Synthetic Phonics Books and other materials

More Phonics Books and Other Materials

• • • The Phonics Handbook: A Handbook for Teaching Reading, Writing and Spelling (Jolly Phonics S.) - A complete resource for teaching reading, writing and spelling. With over 100 reproducible pages The Phonics Handbook introduces the 42 main letter sounds followed by activity sheets and games for reading and spelling . The structured yet flexible approach enhances teachers' professional ability and allows for originality in teaching. 218 pages. USA | UK

• • • Active Literacy Kit - Another excellent program from the UK Dyslexia Institute designed to build children's accuracy, fluency and automaticity in reading and spelling. For age Groups 7 years and over. Suitable for all literacy difficulties, not only for dyslexic students. Suitable for individual and group teaching. From no letter/sound correspondence through to automatic cvc reading and spelling. "Highly recommended" - John Bradford. UK

• • • Units of Sound - This multi-sensory reading intervention program from the UK Dyslexia Institute combines the benefits of independent work on a computer with guidance from a teacher or assistant. Structured, cumulative and multi-sensory, Units of Sound is easy to use for pupils and teachers. Based firmly on research into reading tests and high frequency words, it builds reading accuracy, vocabulary, spelling, sentence writing skills, automaticity, listening skills, visual skills and comprehension. Each sound is seen, heard and repeatedly practised within groups of words. "Highly recommended" - John Bradford. UK

• • • Jolly Phonics - This systematic phonics program uses a multi-sensory approach and delightful characters (Inky Mouse, Snake, Bee, and Phonic) to teach the letter sounds and how they blend to form words. The program is effective with older children and adults who need special reading and writing help also. (UK)
'An excellent scheme for teaching phonics to younger children is called 'Jolly Phonics'. This is a visual, practical and fun approach to letter and sound recognition. Each letter is associated with an 'action sound'; for example the letter 'a' is taught by running the fingers up and down the arm simulating lots of ants running about tickling the arm. The children are encouraged to say the sound that 'a' makes at the same time. 'S' is taught by simulating the weaving motion of a snake and at the same time hissing the 's' sound. This visual and practical work is interesting and exciting for the pupils and is reinforced and supported with flash cards of each letter in bold with a picture of the corresponding action. Each letter is reinforced and consolidated with practice of correct letter formation in the air, in sand, on coloured handwriting paper, mini white boards and on each other's backs as well as by games trying to find the letter in a feely bag by touch alone. Once the letter has been mastered it is placed in a pot labelled 'letters we know'. Another pot contains 'letters we are going to learn'; the pupils enjoy seeing the transfer of letters to the 'know' box as they successfully learn them.' (J.D., Bexhill-on-Sea, UK)'

• • • The Cat in the Hat
The kids slumped in their chairs
Too glum to complain.
And to make matters worse,
It started to rain . . .
The Cat has arrived, and he's got a hat full of fun to save Conrad and Sally from a boring rainy afternoon. Written in buoyant easy-to-read prose (with more than a few hilarious asides from the pesky Fish), this official movie storybook is packed with full-color photos from the film!

• • • Hooked on Phonics - If your child needs practice sounding out words or stumbles over words like bring, skate, and crowd when s/he reads aloud, this program can help develop reading fluency and challenge him/her with progressive reading improvement. (Recommended by Jay, Texas - 'Who would be without them?')

• • SRA Distar Reading - In Distar Reading I, the children learn the skills for decoding word-sound-symbol relationships, blending and rhyming. They also learn the sounds of 40 symbols, including certain joined letters and long vowels with diacritical marks. In Distar Reading II, pupils concentrate on important sound combinations and word discriminations and learn how to use a variety of word-attack skills.

• Phonics from A to Z: A Practical Guide - Everything you wanted to know about phonics but were afraid to ask! This practical handbook, written by an early reading specialist, will show you how to build engaging, effective phonics practice into your reading-writing program. Lots of ready-to-use lessons, word lists, games and learning center ideas (K-3). USA

• • • New Phonic Blending - Reading age 5.5 to 8 years. Interest level 6 to 16 years. A tightly structured, multi-sensory approach to phonics, encouraging pupils to look, listen and write.
In each lesson, pupils build simple words, focussing on one specific sound. An exercise in sound discrimination completes the lesson, adding variety to the programme for pupils and providing useful diagnostic tools for teachers.
The lessons are self-contained and teachers are free to choose those lessons which are appropriate to their pupils' needs. There are six kits available each at a different level. Each kit comprises a photocopy master book and either two cassettes or an audio CD.
'I have used New Phonic Blending, a form of synthetic phonics, from Learning Materials Ltd in Wolverhampton since 1970 in the UK. The children build up the words from the letters provided and I have found them to be excellent, better than anything else.' (P.M.) UK (under A-Z list)

• Phonics for Dummies - disappointingly confusing program for parents and teachers, which is not recommended for many reasons. The progression through the sequence of sounds is not clearly shown, and the book is littered with idiosyncratic teaching methods.
USA | UK

• Alphabet Sounds Chart - from Sunshine Media.

More Phonics Books and Other Materials