What is the best or better way to teach a child to read?

[temmy99]

I am currently managing a foreign nursery and primary school but surprisingly, even the older children 6+ have difficulty in reading. The teachers teach them to memorise the alphabets and then go on to memorise A for apple, B for ball etc. The teachers dont have a clue about phonics or letter sounds. So my question is, do I try to teach them (the teachers) letter sounds first to impart to the children or should I get them to read along with the children?

The current thinking all seems to point to phonics. My dd2 has just started recpeion and seems to be learning in a very different way to dd1 who is only 9 but things have changed in the last 4/5 years!

The big thing she's doing at the moment is collecting letters and their sounds in her phonics book. For each letter there is a spund they have to repeat, an action that relates to that sound, a picture to go with the letter and a place for her to practice writing the letter. It seems to be working very well and she's learning them. They have 2-3 new letters a week.

But alongside this has to go plenty of reading too. Some of the books she brings home are clearly meant for her to try to read - or copy very simple sentence, but most are just for me to read to her and she listen/follow.

that's sposed to say reception, btw!

What's the phonics book your dd2 is using, OOSSCheerios?

do it all. read stories, (best wy to learn words like 'and', 'the', 'is' etc) do games with phonics assgning regular phonic values eg, 'a!' 'e', 't'..(eg. draw 'a' on the board. get class to say 'a' - high, then low, then soft, then loud!...then place 'a' and 'e' on the floor. say 'a' - first child to hit the right letter gets a point for their team...(variations - run to hit, throw a sticky ball at the letter, hit it with a squeaky hammer etc..)

learning alphabet as in 'A', 'B' - much less point - i mean how often do you use capitals?
also it is more important to learn 'e' than 'x' - think about it.

sing songs, mime actions (TPR being v. fashionable - that is associating actions with the target language.)

It's an exercise book that they get sheets stuck into. The sheets are photocopied from an official source by the looks.

e.g. The first letter was 'a' and the action is fingers from one hand scampering up the other arm sposed to be like ants.

Dd2 practices writing the letters on dots and then on her own and then she colours in the pictures. I like it as it's keeping her interest and it's not too full-on.

The book sounds like jolly phonics workbook to me. I feel more comfortable with the reading with them aspect because I can't take all the classes and although my ds2 is getting to grips with the phonics, the teachers and the other children haven't got a clue for example try getting them to make the sound t as in pretending to play tennis and then I have to explain what tennis is! Any more ideas please

I hope you find the following article useful.

Whereabouts are you teaching?

Using linguistic phonics to teach EFL learners
www.davidenglishhouse.com/en/resources/snakespdfs/warner%20vol%203%20issue%201.pdf

thanks maverick, i am teaching in sunny Nigeria where the internet is also erratic so not been able to view the link, will try the link again in a day or two or get someone to send me the file as an attachment.

just checked the internet and apparently the company closed doors in sept of this year and filed for bankruptcy, thats a shame but it is based in Hiroshima so more japanese based. English is an official language in Nigeria so all the children have some grasp of conversational english just the reading is a bit of a problem

I've only taught Jolly Phonics phase 1 so pretty basic but I'd tend to adapt the reminders that go with the action if you need to
I don't think we really mention tennis to our 3 year olds, just make the sound and do the thing with our heads
but if you were worried about explaining tennis eg you could do the head action and say t t turning
and maybe recap some phase one basics, for listening skills alone
I'd give staff a sheet to memorise actions etc, and then all learn together, I still forget some of them, the children remind me! if you start with your preschoolers also the transition to reading for them should be fantastic
we did this last year for the first time, they are in reception and flying!

Hello everyone,
We've recently moved to East Finchley, and are looking for a good nursery/preschool for our 3 and half year old girl. Would appreciate advice on schools in and around this area. Many thanks!

Jolly Phonics CD - words, actions, sounds and songs combined. Great success teaching.