Phonemic and Phonic Awareness in the Classroom

Reading is the foundation of every subject that we learn. We have to be able to read before we can understand any subject; whether it is Science, Math, Language Arts or even Social Studies, but what do we need to understand before we can read? We need to know how to decipher the letters and how to form the sounds that make up the words that we need to understand and learn; these little things, little pieces, are referred to as Phonemic and Phonic learning and that is our key to learning how to read. The research findings of the National Reading Panel's [NRP] on reading instruction was summarized and published in an informational booklet for parents and teachers entitled Put Reading First: The Research Building Blocks of Reading Instruction - Kindergarten.

Phonemic Awareness is "the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate the individual sounds - phonemes (the smallest part of spoken language that makes a difference in the meaning of words) - in spoken words" (Armbruster et al., 2003, p.4). The NRP has divided Phonemic Awareness into five major ideas:

1) Phonemic awareness can be taught and learned,

The first step in phonemic awareness is for students to learn how to "see" the many different parts of speech within words, but in order for children learn, they need to be taught how they are suppose to "see" these parts. A child has to learn how segregate each of the individual sounds within the words that they see and then be able to identify these sounds in a variety of different words. The children are to learn to identify 'what does not belong,' the different sound, out of a set of three or four words. Some other steps in learning and teaching phonemic awareness are for the child to learn to listen to the sounds, identify, and then blend them together to form the proper word said by the teacher. Next, the child will take a turn in which they take apart the word, separating the sounds, saying them while they clap them out and write/read the word. At this point, the children will learn to identify a word, after they have removed a phoneme (sound), added a new phoneme to create a new word or replace one phoneme for another one changing the word to another.

2) Phonemic awareness instruction helps children learn to read,

Once the children have learned to "see" the parts of words and understand their sounds, their chance of improved reading ability has already taken a turn for the better. The NRP believes that a child that is able to quickly and correctly read words can spend more time in comprehending what they are reading rather than deciphering and identifying the words that they are trying to read. With more free time to read for comprehension, the chance of a growing vocabulary is also higher.

3) Phonemic awareness instruction helps children learn to spell,

Going hand in hand with learning to read goes a child's ability to spell. It may not seem as if the two need to be together, but they do. If the child can identify, understand, and read letters and words, they are better equipped to learn how to spell words in their daily vocabulary. Since the child is now able to understand the sounds a letter can make, they are better able to understand the manner that the letter sounds relate together to form the words.

4) Phonemic awareness instruction is most effective when children are taught to manipulate phonemes by using the letters of the alphabet

Manipulating the phonemes (sounds) is a key to any good reading program. Children that have learned the sounds of the letters, with the letters themselves, are stronger when it comes to learning of how to blend the letters together to form new words. It also helps when it comes to helping children learn to read and to spell.

5) Phonemic awareness instruction is most effective when it focuses on only one or two types of phoneme manipulation, rather than several types

Yet, when teaching phonemic awareness, it is important to remember not to overload the children with too many different ways to use the concept of combining sounds together. When a child is taught too many different ways to manipulate the phonemes, it can lead to confusion and misinterpretations of the skills that they are suppose to be learning. This can further lead to the lack on full comprehension of a particular method, or all methods, of how to use their skills. Another dilemma may be that when the more difficult skills are taught, it can lead to further confusion and misunderstanding, because the simple, basic concepts are not quite understood and realized yet.

The other part of literacy instruction is that of phonics instruction. As much as Phonemic and Phonics may seem to be the same, they are very different from one another. Phonemics deals with the individual sounds of letters, but the NRP states "phonics instruction teaches children the relationships between the letters (graphemes) of written language and the individual sounds (phonemes) of spoken language" (Armbruster et al., 2003, p.12). The NRP has broken down phonics instruction into seven key conclusions based on their research finding:

1) Systematic and explicit phonics instruction is more effective than non-systematic or no phonics instruction

Children introduced to any form of phonics instruction are better equipped to begin reading and spelling than those children that have not any exposure to phonics instruction. Direct instruction of letter sounds, letter-sound relationships and blending consonants and vowels to read and spell words is important in the early stages of education to aid in their application to stronger and reading skills in later grades. The students that do not have the same exposure to phonics education are less likely to have full development of the skills needed for increased reading and spelling comprehension.

2) Systematic and explicit phonics instruction significantly improves kindergarten and first-grade children's word recognition and spelling

During the formidable kindergarten and first grade years, reading and spelling skills are improved because that is when the greatest impact is made on the children. In many cases, primary word recognition and sound relationship are taught, and formed, within in these early grades. Those students that are not able to receive the same instructional opportunity tend show signs of potential struggles in reading in the future.

3) Systematic and explicit phonics instruction significantly improves children's reading comprehension

Direct phonics instruction is important to the reading comprehension for all children. Regular and clear instruction of phonics can result in a child's ability to not only know what they are reading, but to understand what they are reading as well. The ability to read and understand the words of the text is vital to any successful reading program.

4) Systematic and explicit phonics instruction is effective for children from various social and economic levels

It is not important where the child comes from, what ethic class, or what economic background the child is a part of; what matters is that regular and specific phonics instruction is made available to all students in school. A child should not be ignored, neglected, or segregated based on race, color, creed, or even socioeconomic background.

5) Systematic and explicit phonics instruction is particularly beneficial for children who are having difficulty learning to read and who are at risk for developing future reading problems

Making sure that phonics instruction is clear and concise can aid in making sure that the students that are in danger of falling behind or are already behind, do not fall further. Making sure that the instructions are clear and concise can aid in the prevention of this happening to any and all children, especially those that would be considered at risk.

6) Systematic and explicit phonics instruction is most effective when introduced early

As children learn alphabet recognition, introduction of the components of phonics is ideal. Careful and correct lessons taught at the earliest age/grade when children are most susceptible and most vulnerable to learning new things and new ideas; from letter-shape recognition to the ability to read and write.

7) Phonics instruction is not an entire reading program for beginning readers

Phonics instruction is a means to aid anyone that wants to read, how to read, but importantly it is a method that allows for the basic knowledge of phonics to be instilled within children. This can be from someone reading to the students, phonemic activities, silent reading, or even writing words, sentences and stories to practice the phonemic and phonics skills that are being taught.

Phonemic awareness and phonics instruction are just two of the many things needed in the "building blocks" to reading. According to the NRP, there are three additional factors to considered when it comes to creating a balanced reading program and they are: fluency instruction, vocabulary instruction and text comprehension instruction. Although, it is commonly realized that these last three stepping stones are highly reliant on the first two; fluency, vocabulary and text comprehension are still vital in their own right. In order to function with these three methods of instruction, the students need to be able to identify individual sounds, sounds and blends within words, take apart words to their individual sounds and blends, or even find the appropriate letter-sound relationships to help connect the written language to the spoken language. Fluency is dependent upon having the correct annunciation of letter sounds and their combinations/blends. If the student is fluent with their words, they have the ability to consistently increase their vocabulary and from their increased fluency and vocabulary, their concepts of comprehension are increased as well. It cannot be expected for someone to comprehend something if they do not and cannot understand what they are reading and saying. The decoding and deciphering process is the most important step for all of the steps to flow together in a positive manner to ensure reading success and literacy growth.

REFERENCES

Armbruster, B. B., Lehr, F., & Osborn, J. (2003). Report of the National Reading Panel. Put

Reading First: The Research Building Blocks of Reading Instruction-Kindergarten through Grade 3 (2^nd Edition). Partnership for Reading. Retrieved March 10, 2008 from http://www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading/publications/Cierra.pdf.