodable words, high-frequency words, phrases, and sentences for decoding practice

Teaching Phonics

Systematic and explicit phonics instruction is the most effective approach to teaching sound-symbol relationships, according to key research. Each of the Reading-Tutors packets spells out what should be done in each session. Each packet builds on the previous lesson. The Reading-Tutors exercises develop critical decoding skills through word blending, segmenting, and manipulation.

Assessment

Reading-Tutors phonics assessment includes forms to measure understanding of individual sound-symbol relationships and assess the ability to decode words using a variety of symbols. Decoding assessments are categorized into:

  • Simple sound/symbol relationships
  • Simple consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words
  • Nonsense words with consonants and short vowels
  • Nonsense words with blends
  • Nonsense words with long vowels
  • Nonsense words with consonant digraphs
  • Nonsense words with vowel digraphs and diphthongs
  • Nonsense words with all elements
  • Nonsense words with two syllables