“Phonics instruction serves one purpose - to help readers figure out as quickly as possible the pronunciation of unknown words.”
A solid foundation in phonics will set children up for success in all areas of their education and will help them to easily decode unfamiliar words.
Phonics is the relationship between spoken sounds in a language and the letters or combination of letters that represents them.
Your child’s school likely teaches phonics systematically and sequentially. How can you help support their instruction at home?
1. Letter of the Week:
If your child does not yet know all of his/her letter names/sounds, there are tons of fun ways to focus on each letter which might include songs, crafts, letter tubs, sorts, and more!
2. Sorts:
Quick and easy and helps children distinguish the difference between sounds: short vs long vowel, digraphs, all short vowels, etc.
3. Magnetic Letters:
Building words with magnetic words encourages exploration and manipulation of words. You can use on your fridge or buy a small cookie sheet at the dollar store to make this activity portable.
Daily phonics practice is a game-changer along with 20 minutes of reading for pleasure!
Resources at The Whole Mama:
Our goal this year at The Whole Mama is to help 100 mamas start homeschooling in 2024!
Will you join our movement of mamas ready to make powerful and positive changes for their children?