What Does a Phonics Course for Early Years Kids Include?

Phonics and reading go hand in hand – learning how to read gives your child a platform from which they can pursue an education of distinction. However, a course on phonics in early years children is invaluable to the early years child since it lays strong foundation for these necessary skills.

What does it contain? Following is a wide-angle view about what constitutes the ingredients of the important phonics study program.

1. Letter Sound Introduction

The good phonics program starts with introducing children to sounds of letters. Rather than memorizing the alphabet by sequence, children learn the sounds of each letter. For instance, the letter ‘A’ sounds out as /a/ as in “apple.” This way, children link letters to their sounds, and reading becomes simpler.

2. Blending Sounds

Blending is an essential skill in which children merge single letter sounds to create words. For example, blending the sounds /c/ /a/ /t/ together results in the word “cat.” Phonics classes learn this in a step-by-step manner, and children become proficient in the art of flowing together sounds to read simple words.

3. Segmenting Words

Apart from blending, children also acquire the skill of segmenting words. Segmentation is the process of dividing a word into separate sounds. For instance, the word “dog” is segmented as /d/ /o/ /g/. This skill enhances spelling and solidifies sound awareness.

4. Digraphs and Trigraphs Learning

A phonics lesson will cover digraphs (two letters forming one sound) and trigraphs (three letters forming one sound). Examples would be ‘sh’ in “ship” and ‘igh’ in “light.” These combinations aid children in seeing patterns in words and enhancing their reading fluency.

5. Building Sight Word Recognition

Phonics classes usually incorporate sight words—frequently occurring words that do not follow standard phonics rules. Reading sight words such as “the,” “was,” and “come” makes children read more quickly and comprehend sentences better.

6. Vocabulary Development and Reading Comprehension

Although phonics is more concerned with decoding words, effective programs also incorporate vocabulary development and reading comprehension exercises. This way, children not only learn to read words but also comprehend their meanings.

7. Interactive Activities for Reinforcement

Best phonics programs include games, songs, and exercises to make learning enjoyable. These exercises reinforce learning concepts as they keep the children stimulated.

Conclusion

An efficiently designed phonics course prepares children with fundamental skills to read fluently and confidently. By training on letter sounds, blending, segmenting, and sight words, these courses build a strong foundation for success in literacy.

Visit Phonics Club to learn more and enroll today!