Sound It Out! Phonics in a Comprehensive Reading

Basically, reading skills does not come naturally; it comes through practice. The fact that languages develop naturally for most people should not be assumed by educators that learning to read will also be achieved naturally. Snow et al (2001), defines reading as a means of getting meaning out of an unfamiliar text. To achieve this, one is not only required to master the symbolic elements of the reading but also develop a complex interaction of language, attention and memory skills. This is further incorporated with motivation and interest in the subject matter of the text to be read.

Phonics The use of phonics is a very critical component of good reading instruction. It teaches reading by making clearer the letter-sound correspondences in both writing and reading. Research points on the necessity of teaching phonics in sequential manner rather than merely highlighting the elements of phonics as they appear in the text. The use of phonics disapproves the popular theory of the use of “whole language”, this reduces the explicit teaching of phonics skills (NHI, 2000).

The use of explicit phonics instruction by teachers contributes to the successful for students of all socio-economic backgrounds. It is also important in that when teachers use it in combination with synthetic phonetic instruction i. e. where students are taught to learn how to turn letters into sound and create recognizable word. The use of phonetic instruction by high school science teacher therefore contributes significantly to reading success. Conclusion

To conclude, the intensive and systematic instruction in phonics has been scientifically validated as the most effective means of ensuring that students acquire automatic decoding skills upon which comprehension reading rests, (Adams, 1994). All these efforts are aimed at achieving successful reading among students. References Adams, M. (1990; “Beginning to Read”, Cambridge. National Institute of Child Health (NIH), (2000); “Report of the National Reading Panel”, Washington DC, Publication No. 00-4754. Snow et al, (2001); Preventing reading difficulties in

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