Importance of Phonics in developing effective communication among children

Phonics plays a pivotal role in helping children comprehend language structure and simplifying grammar and syntax crucial for effective communication.

Among a multitude of teaching techniques, Phonics, a traditional preschool method that guides children to read by helping them understand the correlation between sounds and symbols in an alphabetic writing system, stands out for its effectiveness. It lays the foundation for strong reading and writing but children must be introduced to this learning process early.

Phonics is foundational for various reasons; it establishes the bedrock for robust literacy later in life and helps children develop essential reading and writing skills.(Sanket Wankhade/Hindustan Times)

The National Education Policy (NEP) in 2020 and the NIPUN (National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy) guidelines, also recommend phonics for early childhood education.

Several states including Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Odisha have also embraced Jolly Phonics, a programme validated by the Department for Education that undertakes systematic teaching of phonics, grammar, spelling and punctuation across the school years.

Why do children need phonics?

Phonics is foundational for various reasons; it establishes the bedrock for robust literacy later in life and helps children develop essential reading and writing skills.

It can be particularly beneficial for children learning the basics of English as it helps them decipher unfamiliar words through sounds rather than having to memorize the words, facilitating their grasp of the written English structure, often distinct from their native language. However, schools around the world employ diverse approaches to teaching phonics.

Phonics serve different learning needs

All children learn differently and phonics cater to their diverse learning needs easily. In some cases, phonics instruction follows a progression from the easiest to the most challenging sounds, beginning with single letter sounds as seen in words like "cat," "hat," "rat," and "fat."

This method often involves incorporating multi-sensory activities and storytelling. Another approach involves teaching phonics through word families, where learners explore patterns and similarities in groups of words with common sounds. Some schools also integrate interactive technology, like educational apps and games, to engage students in phonics learning.

Phonics provides the building blocks of language proficiency

Phonics plays a pivotal role in helping children comprehend language structure and simplifying grammar and syntax crucial for effective communication. Through phonics, children gain the skills to articulate themselves with clarity and confidence, whether in written or spoken expression.

Phonics boosts learner confidence

In a nutshell, Phonics simplify complexity and boost children's confidence as they advance through the curriculum with ease.

Phonics augment sentence and letter recognition and also improve spelling abilities. Children not proficient in English can find its pronunciation and grammar rules very confusing. Phonics can help them better comprehend these rules and lead to improved fluency and better long-term communication skills.

How to initiate a child into phonics?

Seek guidance on activities and strategies tailored to support the reading and writing skills of your child.

During regular reading sessions, encourage them to enunciate words and encourage comprehension and engagement by posing questions about the story. Repetition plays a vital role in solidifying knowledge so revisiting favourite books reinforces concepts and fosters a lasting love for reading.

(Authored by Rajesh Bhatia, Founder-Managing Director of Treehouse Education and Accessories Ltd. Views are personal)