Segmenting

Segmenting

What is it?

 The act of breaking words down into individual sounds or syllables.

(https://www.allkindsofminds.org/word-decoding-blending-and-segmenting-sounds-impact-of-memory)

Why is it important?

Similar to blending, segmenting is another tool that can help children figure out an unknown word by themselves. Through the act of separating or breaking down a word into sound segments, a child can focus one at a time on the segments in order to eventually figure out what the word is. Segmenting is a way in which children can read independently despite being unfamiliar with some of the words in the text.

Blending

Blending

What is it?

The ability to string together the sounds that each letter stands for in a word.

(https://www.scholastic.com/dodea/Module_2/topic5.htm)

Why is it important?

A word almost always consists of more than one letter. When approached with an unknown word, a child can use their knowledge of letter sounds to blend the letters together and pronounce the word. Blending is a step towards children becoming independent readers because rather than ask for an unknown word to be read to them, they have the ability to first try sounding out the word on their own.

Phonemic Awareness

Phonemic Awareness

What is it?

 Phonemic awareness is the ability to identify and manipulate individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken words.

(https://www.readingrockets.org/reading-topics/phonological-and-phonemic-awareness)

Why is it important?

Phonemic awareness is a great indicator for knowing if your child is heading on the right path for becoming a successful reader. The simple feat of recognizing a sound or collection of sounds is the first step to becoming comfortable and familiar with audible sound patterns and being able to form words off of those said patterns.

Letter Recognition

Letter Recognition

What is it?

Letter recognition is the ability to name letters, identify characteristics specific to said letter, and letter formation of all 26 uppercase and lowercase letter symbols used in the English language.

(https://stayathomeeducator.com/why-recognition-of-letters-is-important-and-how-to-develop-letter-identification-skills/)

Why is it important?

It would be incredibly difficult for a child to learn how to read if they were not taught the meaning and significance of every letter. Without a sense of letter recognition, children would just view the written alphabet as empty symbols. Letters form words and words form print; therefor, children must be able to identify all of the uppercase and lowercase letters and their characteristics in order to ever be able to read print. 

 

Concepts of Print

Concepts of Print

What is it?

Concepts of print are "the basic understandings of reading." Concepts of print can be viewed as basic knowledge about how print in general, and books work. 

(https://legitliteracy.weebly.com/concepts-of-print.html)

Why is it important?

The "basic" rules to reading print are often overlooked upon by successful readers. However, if not for these simple rules (such as reading from left to right and not vice versa) were not taught to us at a young age, we would be illiterate. Concepts of print are the seeds of knowledge that help us grow into independent and able readers.

Alphabetic Principle

Alphabetic Principle

What is it?

The understanding that letters represent sounds which form words; it is the knowledge of predictable relationships between written letters and spoken sounds.

(https://www.sightwordsgame.com/learning-to-read/what-is-the-alphabetic-principle/)

Why is it important?

The mere understanding of the alphabetic principle is the foundation in which becoming a good reader and writer grows from. The English alphabet is not just twenty-six random symbols; the English alphabet is a set of letters that form words. In order to become a successful and independent literate, a child must know that the letters have meaning and work together to form the English language. 

Systematic Intensive Phonics Instruction

Systematic Intensive Phonics Instruction 

What is it?

A method of teaching phonics that guides students through each phonetic and decoding skill using a step-by-step, logical sequence.

(https://www.readinghorizons.com/reading-strategies/teaching/phonics-instruction/what-is-systematic-and-explicit-phonics-instruction)

Why is it important?

Phonics is one of the two main ways to teach children how to read and write. Systematic phonics is an organized, uncluttered, and simple way of teaching children the sounds that letters make alone and together in different combinations. Unlike whole language, the student doesn't have to memorize entire words. Phonics teaches them the tools necessary for sounding unknown words out and becoming independent literates. 

Whole Language

Whole Language

What is it? 

 A method of teaching reading and writing that emphasizes learning whole words and phrases by encountering them in meaningful contexts rather than by phonics exercises. 

(https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whole%20language)

Why is it important?

Whole language is one of the two main ways to teach children how to read and write. Without whole language, students would have to rely solely on the many, many inconsistent rules of phonics. Whole language supports the use of context clues, expands the creative mind, and encourages children to form direct connections between what they're reading and what they've encountered in reality. 

The Great Debate

The Great Debate...

What is it?
The Great Debate is an ongoing disagreement among scholars and educators on how to correctly and effectively teach children how to read and write. Some argue that phonics is the only way while some argue that whole language is the superior choice.

Why is it important?
This term has everything to do with phonics in the sense it argues whether or not phonics is the one and only way to properly teach children how to be functioning literates. Ultimately, the Great Debate should be an ironic reminder that both phonics instruction AND whole language work well together and that a balance should be maintained between the two in the classroom.