Phonics

Secondary students who are learning to read need phonics instruction. But, the type of phonics instruction they require is not the same one used with primary students. With primary students, we often use repetitive worksheets with basic words whose meanings or not as enforced as to their use in helping with phonics. But with secondary students, using these same techniques would not benefit them in the same way. In both “Phonics Instruction for Middle and High School ELLs” by Kristina Robertson and “Phonics Instruction for Middle and High School ELLs” by Ivonne Santiago points are made that secondary students may find traditional phonics activities boring and childish. Even so, that does not mean that they are useless or unnecessary. The ability to identify letters and sounds and their relationship is necessary for learning to read and reading fluently. If secondary students do not have these skills down, their ability to read fluently is compromised. Using activities like games, music, and letting them create their own activities can encourage students to work on phonics activities. In “Phonics Instruction for Older Students? Just Say No.” by Gay Ivey and Marianne I Baker, the authors argue that phonics instruction will not make students want to read more. This may be true if the activities you give the students are not age-appropriate. But if the instruction is based on what the students are working on or are interested in, they will see the benefit of working on their phonics when they feel better about reading. Using these age-appropriate and age-interesting activities will allow students to form a stronger relationship between letters and their sounds which will help them with higher level vocabulary that they will encounter in their higher education years.