Phonics And Reading

"The ability to read is the key to future understanding."

I love this quote as it sums up so perfectly why it is vital that we teach our children to read and teach them to enjoy reading.

The teaching of phonics has increased over the past ten years and is the best way to get children decoding and tackling unknown words. We have to remember though that phonics is not teaching children to read it is teaching them a system whereby they have the tools to tackle and read words.

"Books crowbar the world open for you."

What we also have to do is instil in all of our children a love of reading and a love of books. As a teacher nothing gives me greater pleasure than sharing and reading books to my class. I love it when the children know a book so well that they start to join in with the story and anticipate what comes next.

It is our job as professionals and adults to nurture a love of reading whilst also remembering to focus on children`s language and comprehension. Phonics may give them the tools to decode and read but it is sharing and reading books, talking to children and developing their vocabulary that will really enable them to shine. Comprehension should have as much of a focus as phonics and this can only be achieved by giving the children access to as wider range of books and texts as possible. It is also so important to ensure that the children have the knowledge that goes behind a book. Context is as important as being able to read the words on the page.

I am a great supporter of phonics teaching and it has been a key part of my teaching and development since I first stepped into the classroom over 12 years ago. It is the only reliable strategy for tackling unknown words. What has also become much clearer in recent years is the absolute importance of ensuring that children have the opportunity to apply their phonics knowledge. Phonics without application is like giving an artist paint and brushes but no canvas to create a work of art. We have to make sure that children are able to know what their phonics knowledge means.

I look forward to seeing how phonics teaching and the teaching of reading in general progresses over the next few years. It is possible to ensure that all our children are able to read and not just that but ensure that they want to read and gain pleasure from reading and sharing books.