Comparing Pre-school English Reading and Phonics Enrichment

[koko51sg]

Different phonics systems have different methods of categorising and grouping the lessons. It would be more advisable to stick to one system and use not more than 2 different systems.


Letterland, Zoophonics uses characters (animals or people) to help children learn the beginning letter sounds. There are songs, crafts, activities as part of their lesson.

Star phonics - uses songs to teach letter sounds, thereafter crafts, story books relating to the sounds.

Montessori - uses sandpaper letters, tactile letters (moveable alphabets) for word building (spelling) and reading. It begins with learning letter sounds, 3-letter phonetic words (pink level), longer phonetic words (blue level) and phonograms (green level) thereafter grammar (black level).

Over the years, I’ve used these systems but I still prefer Montessori because it is very structured and easy to pinpoint exactly where the child’s learning is at. As can be seen from Montessori’s curriculum, she builds the skills of children from 3 letter phonetic words (eg cat, hat, log, bug) to longer phonetic words (eg blimp, clamp, lemon, basket, etc) to phonograms - which is the long vowel sounds (eg cake, rake, cold, sold, lawyer, pawn, prawn, etc)

Reading is quite a difficult task for children and sometimes they get discouraged when they are unable to read certain words, in other systems I feel sometimes, they mixed the phonetic words and non-phonetic words together, and if the child hasn’t learnt that yet, they can’t read.

But for a 15-month old - you are just introducing the letter sounds. Just make it fun, lots of repetition, hands-on and sensorial (eg if you teach letter S - show her a snake puppet, make a snake puppet, collect things that start with S). At this stage, she still can’t write or even hold a crayon properly, so for her to do craft can be challenging but not impossible (just have to do lots of preparation before hand). A story would be good.

Hope this helps.

[buds]

Montessori has definite duration of completion.

ie. 10mths to 12mths completion. But compared
to all other methodologies, Montessori is a little
dry - no songs, stories, rhymes within the curriculum
but a creative teacher will do the job very well.
Children start reading the fastest with Montessori
method.

Fun ones Letterland, Jolly and Zoo with incorporation
of songs, puppet, letter characters, etc. Some parents
find too much of animal characters distract children’s
attention from the letter and letter sounds itself, so its
really a subjective choice.

koko51sg,

Blue Scheme covers blends.
>2 or 3 consonants blends
Example :-
bl, cl, fl, gl, pl, sl
br, cr, fr, gr, pr, tr
spl, spr, squ

>Double consonants like ll, tt.

Green Scheme has :-
>long vowels
>split vowels
>exception rules

Black Scheme has :
>grammar
>singular / plural

[buds]

More threads here on learning Phonics, for your easy reference.


http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=877


http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1038


http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1927


http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1260


http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1556

[koko51sg]

buds:

Montessori has definite duration of completion.

ie. 10mths to 12mths completion. But compared
to all other methodologies, Montessori is a little
dry - no songs, stories, rhymes within the curriculum
but a creative teacher will do the job very well.
Children start reading the fastest with Montessori
method.

Fun ones Letterland, Jolly and Zoo with incorporation
of songs, puppet, letter characters, etc. Some parents
find too much of animal characters distract children's
attention from the letter and letter sounds itself, so its
really a subjective choice.

koko51sg,

Blue Scheme covers blends.
>2 or 3 consonants blends
Example :-
bl, cl, fl, gl, pl, sl
br, cr, fr, gr, pr, tr
spl, spr, squ

>Double consonants like ll, tt.

Green Scheme has :-
>phonograms
>digraphs
>long vowels
>split vowels
>exception rules

Black Scheme has :
>grammar
>singular / plural

Montessori language does not have a fixed completion period. Montessori education is a 3-year system and children will complete the curriculum within these 3 years. The child is taught all these different levels in 3 yrs.

Yes, you are right in saying blue level covers all the blends but not all blends are phonetic words. The purpose of the blue level is to teach children longer phonetic words, it definitely covers blends, double consonants and ending sounds.

You are right to say that green level covers phonograms, digraphs, etc. All these are grouped under phonograms. The meaning of phonograms is when two letters are put together, they make a new sound. So the list that you provide is all considered as phonograms.

Montessori is perceived as \"dry\" because few words are used. However, for young children, especially for 15 month old girl, using sandpaper letters is not enough. The purpose of that material is to provide a tactile and sensorial feeling. In fact, this piece of material is only introduced at 3 yrs old. For a young child, it would be impossible to dive straight into the lesson and expect them to learn. We need to understand the developmental stage of the child in order to be effective in the teaching. For this age group, we need to engage their senses so definitely songs, rhymes, story, and items for them to hold, touch and smell and see would be beneficial.

[buds]

Definitive duration is for Phonics Enrichment programme

for children aged 4yrs old and above. Not for 15mth per se.

Only adding on further examples from phonograms for
clearer picture. Generally sight words not introduced
during early blending so not to confuse the children
may be introduced through the reading books.
Supplement of added reading material with high
frequency words - for example like Peter & Jane
Ladybird Series, will assist with reading ability.
There is no one way to really teach reading..

And just to share, different Montessori heads
approach their programmes in their own style.
There's American Montessori, London Montessori,
Modern Montessori, St Nicholas... etc. The basic
material presentation is usually the same except
for some steps here and there and the kind of
activities supplemented with the Montessori
programme also varies.

For example, sandpaper letters are introduced
at 18mths for Playgroup children in some
Montessori centres, coupled with introduction
of concrete objects corresponding to letter sounds,
cooking/baking sessions, craft activities, painting,
simple rhymes and stories to interest children to
early reading introduction.

Agree that the younger children are, the more
imperative to have hands on activities for the
tactile experience.

:celebrate:

[buds]

Chief, if you may… this thread should merge with the earlier

Phonics thread to avoid repetition of posts on similar topics.
Thanks.

[ChiefKiasu]

buds:

Chief, if you may... this thread should merge with the earlier

Phonics thread to avoid repetition of posts on similar topics.
Thanks.

Yes ma'am. Done. Had to remove the poll, though. Sorry.

[buds]

Appreciate it, Chief.

No worries i suppose.
The poll’s been done
before anyway, right?

[buds]

einstein:

Hi,


I am keen to put my kid in MMI Phonics at Jurong East. Does anyone has any experience with any good recommended teachers there?

Alternatively, do you have any recommended good home based MMI Phonics program in Bukit Batok area?

Any advice would be good. Thanks in advance.

Heyya einstein,

I've replied to your PM.

By the way, didn't recall a formal introduction from ya and
a handful of newbies too..

Waah, all shortcut now, Chief!

[shuerei]

Thanks buds and koko51sg for your amazingly insightful analysis of the various phonics teaching methodologies.


Currently my gal is watching the Leapfrog letterland factory dvd. She enjoys it and would bounce with the letter characters.

I’m singing the Phonics Zoo song Aa and Bb to her and she likes the pictures.

So far she can say these sounds when shown the letters: a, b, h, m, u, w

I’m thinking of enrolling her at 18 months in a weekdays montessori playgroup or zoophonics on weekends.

Can someone recommend a good montessori playgroup that teaches phonics at 18 months? Prefer parent-accompanied as she’s very attached to me.

Can someone advise me if I’m doing the right things or am I doing too many different things? Cos I dun want to confuse her. Should I stop the leapfrog letter factory dvd and Phonics Zoo home singing?

Thank you so much!