Phonics: stop guessing, start reading

You may have seen this: while reading a picture book with your child, you notice they skip a word, mumble something, say an incorrect word, or they label a picture instead. Some old-fashioned reading “strategies” have encouraged this kind of compensation strategy - like guessing a word based on a picture - instead of an effective, phonics-based reading program.

A structured approach to teaching phonics plays an important role in helping children become proficient readers.

Phonics is the method of teaching individuals to read by associating sounds (phonemes) with written symbols (graphemes). This includes decoding written words by breaking them down into sounds, and being able to blend sounds together to read fluently. This is fundamental to the development of strong reading skills.

Why does it matter?

Building a Strong Foundation:

Phonics is the cornerstone of reading. It lays the foundation for understanding how letters and sounds work together. Children need to acquire skills for decoding unfamiliar words. One of the issues with balanced literacy programs is that they don't prioritize phonics instruction. This can leave students ill-equipped to decode words accurately.

Improved Reading Comprehension:

When individuals grasp relationships between sounds and letters, reading comprehension often improves. They can more easily understand the meaning of texts, as they're not struggling to sound out every sound within every word.

Spelling Proficiency:

Proficiency in phonics aids not only in reading but also in spelling.

Independent Reading:

Phonics empowers individuals to become independent readers. They can tackle new words with confidence, which is a crucial skill for academic success and lifelong learning. Up until around Grade 4, children are LEARNING to READ - after that, they spend the rest of their academic life READING to LEARN.

What can speech-language pathologists do about phonics, literacy, and reading in general?

We often include phonics-based instruction in our sessions when targeting reading/writing goals. For example:

Early Intervention:

Phonics-based instruction can start as early as preschool. Early intervention can support children who may be at risk for reading difficulties or have speech and language disorders.

Addressing Phonological Awareness:

For children with speech sound disorders, phonics can help improve their phonological awareness—the ability to recognize and manipulate sounds and words.

Supporting Overall Literacy Development:

Many children with speech and/or language disorders struggle with reading. Incorporating phonics-based instruction can help them learn the “rules” and allow them to become competent readers with effective reading strategies.

Narrative language and literacy skills are within the SLP scope of practice!

Some balanced literacy programs place a heavy emphasis on guessing words from context, which can lead to inaccurate word recognition - this hinders reading comprehension.

Remember: Students will not be able to rely on pictures as they grow older… picture books will soon be put aside; plain text will become the norm in class. Teach them to read using a systematic, phonics-based program so that they have powerful strategies to use in the future.

Each student has a unique set of strengths and challenges - speak with your child’s school team and/or care team about how to provide them with a structured & effective phonics-based reading program. Use their favourite characters and themes for motivation!

References:

Ehri, L.C. (2020). The Science of Learning to Read Words: A Case for Systematic Phonics Instruction. Reading Research Quarterly, 55(S1), S45– S60.