reading.htm/20DEC2001

Reading/Hearing

At the same time that the pupil is learning that letters have sounds and shapes, that are written in a particular way, and how to hold a pencil, and that letters sit on lines, he is also going to learn the very valuable skill of hearing sounds in words. This is phonemic awareness. On small Is It cards the size of playing cards (You need bigger Is It cards for class teaching), write a 3‑letter word (with a vowel in the middle) on one side and stick or draw a picture on the other. Show the pupil the word, point to each letter (which he does not yet know) and sound it, and make sure he is LISTENING. It is a good idea to start with letters that can continue, like ffffoooooox, or Ssssaaaammmmm so that you can continue the sounds without a break while you point to the letters. I say, "Can you hear what word I am saying slowly?" For the first two or three, the learner may not grasp what he is supposed to do, and you will have to show him that when you sound out ffffoooox, there is a picture on the reverse of a 'fox'. Then you can introduce words like cat where the c is a sharp sound, and extending it would be artificial like stuttering. This is the training in listening to sounds that helps, not listening to “ environmental sounds" like beans or rice rattling in a tin.

Reading, writing and spelling are all learned at the same time.