Teach PhonicsEnhance Reading Skills
There are many methods to teach English and they all have their own advantages and limitations. It is true that a good teacher can make any method work and an insincere teacher can trample on the best of the best methods and crush the enthusiasm of the students. At the beginners level oral work and phonics method have proved to be effective with most teachers and children. Teachers and parents have found that children are able to become better communicators through the oral method and better readers through the phonics method. Children will begin to read faster and develop their language ability faster, if they are taught systematically through the phonics method of teaching. Phonics method along with the oral work based on story books involves the participation of all the students in the learning process. No student is left idle. The teacher acts more often as a facilitator. The students learn from their peers too. Use of First language or mother-tongue is avoided in the class. The oral interaction requires the students to think in English and express their own ideas and opinions. It enables students master efficient communication in English right from the primary stages of the learning process.
Make Your Children Independent Readers
The phonics method of teaching has been proved to be most helpful in developing children’s ability to read books. Teaching languages through the phonics method makes it easier for children to associate sounds with letters, guess the pronunciation of unknown words and develop their vocabulary fast.
In English the 26 letters of the alphabet are associated with 44 sounds. This means that teaching the names of the letters of the alphabet is not going to help the children know which sounds, the letters are associated with. The order of the letters of the alphabet, A to Z, is useful only when we refer to a dictionary or when we need to alphabetically arrange a set of words.
In the phonics method the sound of initial consonants is taught first. Each letter / sound is taught separately and c is taught as k. Vowels are more difficult and are introduced in the context of words, short vowels first in consonant-vowel-consonant words and then progressing in stages to other uses. [The phonics games follow these stages in sets A,B,C,D]
If the children are made to memorize the spellings of words using the names of the letters, they will learn only that one word. The knowledge of that word will not help them read similar sounding words.
Concept and Development of the Games
Greta Jackson, a British expert in the teaching of reading, has created this set of 20 phonics games. The games have been tested with live classes for two years and children who’ve used it have been able to read better compared to other children at their level.
Greta Jackson has been visiting India for two decades working with children and teachers at different parts of India including Gujarat, Hyderabad and Kerala. She has prepared a workbook that goes with the phonics method of teaching and oral work.
Greta Jackson has tried out phonics method of teaching with various groups of children in different parts of India. She has proved that this works even with children who have no exposure to English at home and who are first generation learners.
The phonics games were tried out and edited as per the responses received from teachers and children who played the games.
Having fun with the learning experience is one of the best ways to internalize the concepts, get personally involved in the learning process and retain what is learnt for longer periods. The Phonics games prepared by Greta Jackson give systematic practice following the phonics method. Children enjoy playing the games and learn without stress or fear.
Pedagogic Gradation of the Games
The games are carefully graded to provide systematic practice. Beginning the teaching of phonics with initial consonants such as /b/, /c/. /m/. /n/, /t/ etc. through words that are within the experience level of small children is essential. This principle is kept in mind for the preparation of Series A, which consists of 8 games. Children are not required to know the spelling of the words, nor do they need to read words. Based on the oral work, they are expected to recognize the word associated with the pictures and the sound those words begin with.
The next levels introduce them to CVC words (consonant-vowel-consonant combinations), double vowels and the diagraphs.
Series A - Initial consonants: 8 games Series B - Consonant-vowel-consonant (c-v-c) words: 4 games Series C - Words with double vowels: 4 games Series D - other diagraphs: 4 games
About 40 children will be able to play the A series in groups of 5.
Generally, sets A and B would be appropriate in UKG, and sets C and D would be appropriate for Std. I.
Benefits of the Game Set Resources
With 80 boards and 480 carefully selected pictures, the set is a treasure for innovative teachers who may make use of this resource in many different ways.
At lest 50 different types of guessing games and classroom activities can be carried out with the picture cards.
Children will develop a large volume of vocabulary in the shortest span of time.
The pictures can be used as flashcards and listening, speaking, writing activities can be done around the pictures in the cards. Phonics Games
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