Phonics is a method to teach how to read and write the English language by developing the learner’s ability to hear, identify and manipulate ‘phonemes’, which are the basic linguistic units that bring about the change in meaning of a word. It enables
readers to decode the written words by sounding them out to blend the spelling patterns. When phonics is taught using a structured approach, which is to start with the easiest sounds and gradually progress to the complex ones, then it becomes the most effective way of teaching young children to read. The children who have a good understanding of phonics will learn the skills they need to tackle new words and can go on to read any kind of text fluently and confidently. Children who have been taught phonics also tend to read more accurately than those taught using other methods. There are various resources available online which you can use to learn to read with phonics. Here’s a list of 5 such resources:
Phonics4free: It is a website which consists of 16 lessons with its developer, Mona McNee, teaching people of any age how to read by simple, intensive, systematic and multi-sensory phonics. With these lessons, everyone including those with dyslexia can learn to read and spell by phonics. The games and worksheets on this site are usually in PDF format, and are downloadable. The learning with phonics videos can also be downloaded directly for local playback. This phonics reading programmeis inspired by Mona’s book, Step By Step, for teaching how to read with phonics. Each video is released with a Creative Commons License that allows phonics4free.org and other interested parties to share and redistribute.
Starfall: Is a website which offers free services to teach children to read with phonics. It follows a systematic phonics approach, along with phonemic awareness practice and is relevant for preschool, kindergarten, first grade, second grade, special education, homeschool and English language development. It has four major sections; ABCs section: teaches letter-sound relationships with the help of a user-friendly interface that explicitly focuses on each letter of the alphabet, Learn to Read: it focuses on teaching the sounds of letters to form words, It’s Fun to Read: teaches reading through interesting concepts of making you read about yourself, art gallery, magic, music, poetry, tongue twisters, riddles, etc., I’m Reading: consists of little reading plays, fiction and non-fiction, comics, folk tales, Greek myths and Chinese fables. Along with these four sections, Starfall also has a variety of other reading resources, including the first grade Common Core Math and Reading and more.
Foniks : It is a phonics course using instant sound, for people who need to learn to read and also helps them to learn to spell and write. Browse over anything to hear it spoken. It is a comprehensive 120-page course which covers all major sounds in the English language with all ability levels from beginner to competent readers. It consists of 10 steps; Steps 1-4 are for beginning readers aged 3+, they teach letters of alphabet and how to spell simple sounds; Steps 5-7 are for intermediate readers aged 6+, who are already familiar with the letters of the alphabet, they teach how to spell clusters of sounds; Steps 8-10 are for learners who are already reading simple texts, they along with the appendix, consolidate the intermediate learner’s reading skills. At the end of each Step, learners should test themselves by reading the worksheets that they have written and looking back briefly to re-read the items on each page.
Reading Bear: Is a free online program to teach beginning readers vocabulary concepts while introducing the main phonetic patterns of written English, using innovative rich media. It makes use of presentations, covering phonics principles and illustrating vocabulary items. A presentation can either be a video or a slideshow and is available in seven different versions, which introduce phonic rules. As sounds are pronounced, the corresponding letters are highlighted. A picture is displayed illustrating the word, showing it in a sentence with the individual sounds highlighted. Presentations give this treatment to around 25 words. They aim at a thorough yet simple introduction to phonics principles, while teaching vocabulary at the same time.
ABC Fast Phonics: Teaches to read with phonics easily yet effectively. It only presents the basics of phonics, including rules for vowels, consonants and also contains practice exercises. It uses cartoons and sounds with audio narration and clickable words to teach phonics. Young children and beginner readers of all ages can navigate the site just by using hand buttons, although teachers and parents can help them learn shortcut menus. it can be used in the classroom, for home schooling, or other educational situations, to help prepare the way for a lifetime of reading.
Try your hands at these resources if you want to learn to read with phonics easily yet effectively. Share with us more such resources and also your experience of using the already mentioned apps. Make your comments in the Comment Box.
