How to Teach Phonics | Page 2

are uppermost.
While greater prominence is given to the thot phase in reading, the technical drill and
active effort in mastering the mechanical phase is of equal importance as necessary
preparation for good reading.

FIRST YEAR
1. Ear Training:
From the first day a definite place on the program should be given to phonics. This period,
at first very short, will gradually increase to ten, fifteen or twenty minutes.
To enable pupils to recognize words when separated into their elementary sounds,
exercises in "listening and doing," will constitute the first step in phonics teaching.
Words are sounded slowly and distinctly by the teacher and pronounced or acted out by
the pupils.
ACTION GAME
(First Day.)
c-l-a-p s-w-ee-p f-l-y b-ow d-u-s-t r-u-n j-u-m-p s-i-t s-l-ee-p p-u-sh d-r-i-nk w-a-k-e
m-a-r-ch s-t-a-n-d s-t-r-e-t-ch
If at first children are not able to distinguish the words when separated thus; s-t-a-n-d,

d-r-i-n-k, blend the sound less slowly thus: st-and, dr-ink, gradually increasing the
difficulty to st-an-d, d-r-ink, and finally to the complete analysis.
These ear training exercises should continue until a "phonetic sense" is established. Not
all children can readily blend sounds and "hear the word." Patient drill for weeks, even
months, may be necessary before a sense of phonetic values is attained. Haphazard and
spasmodic work is fatal to progress; but a few minutes of brisk, lively drill, given
regularly each day will accomplish wonders.
The exercises should be varied from day to day to insure active interest and effort.
Second Day:
Touch your n-o-se; your ch-ee-k; your ch-i-n; l-i-p-s; k-n-ee; f-oo-t; b-oo-k; p-e-n-c-i-l;
d-e-s-k; sh-o-e; d-r-e-ss, etc.
Third Day:
Place a number of toys in a basket. Pupils find as the teacher sounds the name of each,
saying: "Find the t-o-p"; "the s-p-oo-l;" "the d-o-ll"; "the h-o-r-n"; etc.
Fourth Day:
Sound the names of pupils in class; or names of animals; colors, fruits, places, etc.
Fifth Day:
R-u-n to m-e. C-l-a-p your h-a-n-d-s. W-a-v-e the f-l-a-g. Cl-o-se the d-oo-r. F-o-l-d your
a-r-m-s. B-r-i-n-g m-e a r-e-d b-a-ll. B-ou-n-ce the b-a-ll. Th-r-ow the b-a-ll to Fr-e-d.
R-i-n-g the b-e-ll. H-o-p to m-e. S-i-t in m-y ch-air. R-u-n to the ch-ar-t. S-i-n-g a s-o-n-g.
B-r-i-n-g me the p-oin-t-er. B-o-w to m-e. F-l-y a k-i-t-e. S-w-ee-p the fl-oo-r. R-o-c-k
the b-a-b-y. W-a-sh your f-a-ce. D-u-s-t the ch-air-s. Sh-a-k-e the r-u-g. F-ee-d the
h-e-n-s. C-a-ll the ch-i-ck-s. M-i-l-k the c-ow. Ch-o-p w-oo-d. R-ow a b-oa-t. B-l-ow the
h-o-r-n.
The pupil should now begin sounding words for himself, at first, if need be, repeating the
sounds after the teacher, then being encouraged to attempt them alone. He will soon be
able to "spell by sound" names of common objects in the room, as well as easy and
familiar words dictated by the teacher.

II. Teach the Single Consonant Sounds.
b, d, f, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, r, s (as in see), v, w, g (hard), c (hard), and qu as in queer.
Teach but one sound for each letter at first. Nothing need be said at this time about the
fact that some letters have more than one sound. When words like "city" or "gem" occur
simply explain that sometimes "c" or "g" has this sound, (giving the soft sound), but

continue in the phonic drill to teach the sounds that will be needed first--those most often
met in the early reading. The sounds of initial s and y are taught first, rather than final y
and s; q is taught with the u--qu (as in quiet, queer, quick) not q alone.
The sounds must be given distinctly and correctly by the teacher, and she should insist on
perfect responses. Good reading is impossible without clear and distinct articulation.
1. Analyze Known Words in Teaching the Consonant Sounds.
For the first lesson teach perhaps two consonant sounds. Suppose the words "ball" and
"red" are chosen to be analyzed as words familiar to the class. (Selected from the reading
lessons as the ones best known and most easily remembered.)
Write "b all" on the board, and pointing to the separated parts, sound slowly several times.
Pupils repeat. Teacher say, "Show the letter that says 'b.' The part that says 'all.' Write "b"
under "ball" thus:
b all b
Pupil sound "b" several times, as it is written elsewhere on the black board.
Proceed with "red" in the same way. Keep these two forms,
b all r ed b r
before the class, asking frequently for the sounds until thoroly fixed in mind.
For the second lesson, review "b" and "r" and teach one or two new consonants. It is
better to have short and frequent lessons at first, than to present too many sounds at once,
resulting in confusion.
Suppose "c" is to be taught next and the type word chosen is "cup." It is not necessary