Understanding how to teach reading effectively in the first year of school is crucial for educators. This narrative, based on insights from experienced educators Di and Phil, explores the multi-faceted approach needed to develop young readers' skills comprehensively.
Balancing Phonemic Awareness and Comprehension
In many schools, there is an overemphasis on phonemic awareness and phonics, leaving little time for reading practice and comprehension strategies. However, comprehension and vocabulary teaching are essential and should be allotted substantial time. Di emphasizes that comprehension skills begin early, even before children can fully decode words. For instance, a child in New York inferred it was summer in a story by noticing the sandals in the illustrations, showcasing the importance of teaching children to use visual cues to enhance comprehension.
Explicit Teaching and Feedback
Teachers must provide explicit feedback to students about their reading strategies. When a child infers information from illustrations, teachers should acknowledge and praise this, as it reinforces good reading habits. Similarly, teachers should also commend students for using letter-sound relationships to decode words, ensuring they understand the importance of various reading strategies.
Word Solving Strategies Beyond Phonics
While phonics is crucial, it is not the only strategy for decoding words. Teachers should introduce children to other methods, such as recognizing rime patterns. For example, teaching the word "lay" by comparing it to the familiar word "day" can help students decode new words through analogy. Additionally, using context clues to determine the meaning of homographs like "wave" (as in a sea wave or a hand wave) helps students understand words in different contexts.
Building a Well-Rounded Reader
A well-rounded reader uses multiple strategies to decode and comprehend text. For instance, understanding syntax helps determine the pronunciation of words like "read" (present tense) versus "read" (past tense). Encouraging students to self-correct and monitor their reading by asking if the word looks right, sounds right, and makes sense within the sentence fosters independent reading skills.
The Importance of Contextual Reading
Teaching children to use context and illustrations to aid their reading is essential. While decoding words using phonics is valuable, predicting word meanings and pronunciations using context enhances overall comprehension. This approach ensures students are not just mechanically reading but are actively engaging with the text.
Phonological and Phonemic Awareness
Phonological awareness involves recognising and manipulating sounds in language, while phonemic awareness focuses on the ability to hear and manipulate individual sounds (phonemes) in words. Blending sounds to form words and segmenting sounds to spell words are critical skills. For example, blending the sounds /s/ /a/ /t/ to read "sat" or segmenting the word "cat" into /c/ /a/ /t/ for spelling helps children understand the sound structure of words.
Using Rhymes and Songs
Rhyming words and songs are effective tools for developing phonological awareness. Nursery rhymes, poems, and songs with rhyming words introduce children to the concept of sounds in a fun and engaging way. Teachers can ask students to listen for rhyming words in familiar songs and poems, enhancing their ability to recognize sound patterns.
The Role of Onset and Rime
Onset and rime work involves dividing words into their initial consonant sound (onset) and the following vowel and consonant sounds (rime). Teaching this helps children understand word patterns and predict how new words are pronounced and spelled. For instance, knowing the rime "-at" helps students read words like "cat," "bat," and "pat."
Comprehensive Reading Instruction
Effective reading instruction combines phonics with other strategies, ensuring students are not only decoding words but also understanding and engaging with the text. This comprehensive approach leads to better long-term reading outcomes than focusing solely on phonics.
Professional Development and Resources
Teachers need ongoing professional development to stay updated on best practices in reading instruction. Resources like the Literacy Teaching Toolkit provide valuable information on phonological and phonemic awareness, blending, and segmenting sounds, ensuring teachers have the tools they need to teach reading effectively.
The Importance of Comprehension in Reading
Reading goes beyond merely pronouncing words; it's about comprehension. When children understand the context and meaning of words, reading becomes enjoyable and meaningful. Teachers should focus on helping students comprehend what they read, making the process more engaging and beneficial.
Learning Letter Names: A Crucial Step
At the start of the foundation year, it's vital for children to know the names of letters. Assessments can identify which letters students are unfamiliar with, allowing teachers to target their instruction. Knowing letter names is essential because it serves as a reference point for spelling and other phonics activities.
Engaging Parents in Early Education
Involving parents in their child's early education can make a significant difference. Informing parents about the importance of knowing letter names and providing them with enjoyable learning methods can prepare children before they start school. This proactive approach helps children begin school with a strong foundation.
Beyond Letter Names: Phonological Awareness and Phonics
Once children know most letter names, teachers can progress to phonological awareness tasks. These tasks are crucial for developing reading skills, but if a child can already read, they should focus on reading comprehension and expanding their vocabulary. Differentiated instruction ensures that each child gets the support they need.
Small Group Instruction for Effective Learning
Teaching in smaller groups allows for more focused and engaging instruction. It's essential to ensure that each child is actively participating and benefiting from the lessons. Smaller groups can be particularly effective for phonemic awareness and phonics work.
The Journey of Language Learning
As children grow, they encounter more complex aspects of language, such as prefixes and suffixes. Teachers should introduce these concepts gradually, ensuring that students understand how they affect word meaning and pronunciation.
Conclusion: The Multifaceted Nature of Reading
Reading is a complex process that requires multiple strategies. By teaching children to use phonics, context, illustrations, syntax, and rhyming patterns, educators can help them become proficient, confident readers. The goal is to develop well-rounded readers who can decode and comprehend text, fostering a lifelong love for reading.
In summary, teachers should ensure a balanced approach to reading instruction, incorporating phonics, comprehension strategies, contextual reading, and phonological awareness activities. This comprehensive method prepares children for successful reading experiences and helps them navigate the rich, multifaceted world of language.
ACCESS THE PART 3 PODCAST HERE