If your child is just beginning their journey of learning how to read, you may be searching for tips and tricks to encourage their learning. Phonics plays a crucial role in your child’s learning and reading development. The good thing about phonics is that your child has tons of opportunities to learn them outside of the classroom. Everywhere you and your child go will grant your little one a great chance to learn about phonics. In this article, we will be covering a few tips and tricks for how to teach phonics at home.
What is Phonics?
Phonics is a method used to teach children how to read and write. This method helps children learn how to identify, use, and hear different sounds that help distinguish the different words in their language. In phonics, your child will learn how different sounds relate to the letters of the alphabet and how these sounds combine to create words with meaning.
As your child learns to relate specific sounds to specific letters, they will develop the ability to sound out words they are reading or spelling. As your child develops a better ability to sound out words they are trying to spell or read, they will also strengthen their ability to read and write!
Why is Phonics so Important?
When attempting to teach your child to read words, there is no better method than phonics. The research will back that statement up, too. Developmental scientists have found time and time again that phonics is the most effective approach one can use when teaching their child how to read.
What about phonics makes them so effective in teaching your child to read? Phonics help your child relate sounds to the letters of the alphabet, helping your child decipher the complicated code involved in speaking, reading, and writing your language.
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Tips to Teach Phonics at Home
Teach Yourself First!
You might be thinking, “Why would I ever have to teach myself phonics? I already know how to read and write!” The truth is, the more you know about phonics, the more effective you will be at teaching your little one about them!
Read about phonics, watch videos about phonics, or talk to other people about phonics. Whatever method you can get your hands on to learn more about phonics will help you become a more effective teacher for your child.
Start with the Easy Stuff
Research suggests that the most effective form of phonics for teaching your child to read and write is through systematic phonics. These findings mean that you would start your child’s journey to learning about phonics with the simplest methods first and eventually work your way up to harder and harder methods as your child’s skills progress.
Make it a Game
We all have better learning experiences when we are having fun. If you set a negative vibe when teaching your child about phonics, there is no way they will be open to learning. Making the learning process fun and enjoyable for your child will be highly beneficial to encourage them to learn. One of the most effective ways to make learning fun is to turn it into a game. There are many different ways you can do this. A few great ideas for learning phonics in a more fun way include:
What starts with “A”?
Take your child for a walk around their neighborhood, asking them to point out everything they see that begins with an ‘A’ sound. You can continue this game all the way down the alphabet, allowing your child the opportunity to explore each different letter and sound fully while in the familiarity of their own home and neighborhood.
What ends in “-at”?
Take your child on a journey around the house and neighborhood. On this walk, ask your child to find objects that end with the same sounds. For instance, you can ask your child to find objects that end with the sound “-at.” . On their walk, your child can point out objects like a cat or hat.
Magnetic Letters
Gather some magnetic letters for your child. As they group the letters, ask them to sound out the words they are creating.
Card Games
There are tons of phonics card games you can create or purchase at the store that make learning phonics fun! If you want to make some at home, you can simply draw the letters in bold lettering on a piece of paper and have your little one color and decorate the letter to make it more enjoyable to learn with. Your child can practice sounding out the letters as they decorate them.
Keep it Short and Sweet
Children aren’t known for having the longest attention spans. They are curious creatures who want to explore their world right now. Keeping the time you spend teaching your child about phonics will ensure that they can concentrate through the lesson.
Read, Read, Read
One of the best ways for teaching your child phonics is to read to them over and over again. If your child has a favorite book, reading and re-reading it will prove to be even more valuable to them than reading a new book every time. As your child remembers the story, they will learn about the sounds of the letters placed throughout the book.
Work to Boost Your Child’s Comprehension
Placing a meaning behind different words, letters, and sounds will help your child remember their phonics more effectively than if there is no meaning. Pointing to objects throughout your day and sounding them out for your little one or trying out some of the games mentioned above will be a great way to boost your child’s comprehension of phonics.
Conclusion
Phonics has been proven time and time again to be extremely effective in teaching your child to read and write. Every moment of the day is an excellent opportunity for your child to learn more about phonics. You would probably have a better idea on how to teach phonics at home. Get creative and have fun with your child as they develop more advanced reading and writing skills right before your eyes!