What is Phonics, Rhythms, and Rhymes, and what do I have to know in order to teach the program?
Phonics, Rhythms, and Rhymes is a method of teaching students how to read by learning the sounds of consonant letters and blends. Then, rhyming or blending onsets with vowels, diphthongs, and digraphs, as well as endings. It is only after this understanding of the sound/letter relationship is achieved that successful-independent reading can occur. All of the information you need to teach this program successfully is provided in the teacher's manual. We do, however, urge you to read the introductory material carefully before beginning instruction.
What's the difference between the Phonics, Rhythms, and Rhymes' Program and other Phonics programs?
Phonics, Rhythms, and Rhymes is an explicit, systematic Phonics program, which means that students are first taught individual letters, the sounds those letters make, and the rules governing the use of those letters. Our program blend letters to vowel sounds through rhyming which makes it easier for the student to self check for correctness of sounds. Other Phonics programs, as well as whole language programs that incorporate some Phonics, teach Phonics by taking whole words and breaking them into their component sounds. In the Phonics, Rhythms,and Rhymes program students learn the 26 letters, the 44 sounds those letters make, and 70+ ways those sounds are spelled, as well as the four vowel rules basic to the English language. Unlike other programs the Phonics, Rhythms, and Rhymes' program teaches syllable division as a means of word attack, and not just as a task to be done after students can already read the word. This method enables students to read words of higher difficulty.
What is phonemic awareness, and why is it improtant?
Phonemic awareness is the awareness that words are composed of separate sounds and the ability to hear and to manipulative those sounds. Though some students achieve this awareness easily, most students must be taught this essential pre-reading skill. Thus, Phonics, Rhythms, and Rhymes begins teaching phonemic awareness in kindergarten.
Must I teach the Phonics program in order?
Students may start at any point, however lessons are built on prior knowledge and will be most effective if teachers adhered to the scope and sequence.
What if my school already has a Phonics program?
No Phonics program should disallow Phonics lessons to be supplemented in whole or in part . If you can use a different program, first use the ToPhs to inventory the student's Phonics skills. Then, proceed with Phonics, Rhythms, and Rhymes at the student's skill level. If Phonics, Rhythms, and Rhymes is used as supplemental material then use the detailed contents to find the appropriate skills to be taught.
How could I integrate your Phonics program with my literature-based reading program?
Preview stories or units for unknown words, then search the detailed contents of Phonics, Rhythms, and Rhymes to find the lessons on teaching the required skills for proper enunciation of the words. If word concept is crucial to the story, briefly teach the words using Phonics, Rhythms, and Rhymes' terminology. For instance, use a WKWL graphic organizer and assign the fiirst W to unknown words. List any targeted skills in the diagram and return to them after you have explained them. Briefly explain and discuss any targeted skills highlighted before proceeding to the reading activity. Consider postponing any accompanying assessments until the concept is discussed in the Phonics program, and afterwards worksheets can be used to serve as additional review.
What type of inservice do you recommend? Click on Professional Development on the Home Page.
Will your program work with ESL (English as a Second Language) students? This program is particularly effective with students who are acquiring English. Its regular and systematic emphasis on hearing and echoing sounds help students concentrate on reproducing the critical phonemes they will need to communicate effectively. In addition, the explicit and structured nature of the program provides a familiar routine for English learners that promote confidence and builds a solid foundation for new learning.
Click to return to the Home Page