Learning phonic skills, such as blending initial and final consonants, and vocabulary development, are both important in teaching a child to read successfully. It is not either/or. It is both/and.
Sometimes children have trouble hearing the individual sounds in consonant blends such as “br”, “pr”, “gr”, “cl” and “mp”. The best way to help with this is to say the sounds drawn out and close together. This is shown on the videos for “nk” and “clap lamp” when the blue ear is clicked.
This approach is much better than trying to teach the consonant blends themselves as “sounds”. That would mean that children would have to learn dozens of extra “sounds”. It is better to spend the time practising blending, for example, /b/ and /r/, than trying to learn br, cr, dr, fr, gr, kr, pr, sr, tr, str, spr, scr …all as new “sounds”.
“N” usually sounds like /n/, but, before a /k/ sound, it sounds like /ng/. E.g. thank, think, sink, zinc, sanction, synchronise …
Always be on the lookout for words that your child may not know, e.g. busk and brag, and work them into everyday conversation. Accompany “prod” with a gentle poke in the ribs.
Vocabulary development is important in helping children become successful readers. Poor readers often have a poor vocabulary. This becomes more noticeable as children get older and are reading more complex material.
Do they have a poor vocabulary because they don’t read enough to come across new words? Or do they have trouble reading the new words that they encounter because they are not in their spoken vocabulary? It is probably both and they reinforce each other, so it is important to tackle the problem in all possible ways and as early as possible.
Click on the bottom right hand corner of each video to see it full screen. If you have trouble seeing the videos try Phonic Comic 1/34, Phonic Comic 1/35, nk, Phonic Comic 1/36, clap lamp
Thanks to Pet Porpoise Pool, (Troy Saville, assistant manager), Coffs Harbour, NSW for permission to film the seal.
All illustrations for Phonic Comic books © A. H. M. Wherrett, 2004.
To see the other videos go to Videos for Children
Print the books easy 1-34, easy 1-35 and easy 1-36 back-to-back on A4 paper, cut across the centre on the line, assemble, fold and staple.
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