Title:  How to Teach Phonics

Author:  Lida M. Williams

Release Date:  April 4, 2006 [EBook #18119]

Language:  English

Character set encoding:  ASCII

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    =How to Teach
    Phonics=

    By

    Lida M. Williams

    Primary Supervisor and Instructor of Methods,
    Northern Normal and Industrial School,
    Aberdeen, South Dakota

    Hall & MCCREARY company
    Chicago

    Copyright 1916, Hall & McCreary Company
    P 2143
    Printed in the U.S.A.

FOREWORD

Phonics is not a method of teaching reading, but it is a necessary part of every good, modern method.  It is the key to word mastery, and word mastery is one of the first essentials in learning to read.  A knowledge of the sounds of letters, and of the effect of the position of the letter upon its sound, is an essential means of mastering the mechanics of reading, and of enabling children to become independent readers.

A knowledge of phonics not only gives power to pronounce new words, but it trains the ear, develops clear articulation and correct enunciation, and aids in spelling.  Later, when diacritical marks are introduced, it aids in the use of the dictionary.  The habit of attacking and pronouncing words of entirely new form, develops self-confidence in the child, and the pleasure he experiences in mastering difficulties without help, constantly leads to new effort.

The little foreigner, greatly handicapped where reading is taught by the word and sentence methods only, begins on an equal basis with his American neighbor, when the “Alphabet by sound” is taught.

In recent years only has the subject of phonics found a place on the daily school program; and there is perhaps, no other subject on the primary program so vaguely outlined in the average teacher’s mind and therefore taught with so little system and definite purpose.

The present need is a systematic and comprehensive but simple method of phonics teaching thruout the primary grades, that will enable any teacher, using any good text in reading, to successfully teach the phonetic facts, carefully grading the difficulties by easy and consecutive steps thus preparing the pupils for independent effort in thot getting, and opening for him the door to the literary treasures of the ages.

It is with the hope of aiding the earnest teacher in the accomplishment of this purpose that “How To Teach Phonics” is published.