Phonics – a very common buzzword known by most of parents. But, often with the buzzword comes confusion about when to introduce it to the kids. Aren’t the children too young to learn this? Even, many parents have no idea how to teach phonics to their kids.
For all confused parents and guardians, this blog guide comes to your rescue and covers everything from what is phonics and how to start teaching it.
What is Phonics? Why Learning Phonics is Essential?
Phonics is the teaching method for children to make them understand the relation between sounds and letters. Which letter results in which sounds, how to pronounce ‘o’ and ‘oo’, and more such details. Once the kids understand letter sounds i.e. ‘th’, ‘u’, etc, they can easily read and learn new words.
Every high-quality infant playground in Singapore focuses on teaching phonics to kids as English is one of the most widely spoken languages in the country. Here’s how learning phonics, benefits the child:
- Become better at reading and writing with practice.
- Improve their vocabulary.
- Ability to read and write new words with time.
Overall, learning phonics has a positive impact on a child’s academic life in the coming years.
Best Stage to Start Teaching Phonics
We all know the creative benefits of indoor play for children’s development, this activity can be one of the ways of indoor play. While every teacher, parent, and guardian has a different opinion on the topic, here’s what the best decision could be.
- For kids falling under the age of 3-5, you can introduce phonics in songs and musical form. You can also start with a letter identification game. As the child is quite young, these activities will also entertain them.
- From the age of 5-7, kids start visiting infant playgrounds and playgroups. At this age, the focus can be more on increasing their letter-sound knowledge. By the age of 7, kids can start to read short words and sentences.
- Now, from 7-9, the focus shifts to increasing vocabulary with complex and new words along with improved writing skills.
How to Help Children With Phonics?
Here’s how parents can contribute in the said matter –
1.Encourage Them to Read Aloud
Every young kid must spend 30 minutes a day reading new words and sentences. This will lead to brain development, learning new words, and making better progress. Ask them to read loudly and praise them after completing the said activity.
2. Let your Child Fumble
If your child finds it difficult to complete a word or sentence, let them figure it out on their own. Motivate them to read letter by letter and guess the right pronunciation. Avoid telling them the answer immediately without letting them figure it out.
3. Read for Your Kid
Parents tend to spend the majority of their time with their children. A young mind observes and learns from you, every second of life. Keep reading in front of your child, sometimes to them loudly. By observing, they’ll develop great habits and will also improve your bond with them.
Learn From the Best Infant Playground in Singapore
The right timing of phonics education matters a lot. By observing the development status, and growth of a kid, the right education method must be introduced for a smooth learning graph.
At Jus Infant Play, we support children’s reading, writing, and communication development at each age. With the right exposure and well-planned activities, your kid will enjoy the benefits of indoor play for children’s development.
