Incidental phonics and planned, systematic phonics teaching

Debbie takes programme users on a guided tour of the Units and resources and discusses possible applications in all settings.
Post Reply
User avatar
debbie
Posts: 2596
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 2:28 pm
Location: UK

Incidental phonics and planned, systematic phonics teaching

Post by debbie »

Incidental phonics and planned, systematic phonics teaching:

Alongside your planned, systematic phonics teaching, you should also find yourself continuously pointing out parts of The Alphabetic Code ahead of time and in addition to the main teaching programme.

You should be demonstrating the three skills of blending for reading, segmenting for spelling and handwriting whenever appropriate during the day.

I suggest that what you need to avoid, however, is ruining the sharing of a Big Book by stopping your story-reading to model the blending and pointing to various bits of Alphabetic Code.

In other words, there is a fine line between making the most of every opportunity to raise the learners' awareness of The Alphabetic Code and how it works - and detracting from the content of other lessons and looking at literature in the wider curriculum.

One very appropriate opportunity for extending Alphabetic Code awareness and knowledge is when the learners are writing independently. If the teachers and teaching assistants can sit amongst groups of learners and support them along the way - or if they are asked specific questions by the learners - it is great to keep dropping-in extra bits of Code information and explanations.

Another appropriate use of incidental phonics is during the reading of books. Once learners can blend, the lack of some Code knowledge is the only thing preventing greater fluency and wider reading. It is perfectly valid for the teacher (or parent hearing the child at home) to simply say,

"In this word, that is the code for /sh/ [or whatever]" and then the learner is able to blend the word independently.

Some learners are able to pick up a significant amount of extra Alphabetic Code knowledge ahead of the planned progression of main teaching.

The teacher, however, is confident that, in any event, the phonics teaching ahead is systematic and comprehensive and nothing will get left out of the bigger teaching picture.

By the time that learners have been lucky enough to have both incidental phonics (as needed and as appropriate - and for 'differentiation') and planned, systematic phonics, they should be well ahead in reading and spelling standards compared to results from less organised teaching that left too much to chance.
Debbie Hepplewhite
Kat
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Oct 21, 2007 12:05 pm
Location: Ireland

Post by Kat »

I was very aware of the importance of incidental phonics right throughout the school day and across all subject areas, last year- which was my first year using synthetic phonics.

However, I now find it much easier to teach incidental phonics since I have come to recognise and value the potential of the alphabetic code chart.

A version was available on syntheticphonics.com when I began using SP, but it was only when I began to use the updated version as part of the PI resources that I began to realise its full value.

Having a giant version displayed in classrooms all through the school, for regular reference- both when directed by teacher during formal and incidental phonic lessons but also for independent student reference when making an informed spelling choice, (or simply for interested browsing!) - has proved to make teaching and, I firmly believe, learning, more integrated, meaningful, and focused.

When I listen to the children read, we sit beside the giant chart, and should an as yet untaught correspondence occur - as occasionally happens even with decodable readers- I do as Debbie suggests and say 'in this word _ is code for the _ sound' and simply point to it on the chart.

One example of when and how we might use it for spelling purposes in an incidental way happened today, whan a 5 year old arrived at school and proudly presented me with a daffodil.

I asked her if she would try to spell 'daffodil' for us.
We all counted the sounds and she drew seven dashes. ( depending on accent the final sound in the word may be the /ul/ represented by 'il' but for our accent the two seperate /i/ /l/ sounds are easily heard)

She filled in the 'd ' 'a' 'f' ( doubling the f at my instruction).

When she came to the long 'o' sound she knew she had a choice to make.
We all looked at the alphabetic code chart and scanned down through the sounds till we came to the /oa/ row.

I pointed to the alternatives in turn, saying 'it could be 'oa' as in 'oak', or ''ow' as in 'snow', however in this word the sound is actually written simply as 'o' as shown here on the chart.'

She filled it in on the appropriate dash and continued to easily sound out and complete the word.

All the children then sounded out what she had written to edit and approve.

Bearing in mind that this is a class of 4-6 year olds, imagine my delight at the subsequent challenge by a 6 year old, which led to a discussion as to why a double 'f' was required when it wasn't in fact a one syllable word with a short vowel!

By using the chart in similar ways regularly throughout the day, the children become very familiar with the code chart, are trained in its use and can be introduced to or made aware of complex correspondences incidentally but also meaningfully, well in advance of explicit teaching.
User avatar
debbie
Posts: 2596
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 2:28 pm
Location: UK

Post by debbie »

I was pointing out the 'soft c' principle recently to a group of Reception four to five year olds in an incidental way. The reason that I introduce this principle by the end of my 'simple code' (units 1 to 5) is because there are so many words used for this age range with the 'soft c' and 'soft g' code:

age, page, large, village, giant, gerbil, ice, palace, dance, prince, princess, price, nice, place, face, once, circle, circus, cabbage, Cinderella, scissors etc.

A simple explanation as these words crop up is all that may be necessary and you can add, "And I am going to teach you all about that part of the Code later".

Or, "When you go into the next class, you will be taught all about that piece of the Code."

This incidental teaching of phonics also means that you don't have to worry about the literature in your class and around the home constantly tripping you up - making it look like 'phonics' doesn't work, or is too irregular to teach. It is very teachable and by a quick comment such as, "In that word....." and "Later, you'll learn more about that", you and the learner will be more reassured.

Anyway, I digress.....

As I was talking and modelling the 'soft c' piece of Code incidentally, one little girl said to us all, "I already know about that Mrs. Hepplewhite. I noticed those letters at the end of my name and my name has a /s/ sound at the end."

"Well done, Alice!" :lol:

Note: The 'soft c' and 'soft g' parts of the Alphabetic Code are introduced, at first, through the end graphemes '-ce' and '-ge' in unit 5.

After this basic introduction, unit 6 starts off with the 'ce, ci, cy' and 'ge, gi, gy' part of the Code. This is where the letters e, i, and y alert the reader to pronouncing the preceding 'c' or 'g' in their /s/ and /j/ versions.

Once you become aware about these parts of the Code, it is surprising how often you encounter them in everyday literature! :wink:
Debbie Hepplewhite
User avatar
debbie
Posts: 2596
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 2:28 pm
Location: UK

Post by debbie »

http://www.phonicsinternational.com/Deb ... g_Tips.pdf

You can find the above doc via the central column of the PI homepage, in the jade box with other useful documents.

It will be helpful if you wish to read my suggestions for incidental teaching in hard copy, and if you wish to add this to your professional file or to share it with colleagues.

I think the two-pronged approach of implementing your formal, planned, systematic phonics teaching alongside your incidental phonics teaching is SO important, that I have incorporated this approach in the new Oxford Reading Tree Floppy's Phonics Sounds and Letters phonics programme.

I have provided guidance for 'incidental phonics teaching' in the actual Floppy's Phonics Handbooks and it is a fundamental part of the teaching approach.

Of course, the Alphabetic Code Overview Chart is the essential reference tool for both the planned phonics teaching and the incidental teaching.

There is an Alphabetic Code Chart in the Floppy's Phonics programme in 'hard copy' and it is being promoted by Oxford University Press as being the 'heart' of the programme.

And so it is. :D
Debbie Hepplewhite
User avatar
debbie
Posts: 2596
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 2:28 pm
Location: UK

Post by debbie »

http://www.oxfordschoolimprovement.co.u ... ncidental/

The link above leads to a video clip with me talking about some common features of print that can be addressed quite readily through 'incidental phonics teaching'.

It is only 3 minutes 43 seconds long.

We have added this link in the jade box in the centre column of the PI homepage - just below where there is the pdf link to information about teaching tips for incidental phonics teaching. :D
Debbie Hepplewhite
User avatar
debbie
Posts: 2596
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 2:28 pm
Location: UK

Post by debbie »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Twfn0o0x ... r_embedded#!

I speak passionately about the need for an Alphabetic Code Chart in every classroom at the 2011 Reading Reform Foundation conference.

Have you got one in your classroom? :wink:

http://www.phonicsinternational.com/Deb ... andout.pdf

We conducted a survey in April 2013 asking how helpful people considered the Alphabetic Code Charts to be - and whether a generic chart should be included in the English national curriculum appendix.

Here are the results of the survey:

http://www.phonicsinternational.com/survey_results.pdf
Last edited by debbie on Sat Jul 27, 2013 3:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Debbie Hepplewhite
User avatar
debbie
Posts: 2596
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 2:28 pm
Location: UK

Post by debbie »

Here are some posters to support the teaching of incidental phonics teaching. They can be found on the Free Resources webpage:

http://www.phonicsinternational.com/FR_PI_straight.pdf

http://www.phonicsinternational.com/Let ... l_that.pdf

http://www.phonicsinternational.com/FR_ ... utines.pdf
Debbie Hepplewhite
Post Reply