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Ms. Jenn
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 Posted: 03/09/04 - 17:32 Post subject: Primary Phonics Reading Program
My daughter's teacher sends home a note to some of the parents letting them know that our children are doing well at grasping the concept of phonics.
For these children, they will begin a supplementary reading program in the "Primary Phonics" readers. This will involve sending books home with the children to read at their own pace with their parents.
Participation in the supplementary reading program is completely voluntary and if we want to participate we have to sign the form prior to getting the materials.
If these materials are so great at improving reading skills and fluency, why would you NOT want all of the children in the class to use these materials? Why make it voluntary and not mandatory?
Is there a downside to being a good reader? Is there a downside to learning to read via phonics?
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Pug
The Movie Geek
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Posted: 03/09/04 - 17:36 Post subject:
Maybe it is a test to identify the potentially bad parents who don't want their kids to improve.
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copteacher
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Posted: 03/09/04 - 17:40 Post subject:
Part of my Masters work was a focus on learning to read. Phonics is just one tool used to help kids read. Because it breaks it down to basics and smaller parts it makes it easier for some kids to grasp it.
Use it in combination with reading whole words and it is fantastic.
Read Read Read to the kids and they will be better for it.
any more question PM me for me advice.
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Gogirlgo
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Posted: 03/09/04 - 17:43 Post subject:
Someone once told me that the best thing you could do for your kids was to read, to them of course but not just to them. To see you reading is apparently vital to their development.
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Pug
The Movie Geek
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Posted: 03/09/04 - 17:43 Post subject:
So you're saying to read to your kids? Got it. 
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Noley
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Posted: 03/09/04 - 17:46 Post subject: Re: Primary Phonics Reading Program
| Ms. Jenn wrote: |
| Quote: | | If these materials are so great at improving reading skills and fluency, why would you NOT want all of the children in the class to use these materials? Why make it voluntary and not mandatory? |
It's hard to say why the teacher chose to make it a voluntary activity at home. Perhaps she's had a lot of resistance from parents before? I don't know? 
I personally would have made that a mandatory activity when it was sent home to do. I feel that it is very important for children to read with their parents. It's one of the greatest things we can do with our children. Most children who read well, have come from homes where they were read to. I think the statistics were quite high and in the 70-80% success rate...something like that(stats in the '90's when I taught Kindergarten).
| Quote: | | Is there a downside to being a good reader? |
Not at all. You need it in most everything you do!
| Quote: | | Is there a downside to learning to read via phonics? |
Phonics is good. I think it gives children a good base when they start to read and write words. Sounding things out is one tool children use to read. However, there comes a time where "sounding it out" is not going to cut it. Children have to learn how to spell correctly and read without sounding out each consonant/blend whatnot. Also, some children are not phonetic learners. They learn by sight. They tend to memorize the word rather than sound it out. It just all depends.
I do think it's good that this teacher is reaching out to parents to improve the children's reading skills and practice.
Just my 
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Gogirlgo
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Posted: 03/09/04 - 17:46 Post subject:
I'm saying read to your kids. I'm also saying be sure they see you reading the paper or whatever. Be sure they see that you value this activity.
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Pug
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Posted: 03/09/04 - 17:49 Post subject:
| Gogirlgo wrote: | | I'm saying read to your kids. I'm also saying be sure they see you reading the paper or whatever. Be sure they see that you value this activity. |
My kids will be in like flint, then. I'm almost never without a book.
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Noley
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Posted: 03/09/04 - 17:54 Post subject:
| rtpd113 wrote: | Part of my Masters work was a focus on learning to read. Phonics is just one tool used to help kids read. Because it breaks it down to basics and smaller parts it makes it easier for some kids to grasp it.
Use it in combination with reading whole words and it is fantastic.
Read Read Read to the kids and they will be better for it.
any more question PM me for me advice. |
Hey!
Great minds think alike! 
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Ms. Jenn
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Posted: 03/09/04 - 18:02 Post subject:
My girlie has always loved to be read to and before she even started to learn to read, would read the books and make up the story if she didn't know it. I think good reading skills are a necessity for a successful life.
I was curious to know if there was some con to learning to read too early, or learning to read by phonics. I know she is also learning some words by sight.
Of course it could be a test to weed out the bad parents from the good parents and they're going to enslave all the bad parents.
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Noley
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Posted: 03/09/04 - 18:10 Post subject:
| Ms. Jenn wrote: |
I was curious to know if there was some con to learning to read too early, or learning to read by phonics. I know she is also learning some words by sight.
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There isn't a con. Some children just love to read and write. Both of my daughters are that way and they are very creative (especially my oldest who is in school). They just have a love for language and how it's put together.
Sight words are really a must to get your children to learn when starting out. I know that there's a list out there that younger children need. They learn them fast too.
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ShannonG
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Posted: 03/09/04 - 20:18 Post subject:
Some people have a beef with phonics because it allows children to misspell words. Their point is that once something is learned, it is more difficult to unlearn it and relearn it properly than it would have been to do it 'right ' in the first place.
Words like 'force' may be spelled 'fors' without penalty in a phonetic learning program. I tend to agree that it encourages bad spelling.
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Noley
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Posted: 03/09/04 - 20:40 Post subject:
| ShannonG wrote: | Some people have a beef with phonics because it allows children to misspell words. Their point is that once something is learned, it is more difficult to unlearn it and relearn it properly than it would have been to do it 'right ' in the first place.
Words like 'force' may be spelled 'fors' without penalty in a phonetic learning program. I tend to agree that it encourages bad spelling. |
I think phonetic spelling can be good in the beginning stages of writing/reading and I agree that it needs to weaned from children once they grasp how words are communicated on paper. I haven't seen where children grow up forever using phonetics to write and spell with. Usually by the 2nd grade (sometimes 1st), children begin to take regular spelling tests. At that time, it is usually expected to learn the proper spellings of words and special rules that comes with our language ("I before E except after C"). So, it's a tool that can be effective and needs to be used properly. However, there has to be a cutoff point to it.
Note: Whenever I had my K students spell with phonetics...I always wrote the proper spellings of what they wrote above their writings. Usually the children would pick up on it's proper spelling within one or two corrections/demonstrations.
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runaroundsue
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Posted: 03/10/04 - 10:40 Post subject:
| ShannonG wrote: | Some people have a beef with phonics because it allows children to misspell words. Their point is that once something is learned, it is more difficult to unlearn it and relearn it properly than it would have been to do it 'right ' in the first place.
Words like 'force' may be spelled 'fors' without penalty in a phonetic learning program. I tend to agree that it encourages bad spelling. |
As everyone knows by now, my 4th grader is a horrible speller. Your post reminds me that in kindergarten I drove him to school 6:30 every morning for a special tutoring in phonics, because he wasn't reading yet.
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jrjo
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Posted: 03/10/04 - 12:55 Post subject:
Imagine the uproar if the teacher tried to make it "mandatory" 
Seeing as your daughter has a great interest in it, go for it and don't look back. 
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