You Will Locate And Critically Read At Least One Peer 205187
You Will Locate And Critically Read At Least One Peer Reviewed Article
You will locate and critically read at least one peer-reviewed article (can look on the UWA library website) on Phonemic Awareness, Concepts about Print, and Phonics. You will post responses to all of the following: 1) Provide at least 3 instructional activities to teach phonemic awareness. 2) Describe concepts about print and phonics. 3) How do concepts about print and phonics instruction assist in the language development of young children? 4) Do you feel that explicit phonics instruction is necessary? Why or why not? 5) What do the researchers from the articles say about explicit phonics instruction? Do they support it? If so, why? Do they reject it? If so, why? 6) Give an APA citation for each of the articles that you read.
Paper For Above instruction
Understanding early literacy development is crucial for fostering the language and reading skills of young children. Central to this development are concepts such as phonemic awareness, concepts about print, and phonics. These elements form the foundation for effective reading instruction and facilitate children's ability to decode and understand written language. In this paper, I will explore instructional activities for phonemic awareness, describe the concepts about print and phonics, analyze their role in language development, evaluate the necessity of explicit phonics instruction, and review research findings on its effectiveness.
Instructional Activities to Teach Phonemic Awareness
Phonemic awareness is the ability to recognize and manipulate individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken words. It is widely regarded as a critical precursor to decoding skills. To teach phonemic awareness, educators can utilize various activities. First, phoneme segmentation involves asking children to break words into individual sounds, such as saying "cat" and then segmenting it into /c/ /a/ /t/. Second, phoneme blending encourages children to combine individual sounds to form words, practicing by hearing /s/ /a/ /t/ and saying "sat." Third, phoneme substitution allows children to manipulate sounds within words, such as changing the /c/ in "cat" to /h/ to form "hat." These activities not only enhance phonemic recognition but also support the development of decoding skills essential for fluent reading.
Concepts About Print and Phonics
Concepts about print refer to children's understanding of how written language works. This includes recognizing that text is read from left to right, understanding that words are made up of sounds, and comprehending the function of various print features such as titles, punctuation, and spaces. Phonics, on the other hand, involves understanding the relationship between sounds (phonemes) and their corresponding written symbols (graphemes). It includes the rules and patterns that help children decode unfamiliar words by translating print into spoken language. Acquiring concepts about print and phonics equips children with the tools to decode new words independently and to develop reading fluency.
Role of Concepts About Print and Phonics in Language Development
Concepts about print and phonics instruction play a vital role in early language development. By understanding how print functions and the relationship between sounds and symbols, children can move from recognizing print as visual symbols to understanding that these symbols represent language. This understanding promotes decoding skills, which are directly linked to reading comprehension and vocabulary development. Moreover, phonics instruction helps children internalize the sound structure of language, supporting spelling, word recognition, and fluency. These foundational skills are essential for academic success and lifelong literacy, enabling children to engage meaningfully with texts and expand their vocabulary.
Necessity of Explicit Phonics Instruction
The question of whether explicit phonics instruction is necessary is widely debated among educators and researchers. I believe that explicit phonics instruction is vital, especially for early readers who are just beginning to decode words. Explicit teaching provides systematic, direct instruction on the relationships between sounds and letters, helping children develop accurate decoding skills quickly. Without explicit phonics, children may struggle with word recognition, leading to frustration and poor reading achievement. However, phonics instruction should be integrated with meaningful reading experiences and comprehension strategies to support overall literacy development.
Research Findings on Explicit Phonics Instruction
Research literature presents a generally supportive stance toward explicit phonics instruction. According to the National Reading Panel (2000), systematic phonics instruction significantly improves children’s ability to decode words, which positively influences reading comprehension. Similarly, Foorman and Torgesen (2001) emphasized that explicit, systematic phonics instruction is particularly effective for children who are at risk for reading difficulties. They argue that this approach provides a solid foundation for decoding skills, which are essential for fluent reading. Conversely, some researchers caution against overly simplistic or rote phonics methods, advocating for a balanced approach that combines phonics with comprehension and meaning-based strategies (Ehri & McCormick, 1998). Overall, the consensus among scholars is that explicit phonics instruction, when implemented systematically and explicitly, supports early literacy development effectively.
Conclusion
In summary, phonemic awareness, concepts about print, and phonics are integral components of early literacy instruction. Instructional activities such as phoneme segmentation, blending, and substitution enhance phonemic awareness, while understanding print functions enables children to navigate written language. Phonics instruction helps decode words, supporting fluent reading and vocabulary growth. Research overwhelmingly supports the necessity of explicit phonics instruction, especially for children at risk, emphasizing systematic and explicit teaching strategies. As literacy is fundamental for academic success and lifelong learning, educators must strategically incorporate these elements into early childhood curriculum to foster proficient and confident readers.