Phonics Instruction

Response to the National Reading Panel’s Report on Phonics Instruction

Heather Porto & Aranita Davis

What is Phonics?

Phonics is the method of instruction that teaches the systematic relationship between letters and combinations of letters in written

language as well as how to use this understanding to read and write words (Honig, Diamond, & Gulohn, 2008).

The research used in the NRP’s report overwhelmingly states

the importance of using systematic phonics instruction in order to gain the alphabetic principle to decode new words

efficiently and accurately (NICHD, 2000).

Whether phonics instruction is taught through whole language

or more explicit phonics, the important factor to remember is

that good reading instruction includes some form of decoding

practice (Stahl et al., 1998).

What is Good Phonics Instruction?

According to research done by Steven Stahl et al. (1998), good phonics instruction must include the following:

1.   Good phonics instruction develops understanding of the alphabetic principle.

2.   Good phonics instruction develops phonological awareness.

3.   Good phonics instruction provides a thorough grounding in letters.

4. Good phonics instruction leads to automatic word recognition.

5. Good phonics instruction is part of a well-balanced reading program.

Approaches to Phonics Instruction

There is more than one approach to teaching phonics. The most common are described below (Honig, Diamond, & Gulohn, 2008).

Synthetic Phonics According to Honig, Diamond, & Gulohn (2008), “In this systematic and explicit approach, students learn how to transform letters and letter combinations into sounds and then blend (synthesize) the sounds together to form recognizable words.”

Analogy Phonics The focus on the analogy approach to phonics is on the familiar rimes seen in words as well as how to identify unfamiliar words using the same rime. They decode the unfamiliar word by identifying the familiar rime then blending with the onset (Honig, Diamond, & Gulohn, 2008).

Analytic Phonics According to Honig, Diamond, & Gulohn (2008), “In this approach, instruction begins with the identification of a familiar word. The teacher then introduces a particular sound/spelling relationship within that familiar word.” EX: mat, fat, bag [same vowel sound]

Embedded Phonics This approach is similar to the whole language approach in which instruction is embedded in the authentic reading and writing the children are participating in. Phonics instruction is very informal.

Synthetic phonics

Below is an example of a synthetic phonics lesson (9:09) focused on explicitly teaching the identification of letters and letter combinations as sounds, and the process of

blending those sounds into words.

http://www.wiki-teacher.com/resourceView.php?id=5306

*Important Note: Free account might be necessary to view this video.

Synthetic Programs:

Emphasizes teaching student to convert letters into sounds, and then blend the sounds to form

recognizable words

Sounds are pronounced by each letter:

Example: /c/a//t/

Teaching long vowels (oi, ea, ou)

Teaching blends (ch, sh, th)

The problem using synthetic programs:

Learning vowels and diagraphs are harder for children.

Children need practice to apply the knowledge of reading and writing activities.

Programs should provide a variety of ways to practice phonics application.

National Reading Panel Questions

1. Does teaching phonics systematically help children read effectively?

2. Which phonics instructions are better to use – systematically or no phonics?

3. Should the phonics be taught in small group or individually?

4. When should phonics be introduced?

5. How does phonics instruction help struggling readers?

6. Is phonics instruction beneficial for children who have difficulty reading?

National Reading Panel Questions

7. Does phonics instruction improve children’s reading comprehension and word reading skills?

8. Does phonics instruction have an impact on children’s growth?

9. Is it effective with student’s from different SES levels?

10. Were the studies that took place in larger areas contain a well designed phonics program?

How Were the Results Determined?

By the end of the year after using the phonics program the effects of outcomes were measured on six

types:

1.  Decoding regularly spelled real words

2.  Reading novel words in the form of psueudowords

3.  Regularly miscellaneous words some of which were irregular words

4.  Spelling Words

5.  Comprehending text read silently or orally

6.  Reading text accurately aloud

Findings of the National Reading

Panel: Systematic and Explicit Phonics Instruction:

Significantly improves students reading in Kindergarten and First Grade

Significantly improves the students ability to understand [comprehend] what they are reading

Benefits all students

Can assist in preventing reading difficulties

Benefits those students who struggle learning to read

(Honig, Diamond, & Gulohn, 2008)

Continued Findings of the National Reading

Panel: All phonics should be taught systematically!

Students can be taught phonics using whole class approach, small groups, or individually as long as students used were taught using a systematic approach.

Phonics instruction should begin in kindergarten, rather than waiting until first grade.

Phonics instruction helps students who are at risk of having reading problems.

Continued Findings of the National Reading

Panel: Systematic phonics improved students Spelling ability

by 67%.

Systematic phonics found to help first grade students but had shown very little difference amongst older students.

Systematic phonics help make growth in students from all SES backgrounds.

The control group included all types of phonics programs: basal approaches, regular curriculum, whole word programs, and miscellaneous programs.

Past Research Research Study on

Phonics Instruction

Researched Study: According to a study completed and analyzed by Blachman et al. (1999), a group of inner-city, low-income children in K-1 took place in a research study for two years.

Process: The students began this program in kindergarten using a phonemic awareness program. They transitioned into first grade in which they experienced a more explicit, systematic phonics instruction.

Findings: Based upon their findings, these students greatly benefited from more explicit, systematic phonics instruction. At the end of the study, the students who participated in the phonemic awareness and explicit, systematic phonics instruction outperformed those who did not participate in these programs focused on spelling, letter name, letter sound knowledge, and word recognition (Blachman et al., 1999).

Past Research Research Study on

Phonics Instruction

Researched Study: According to a study by Bond, Ross, Smith, & Nunnery (1995), the sing, spell, read and write program was analyzed to determine the effects on reading achievement of beginning readers.

Process: The “Sing, Spell, Read and Write” program was designed for teaching reading for grades K through 3rd. The study analyzed the effects of the program in a large school district. These schools were also divided by the socioeconomic status, and were compared to other schools on the basis of socioeconomic status, race, and testing scores (Bond, Ross, Smith, & Nunnery, 1995).

Findings: Based upon their findings, the study found that those students who participated in the SSRW showed some growth over the basal approach for teaching phonics. Once the language became more complex; however, SSRW was not as effective.

Past Research Whole Language

Approach vs. Direct Instruction of Phonics

Whole Language Approach

According to Dahl et al. (1999), “…the whole language advocates view phonics

as one of the cueing systems that children use, along with the syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic information,

during reading and writing.” The Whole Language Approach emphasizes the application strategy in reading and

writing (Dahl et al., 1999). This approach is similar, if not identical, to

the embedded phonics approach.

Explicit, Systematic Phonics Approach

A systematic, explicit phonics instruction focuses on the individual sounds in words as well as blending

those sounds into word pronunciations. This approach is very different than whole language as whole language

often approaches phonics instruction informally, or as it arises. Explicit

phonics instruction has a clear goal and purpose in mind for the learning

objectives.

current Research

Phonics Generalizations

Johnston 2001, develops a systematic organized report on five generalizations using basic cells, phonograms, and unit cells:

1.   Vowels that usually have the short sound

2.   Final –e patterns usually have a long vowel followed by the –e

3.   Vowel diagrams that have one or two sounds

4.   Single consonants that usually have one or one of two sounds

5.   Consonant di/tri-graphs that have one or two sounds

Johnston's Generalizations Table

Johnston's Generalizations Table

Johnston's Generalizations Table

Johnston and Watson 2004

Compared 10 year old boys and girls who were taught synthetic phonics vs. analytical phonics

Results:

Boys who had synthetic instruction were better at word reading and reading comprehension than the girls.

The boys and girls that had analytical phonics performed about the same in word reading; however, girls excelled in spelling and

reading comprehension.

Comaskey, Savage, & Abrami (2009)

Studied 53 Kindergarten Classes

Measurement of Given Study:

1.  Letter Sounds 2.  Word Range Achievement Test 3.  Experimental Task (phoneme segmentation)

**The results that synthetic phonics improved students performance in the areas of: vocabulary, non sense words, and articulation.

**Analytical phonics instruction improved shared rimes

For Future Growth in Phonics-

Determine what parts of the systematic program is essential.

Using the phonics to that will motivate the students to learn, instead of giving meaningless worksheets.

Decodable text help students establish the relationships taught during phonics.