As a first year teacher, I have
always wondered how to incorporate phonics as well as reading instruction into
one lesson. In my mind, I visualized these two concept areas completely
separate from one another. It wasn’t until I read chapters twelve and thirteen
of Weaver’s book that I was able to see how closely connected phonics and
reading skills/instruction are linked together. So far in this reading endorsement, I have read a lot of
useful information that I will be able to apply to my classroom. Often time’s I
am able to look back during my student teaching experience while reading
something from Weaver’s book and wonder how I could have changed the lesson to
make it more effective.
Weaver (2002) stated, “Learning to
read promotes phonemic awareness and phonemic awareness promotes learning to
read.” Throughout my student teaching experience, it is evident that phonics
could have been taught through read-alouds, shared reading and writing, guided
reading and writing, sustained reading and writing, etc. The comprehensive literacy program that
was used the most throughout my third grade placement was literature groups. The
students were able to complete the reading while the teacher was seen as more
of a facilitator. I was able to take notes of which students struggled with fluency,
comprehension skills, etc. The students were able to discuss with one another
what the text was about as well predicting what was going to happen next in the
story. I am excited to see what further insight I will be given with Weaver’s
book about literacy.
I also see the connection between phonics and reading instruction, but I really think phonics plays an important role in spelling. I teach or review phonics skills as needed during my reading instruction, but last year I moved to first grade and began teaching phonics with a daily program. I didn’t know what to expect teaching phonics this way for the first time, but I actually really liked it. My students responded to it well, and I felt like it was effective at helping them learn to spell. I felt as though the phonics instruction was incorporated to teach spelling more than reading because our weekly spelling words came from the phonics program. Now I’m reading the Weaver text which says you shouldn’t teach phonics the way I am expected to teach it in my first grade class. I have to say I was a bit surprised while reading the Weaver text regarding phonics instruction, because I was such a fan of the separate phonics program after I started using it.
ReplyDeleteTaylor, I agree that I often am reflecting back to different student teaching experiences and thinking about the ways I could have changed or implemented new skills in these different types of comprehensive literacy programs. I too agree that phonics can be taught through all of the different activities you suggested such as guided reading lessons or sustained reading lessons. I have never personally interacted with literacy groups, but listening to your experiences with them, I see how they also could be incorporated with teaching phonics instruction. In your literacy groups, was it always buddy reading or did read alouds also go on during these types of centers/groups? I could see how a read aloud could be very effective in such a small group setting.
ReplyDeletePhonemic awareness has to exist before you can teach phonics. in doing my research on Stephen Krashen, one of the articles used the example of a baby learning. They learn language particularly through experience and exposure, once they are able to communicate then you you can break down sounds and eventually teach phonics.
ReplyDeleteI have had many parents and even my sister to tell me that her child knows all her letters but when I ask them if they know the sounds, do they know the letters, or can they identify the letters, many of them have this augh and opps look. I say that to say there has to be some type of connection with language (verbally) in order to have phonemic awareness to be able to teach phonics.
There can be an integration in reading and teaching phonics simultaneously and I think that it is easier than many people think, they just have to be able to see the relation. Many argue that phonics should be taught first it can be done.
I think your quote on Weaver (2002) stating, “Learning to read promotes phonemic awareness and phonemic awareness promotes learning to read” is right on point.