Ants, apples and the ABCs: The use of commercial phonics programmes in prior-to-school children's services

Commercial phonics programmes (e.g. Jolly Phonics and Letterland) are becoming widely used in the early years of school. These programmes claim to use a systematic explicit approach, considered as the preferred method of phonics instruction for teaching alphabetic code-breaking skills in Australia and the UK in the first years of school (Department of Education, Science and Training, 2005; Rose, 2006). However, little is known about the extent to which they are being used in prior-to-school settings, and the reasons behind decisions to use them. This study surveyed 283 early childhood staff in Sydney, Australia and found that commercial phonics programmes were being used in 36% of the early childhood settings surveyed. Staff with early childhood univer- sity qualifications and staff working in not-for-profit service types were less likely to use a commercial phonics programme than staff without university qualifications and staff working in for-profit services. Staff with less than 10 years’ experience were also more likely to use a commercial phonics programme. The rationale behind decisions deter- mining whether or not staff used the programmes ranged from pragmatic reasons, such as parent pressure or higher management decisions, to pedagogical reasons, such as teacher beliefs about how children learn to read and write. The practices staff engage in to teach phonics are explored.

Pre-packaging preschool literacy: What drives early childhood teachers to use commercially produced phonics programs in prior to school settings

Language-rich environments are key to overall quality in early childhood settings, including frequent child–staff interactions around picture books and dramatic play. In a language-rich environment, explicit teaching of literacy concepts, such as phonics, is embedded in authentic and meaningful situations where alphabet letters and sounds are taught in a context meaningful to the child. Recent research, however, suggests that the use of commercial pre-packaged phonics programs (such as Letterland and Jolly Phonics) is widespread in prior to school settings in Sydney, Australia. Little is known about why early childhood teachers choose to use such programs with children aged five and under. In the present study, thematic analysis of data from interviews with five early childhood teachers using commercial phonics programs found that their reasons were pragmatic rather than pedagogical. Motivations included the idea that the programs reduced their workload, provided tangible evidence to parents of their child’s ‘school readiness’, and served as a marketing tool to attract parents. Further analysis found that the teachers were unable to articulate what phonics and phonological awareness are and how they are learnt in early childhood.

Feeling the pressure: Early childhood educators’ reported views about learning and teaching phonics in Australian prior-to-school settings

Early childhood educators’ beliefs about literacy teaching can impact on the types of phonics experiences educators provide for children in prior-to-school settings. The Australian Early Years Learning Framework supports a play-based, intentional approach to teaching phonics, however little is known about what Australian early childhood educators believe is important in teaching phonics in the prior-to-school years. Using a qualitative content analysis, this research study investigates 115 early childhood educators’ views about how phonics should be taught and the use of commercially produced phonics programs (e.g. Jolly Phonics and Letterland) in prior-to-school settings. This study further investigates educators’ perceived pressures to include structured phonics lessons, as a way of addressing parental notions of ‘school readiness’. The results of this study indicate conflicting views were held about how phonics should be taught. Some educators also experienced external pressures to engage in literacy practices that may be in opposition with their own beliefs about how literacy is learnt. This study provides insights into the pedagogical practices early childhood educators believe are appropriate when teaching phonics. The educational implications are discussed.

Implicit and explicit functions in the acquisition of a phonics rule in the word recognition of learning disabled and non learning disabled students /

One group of 12 non learning disabled students and two groups of 12 learning disabled students between the ges of 10 and 12 were measured on implicit and explicit knowledge cquisition. Students in each group implicitly cquired knowledge bout I of 2 vocabulary rules. The vocabulary rules governed the pronunciation of 2 types of pseudowords. After completing the implicit acquisition phase, all groups were administered a test of implicit knowledge. The non learning disabled group and I learning disabled group were then asked to verbalize the knowledge acquired during the initial phase. This was a test of explicit knowledge. All 3 groups were then given a postlest of implicit knowledge. This tcst was a measure of the effectiveness of the employment of the verbalization technique. Results indicate that implicit knowledge capabilities for both the learning disabled and non learning disabled groups were intact. However. there were significant differences between groups on explicit knowledge capabilities. This led to the conclusion that implicit functions show little individual differences, and that explicit functions are affected by ability difference. Furthermore, the employment of the verbalization technique significantly increased POStlest scores for learning disabled students. This suggested that the use of metacognitive techniques was a beneficial learning tool for learning disabled students.

Beginning to read : the new phonics in context : a precis of the classic text.

Trata de conciliar el debate que ha dividido durante décadas a los teóricos sobre el 'correcto' modo de ayudar a los niños a aprender a leer, y pone de manifiesto que los educadores no deben verse atrapados en el dilema de fonética versus lectura con significado. Se propone un tratamiento integral, incluida la fonética, de los conocimientos y los procesos involucrados en el desarrollo de la habilidad para la lectura.

Word matters : teaching phonics and spelling in the reading-writing classroom.

Presenta un sistemático programa para ayudar a los niños en el aprendizaje de las letras, los sonidos y las palabras, y para ello establece las bases teóricas y prácticas necesarias en tres contextos: el estudio planificado de los elementos de letras y palabras; la escritura, para que los niños sepan usar las relaciones fonema-grafema, y desarrollen la ortografía, y por último, la lectura, incluida la enseñanza de cómo resolver palabras con el uso de la fonética.

Rat-a-tat-tat : phonics workbook : reception.

Para ofrecer una progresiva enseñanza de la fonética, basándose en los libros de imágenes utilizados en la serie de Canal Cuatro. En la página izquierda se presenta una parte de un libro de imágenes que aparecen en la serie de televisión, para que el profesor, en la página de la derecha, proponga ejercicios de fonética según el texto, avanzando en dificultad a través de los tres años de la etapa para cinco a siete años. La enseñanza fónica coincide exactamente con la secuencia de la Estrategia Nacional de Lectura. También puede utilizarse de forma independiente. Para reconocer las consonantes iniciales, S, L, T, J, B, M, E, Z, H, P. Reconocer digrafías iniciales, SH, CH, TH. Tener en cuenta el orden alfabético de:los nombres, los animales. Discriminar los sonidos finales, -AI, -IG, -UG, -AM, -IM, -AT, -ESS.

Rat-a-tat-tat : phonics workbook : year 2.

Para ofrecer una progresiva enseñanza de la fonética, basándose en los libros de imágenes utilizados en la serie de Canal Cuatro. En la página izquierda se presenta una parte de un libro de imágenes que aparecen en la serie de televisión, para que el profesor, en la página de la derecha, proponga ejercicios de fonética, según el texto, avanzando en dificultad a través de los tres años de la etapa para cinco a siete años. La enseñanza fónica coincide exactamente con la secuencia de la Estrategia Nacional de Lectura. También puede utilizarse de forma independiente. Para discriminar, escribir y leer la ortografía común de los patrones de fonemas OO, AR, OY, OW, AIR, OR, ER, EAR, EA.

The National Literacy Strategy. Phonics : progression in phonics : materials for whole-class teaching.

Es un hecho ampliamente aceptado que el éxito de la lectura depende de aprender a utilizar una serie de estrategias, y el Programa Nacional de Estudios (National Currículo) ya las establece. La mayoría de maestros de primaria conocen la importancia de enseñar a los niños a predecir y controlar la lectura, en relación con el contexto, así como,la gramática del texto.Tienen que comprobar si ésta tiene sentido y, si no es así, volver a comprobarlo, identificar los errores y tratar de corregirlos. Estas estrategias son esenciales para la comprensión,al igual que también lo es aprender a decodificar palabras.

Funny phonics and silly spelling : key stage 1 : age 5-6.

Un mago y sus amigos ayudan a los niños a aprender y practicar los conocimientos básicos de inglés, requeridos en la etapa clave uno (Key Stage 1). Diseñadas para captar la imaginación del estudiante, las actividades están divididas en secciones, cada una centrada en una competencia básica de fonética y ortografía:alfabeto; las letras iniciales; las letras finales; las vocales; la formación de la palabra; recitando versos; ortografía ck, terminación ng; los finales de palabra; sonido ch y sh. En la última página incluye un Certificado de Excelencia donde cada niño puede pegar una estrella dorada como recompensa por los logros alcanzados en cada actividad.

Funny phonics and silly spelling : key stage 1 : age 6-7.

Un mago y sus amigos ayudan a los niños a aprender y practicar los conocimientos básicos de inglés, requeridos en la etapa clave uno (Key Stage 1). Diseñadas para captar la imaginación del estudiante, las actividades están divididas en secciones, cada una centrada en una competencia básica de fonética y ortografía. En la última página incluye un Certificado de Excelencia donde cada niño puede pegar una estrella dorada como recompensa por los logros alcanzados en cada actividad.

Nelson Phonics spelling and handwriting teacher's book.

Manual del profesor que proporciona una guía completa para la enseñanza de la escritura junto con un curso completo de fonética de la etapa clave 1 (Key Stage 1). Incluye una visión general sobre la mejor forma de vincular la escritura y el deletreo con la fonética. Proporciona orientación, lecciones y actividades para las competencias clave de la escritura y la ortografía con la secuencia fonética pasando de sonidos sencillos a sonidos más complejos a un ritmo y secuencia recomendada con las fichas elaboradas por el Department for Education and Skills (DfES).

Enjoying synthetic phonics, enjoying English

Se describe una experiencia llevada a cabo con alumnos de educaci??n infantil del CEIP Maestro Don Camilo Hern??ndez (Coria, C??ceres) que est??n aprendiendo ingl??s, basada en reconocer los sonidos y asociarlos con letras y palabras, de manera que aprendan de forma r??pida y entretenida a descodificar el lenguaje y a pronunciar las palabras y sonidos del idioma

The effectiveness of phonics instruction for children with hearing impairments

This study reports the findings of a reading instruction survey of forty-five schools for the deaf across the United States.