What is Phonics? This week we had a Parents’ Phonics workshop for Grade 1 parents. Mr. Thomas and Ms. Rachel talked with the parents about the importance of phonics and how the students learn to use phonics.
We explained that phonics is a building block of the English language that connects the skills of listening, speaking, reading, writing. We emphasised that phonics is a critical skill that allows students to put sounds together (blending) and take words apart (decoding). This allows students to write any word they hear, and say any word they read.
We showed that the students learn to use phonics by ‘blending’ on their fingers. First, they count the sounds (c – a – t = 3 sounds) then they sound them out on their fingers. Just like adding up on their fingers, this helps students represent the sounds and lessens their cognitive load. This helps them go step by step in hearing a word, splitting it into sounds, then exchanging those sounds into letters.
After talking about teaching phonics, we gave a practical example by giving a demo class to the parents, letting the parents take on the role of their children. The parents were perfect pupils! They played the games cooperatively. They diligently listened to the teacher and enthusiastically chanted the sounds and said the words.
Finally, the parents asked Mr. Thomas and Ms. Rachel some insightful questions about how to review with their children at home. The teachers and parents are confident that, together, they can help the students become formidable fanatics of phonics.
