New version of The Alphabetic Code with phoneme pictures

[debbie]

THE ALPHABETIC CODE WITH PHONEME PICTURES - FULL COLOUR GIANT POSTER

This visual aid can be found as the latest addition to the free unit 1 (module 1). Until I add further new resources, this poster is therefore at the 'bottom' of the current list of resources in unit 1.

In this version of The Alphabetic Code overview chart, I have included key pictures down the left-hand phoneme column which complement the new Alphabetic Code Frieze Posters and other Phonics International resources.

A couple of people I know have expressed their doubts about the Alphabetic Code overview charts being suitable for younger learners. Personally, I think they are totally invaluable for any age learner AND for those who teach reading and spelling instruction - AND for those who train the teachers!

Recently, with younger learners, strugglers and learners for whom English is an additional language in mind, I made the Alphabetic Code Frieze Posters - and this latest Alphabetic Code chart is an extension of my current focus.

Schools and parents can choose whichever 'versions' of The Alphabetic Code overview charts are most suitable for their teaching needs and the learners' needs.

I am hoping, however, that any teachers hesitant to use The Alphabetic Code overview charts (perhaps thinking they present too much information at one time) will reconsider when they see the latest version complete with phoneme pictures.

It could be that schools which choose to use other mnemonic systems (aids to memory) will bear in mind that they can use the 'non-picture' versions of The Alphabetic Code overview charts with ANY synthetic phonics programme. No-one HAS to use the phoneme picture version!

Please remember that the resources of Phonics International are varied and teachers can simply select those which are most suitable for their learners and their settings - although please never neglect to use the Sounds Book activity sheets which are the core of the programme.

[poppetsam]

Have found this poster so useful already! To show/explain a particular phoneme to a parent or to use as an aid in my staff inset on phonics.

Most useful of all is when explaining to children the reason their spelling was not quite correct, yet a wonderful attempt....

example:

Child spells the word dawn as 'dorn'.

I am now able to take them over to the poster and say

"You did really well to hear the three sounds...you got the /d/ sound right. You also got the /n/ sound right. You know what? You also got the 'or' sound right as your word does say 'dorn'. But the word 'dawn' that we are talking about is spelt with a different /or/. Let's have a look at the other /or/ spellings on the chart." (Or is found easily from picture image f/or/k)

The child can then look at representations not yet taught and try them out on their whiteboard. I let them try the different examples to see if they can find one that 'looks like a word they've seen before' for example:

d/au/n
d/oor/n
d/al/n
d/aw/n

It might be handy to then make a dawn picture card with the phoneme 'aw' highlighted in the word dawn. It could go on an interesting vocab wall (w/al/l) !

Thanks Debbie for another fab resource!!

[debbie]

Great to hear from you again, poppetsam - thank you for your positive comments.

I am currently planning on making Alphabetic Code Frieze Posters for all the graphemes in my programme.

This will include posters of multiple graphemes for a sound; for example:

Consider the sound /ai/ - there is currently a separate Alphabetic Code Frieze Poster for 'ai' (first aid kit) and 'ay' (tray). I shall then provide a poster for the /ai/ sound with 'ai' (the 'aid' picture) and 'ay' (the 'tray' picture) illustrated on the same poster.

There will also be a poster which builds on past learning and adds new learning. So I am planning that there will then be a poster for the /ai/ sound with more spelling variations and their exemplar pictures such as 'aid', 'tray', 'table', 'cake', 'eight' and so on.

The idea is that teachers simply select which poster is appropriate for the particular stage of teaching the Alphabetic Code.

I am deciding on exemplar words and further illustrations right now.

Bear with me folks, this is only the first few months of Phonics International and the programme is simply getting more helpful with more choices of helpful resources which you can select for your own contexts.

Poppetsam - please do share with us how you and your colleagues are getting on with the rest of the Phonics International programme! Have you tried out the new Letters, Sounds and Pictures Matching Game yet?

[poppetsam]

Slowly but surely adding more and more to the programme with much success! I think September is going to be the real start as we are having a big staff turnover and think that this will be a fabulous time to involve the whole staff, parents and new cohort!! We have started whole school assessment of the children's phonic/code knowledge as we know that there are many children further up the school who are going to need lots of support if we don't put this in place.

I have tried the LETTERS SOUNDS AND PICTURE GAME and my kids love it! (It was laminated and trimmed as soon as it went on here!) I think there is such potential for this game to be used a variety of ways too! It has been lovely as even though my class have been doing there end of Year 2 assessment tasks etc - I have been able to use this time to take small groups out who have finished and try out the different resources! I can't wait until the half term is over to get back in to the structure of things!

[Susan]

There will also be a poster which builds on past learning and adds new learning. So I am planning that there will then be a poster for the /ai/ sound with more spelling variations and their exemplar pictures such as 'aid', 'tray', 'table', 'cake', 'eight' and so on.

This sounds really good Debbie. It would fit in with my teaching.