Analytical phonics.

Analytical Phonics refers to an approach to the teaching of reading in which the phonemes associated with particular graphemes are not pronounced in isolation. Children identify (analyse) the common phoneme in a set of words in which each word contains the phoneme under study. For example, teacher and pupils discuss how the following words are alike: pat, park, push and pen. Analytic phonics for writing similarly relies on inferential learning: realising that the initial phoneme in /p i g/ is the same as that in /p t, p a: k, p u / and /p e n/, children deduce that they must write that phoneme with grapheme.[1] Today, Analytical phonics is referred to as Implicit phonics.This is because it signifies the analysis (breaking down) of the whole word to its parts (an analysis only necessary when a child cannot read it as a whole word).[2] Controversy: Analytical vs. Synthetic Approaches Phonics has become an acceptable practice and approach to teaching children to read. However, there are different methods in which it is used, and disagreement over which approach is best. There are two primary approaches to teaching phonics: analytic phonics and synthetic phonics. Both approaches require the learner to have some phonological awareness (the ability to hear and discriminate sounds in spoken words). Both approaches can also contribute to furthering children's phonological development. Phonological awareness is an essential skill for reading, writing, listening and talking.Synthetic phonics involves the development of phonemic awareness from the outset.

Practice and Approach Implicit phonics is moving from the whole to the smallest parts; "blending-and-building" is not usually taught. A student will identify new words by its shape, beginning and ending letters, any context clues from the rest of the sentence or any accompanying pictures.[3] Shortcomings of this approach A major problem with analytical phonic methods is the erroneous assumption that all students will already have the fairly sophisticated phonemic awareness skills needed to enable the comparison of sounds within the various words. Implicit instruction relies on readers "discovering" clues about soundspelling relationships; good readers can do this, but poor readers are not likely to do so.[4]

As part of the decoding process, the reader learns up to 44 phonemes (the smallest units of sound) and their related graphemes (the written symbols for the phoneme). In contrast, Analytical Phonics, also known as the Whole Word approach, involves analysis of whole words to detect phonetic or orthographic (spelling) patterns, then splitting them into smaller parts to help with decoding.[5] Supporters of Synthetic phonics argue that if the systematic teaching of phonics doesn't take place, analytic learners can fall behind and fail to develop the tools they need for decoding words.[6]

Chunking is the grouping of words in a sentence into short meaningful phrases (usually three to five words). This process prevents word-byword reading, which can cause lack of comprehension, since students forget the beginning of a sentence before they get to the end (Casteel, 1988). Smith (1982) assessed chunking as the largest meaningful combination of units that can be placed in short-term memory. Studies indicate that the presentation of chunked material separated into meaningful related groups of words improves the comprehension of some readers, most noticeably those readers who are classified as poor or low-ability readers (Casteel, 1989). - Chunking is a procedure of breaking up reading material into manageable sections. Before reading a chunk students are given a statement of purpose, which guides them to look for something specific in the text. This process is repeated until students complete the passage. - For checking comprehension: once students have read a passage they are asked to close their books and pretend they are teachers. They are to ask questions relating to what they have read. After a while, the teacher reverses the roles having students answer comprehension questions (Bondaza, 1998). - Excessive chunking (chunks chunks) may hinder text comprehension. A misapplied segmentation strategy causes slower reading (Keenan, 1984). - Extreme variability in line length may slow reading by disrupting the rhythm of eye movements (Keenan, 1984). - A related technique Read Cover Recite Check (RCRC). The advantages of reading aloud to students: reluctant readers might be turned on to reading, students may be exposed to literature beyond their reading ability, aural exposure to more complex patterns prepares listeners to predict these structures in future experiences, listening comprehension is developed, and vocabulary is increased (Shoop, 1987).

- Developing comprehension through questioning in a teacher-question, student-response format. Neither literal (focused on details) nor affective (focused on attitudes) questions are sufficient. - Questioning prior to reading aloud (prior knowledge aids). - The reciprocal questioning procedure: students are asked to listen and to formulate questions they can ask the teacher. - Students are asked to develop their own questions about the text. The teacher can provide exemplary questions, if necessary. - Questioning the author: reminding students that what they read is just someone elses ideas written down. Sometimes what authors have in their minds does not come through clearly as they write about it. Generating questions and answering them. A more advanced comprehension check

Direct Experience Approach

Description: Directly involving the student in readers theater will increase students interest level and make reading fun and enjoyable. The students are actively involved in reading. It also will help teach students to read with expression and to use punctuation for reading cues. Targeted Grade Level: 2nd 5th Major Focus: Reading comprehension, Fluency, and Expressive reading Text to be used: Folk tale of Stone Soup Procedures: 1. Begin by telling the students they will be reading a folktale about Stone Soup. In a teacher led instruction, explain how a folktale is a story passed down through many generations. 2. Give each student a copy of stone soup. Let the class predict what they think the story will be about. 3. Put the class into groups depending on the number of students there is in the class. Have groups of children practice reading by rereading assigned parts. Include a narrator who reads everything but the dialogue.

4. After students have become fluent with there part, have them begin reading with expression. Encourage students to read the lines with a kind of expression they think the character would use. Give them time to practice reading their lines before they read as a group. 5. After students feel they have mastered their part, the teacher could supply students with costumes of the character which they are playing and have a play of Stone Soup. 6. This approach to reading could be done with many readers theatre. The teacher could also have the students exchange their character so they all have a chance to play different parts.

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Sets a purpose for reading. Encourages students to monitor their comprehension while they are reading.

How to Use DRA

1. Choose a text. This strategy is intended to be used with expository texts.

DRA (Directed Reading Activity)

Description
DRA (Betts, 1946) is a strategy that provides students with instructional support before, during, and after reading. The teacher takes an active role as he or she prepares students to read the text by preteaching important vocabulary, eliciting prior knowledge, teaching students how to use a specific reading skill, and providing a purpose for reading. During reading, the teacher asks individual students questions about the text to monitor their comprehension. After reading, the teacher engages students in a discussion focusing on the purpose for reading, and follow-up activities that focus on the content of the text and the specific skill that students learned to use.

2. Select vocabulary words from the text to be pretaught. The words you choose should be critical to comprehension of the passage and unfamiliar to most, if not all students. Vocabulary should be taught in context. Write the words on the board in sentences taken directly from the text. As a class, discuss what the words might mean based on the context, structure (e.g., prefixes, roots, or suffixes), and/or sound (i.e., deciding if the word sounds like another familiar word) of the word. 3. Elicit prior knowledge on the topic of the text. Ask students, "What do you already know about _______?" or "What experiences do you have with ________?" 4. Teach students a skill that will help them comprehend the text. The skill you choose will depend on the text. For example, if the text your students will be reading compares two different things, you might focus on the skill of compare/contrast. If the text is an editorial, you might talk about how to identify fact from the author's opinion. 5. Give students a concrete purpose for reading. For example, "Read pages 283-287 to find out what a tide pool is."

Purpose
DRA serves several purposes: o o o Teaches word identification skills. Elicits students' prior knowledge of the topic of the text. Teaches specific reading skills.

6. Have students read silently. Be available for questions as students read. Walk around the room asking individual students comprehension questions. 7. After students have finished reading, ask the purpose-setting statement as a question. For example, ask, "What is a tide pool?" Encourage a discussion that grows from students' comments and questions.

8. Engage students in follow-up activities. These activities should be designed to reinforce both the content of the text and the skill that students learned. Activities might include writing activities, further reading, art projects, group mapping activities, etc. Betts, E. A. (1946). Foundations of reading instruction. New York: American Book Company.

Elicit prior knowledge. The teacher asks: o o o "About how long ago was the first car made?" "How do you think life changed when everyone owned a car?" "What do you already know about major events in the history of cars? Teach students a skill. This text includes numerous headings that will help students make predictions about what they will be reading about in the sections following the headings. Therefore, the skill that the teacher focuses on is, "How to use headings to help you understand what you read." o The teacher explains that headings are included to help the reader recognize how the text is organized. The teacher discusses with students how to recognize headings in a text (e.g., they are often in bold print and in a different font). The teacher reads the first heading and asks students what they think that section will talk about based on the information in the heading. The same thing is done with several more headings. Give students a purpose for reading. The teacher says, "Read to find out in what ways the first cars were different from the cars we have now." Have students read silently. As students are reading, the teacher asks individual students comprehension questions. For example, the teacher asks one student, "What is one way in which the auto industry changed during World War II?" After students have finished reading, ask the purpose-setting statement as a question. The teacher asks, "In what ways were the first cars different from the cars we have now?" Engage students in follow-up activities.

Example
Suppose students are reading a text that talks about the history of cars. Preteach vocabulary. The teacher introduces the words "industry" and "economy" to students. For each word, the teacher writes a sentence from the text that includes the word. The teacher includes enough surrounding sentences so that students have sufficient context to figure out what the word might mean. "In 1893 the Duryea brothers made a car from a wagon and called it a Motor Wagon. Three years later, they made thirteen Motor Wagons. That was beginning of the car industry." To help students define the word "industry," the teacher encourages students to come up with other words that would make sense in place of "industry" in the sentence above. Students might come up with "business" or "enterprise." "Customers wanted cars that used less gas. Car designers came up with smaller cars. Autoworkers builteconomy cars such as the Ford Escort and the Chevy Vega." To help students define the word "economy," the teacher encourages them to find clues in the surrounding sentences that give examples of what an "economy" car might be (i.e., a car that uses less gas and that it is smaller). Also, the teacher asks students what other words they know that sound like "economy." For example, students may have heard of the word "economic." The teacher encourages students to tell what they know about this word and what they associate it with (e.g., "money" or "finances").

One activity that the teacher has students do is the following: Students create a time line of the events described in the text. They list the years on their time line that are presented in the text. Then, under the appropriate years on their time line, they briefly write down why that year is important in the history of cars.

Note: Be aware of the reading levels of each student, and be prepared to provide appropriate questions, prompts, and support as needed. 3. Use the following outline to guide the procedure: D = DIRECT. Teachers direct and activate students' thinking prior to reading a passage by scanning the title, chapter headings, illustrations, and other materials. Teachers should use open-ended questions to direct students as they make predictions about the content or perspective of the text (e.g., "Given this title, what do you think the passage will be about?"). R = READING. Students read up to the first pre-selected stopping point. The teacher then prompts the students with questions about specific information and asks them to evaluate their predictions and refine them if necessary. This process should be continued until students have read each section of the passage. T = THINKING. At the end of each section, students go back through the text and think about their predictions. Students should verify or modify their predictions by finding supporting statements in the text. The teacher asks questions such as:

Directed Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA)

The Directed Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA) is a comprehension strategy that guides students in asking questions about a text, making predictions, and then reading to confirm or refute their predictions. The DRTA process encourages students to be active and thoughtful readers, enhancing their comprehension. Share your examples!

Why use directed reading thinking activity?

It encourages students to be active and thoughtful readers. It activates students' prior knowledge. It teaches students to monitor their understanding of the text as they're reading. It helps strengthen reading and critical thinking skills.
When to use: How to use: Before reading Individually During reading With small groups

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What do you think about your predictions now? What did you find in the text to prove your predictions? What did you we read in the text that made you change your predictions?

Using Echo Reading With Struggling Readers After reading

Whole class setting

strategy that will help struggling readers with fluency, reading orally, new

How to use directed reading thinking activity

Teachers should follow the steps below when creating a DRTA. 1. 2. Determine the text to be used and pre-select points for students to pause during the reading process. Introduce the text, the purpose of the DRTA, and provide examples of how to make predictions.

vocabulary, and comprehension. For echo reading, all you need is a book on your student's level and a reader for students to echo. It is a simple reading strategy to help your students gain skills.
The Process

If you teach remedial reading, then you know helping struggling readers with fluency and comprehension as well as reading on grade level is important to improve their skills and confidence. You can use echo reading activities to help these students. Here's the way echo reading works best: 1. All readers have a copy of the text. The teacher or the lead reader reads a line of text. It will depend on the age and ability level of your students when deciding how much to read at one time. 2. While the leader reads out loud with expression and at a good pace, the rest of the group follows along in the text. 3. After the reader reads a line or sentence, then the students read it out loud. They try to imitate the way the leader reads the text during echo reading activities.
Why Echo Reading Helps

reading helps students to recognize new words and read at a pace which is better for comprehension. If students read too slow or too fast, they will most likely have trouble comprehending what they are reading. Fluency and pace affect comprehension, and using echo reading activities is perfect for helping struggling readers improve these skills.

Read more: http://www.brighthub.com/educati on/special/articles/34413.aspx#ixzz1UNl hFoeT

Echo reading is an easy-to-use reading strategy for helping struggling readers learn about fluency, expression, and reading at an appropriate rate. This strategy can also help them learn about paying attention to punctuation marks while reading. The teacher or leader is modeling important skills to become a successful reader during echo reading activities. In a remedial reading class, students may also have difficulty with vocabulary in stories and books. Echo