I have to revise my view on phonics in Papua New Guinea after visiting an elementary school in Lae and seeing the splendid work being done in the grade 1 class with students who have started school one and a half years ago.
The preparatory grades were struggling with words and spelling but had only been at school since the start of this year. They enjoyed the rhythmic chanting of sentences.
But the grade 1 class had a teacher experienced in teaching phonics and had given lists of similar words - heel, steel, feel, wheel, keel (The keel of the boat was made of steel) and then given lists of sentences containing the words just as we have done with Dr Seuss type silly sentences (The fat cat sat on the small rat in the tall hat)
Students then read out all sentences from the wall charts. The words in the sentences were reasonably complex fo grade 1.
But the students knew over 100 sentences from wall charts. But they did not speak in rhythm. All sentences were made up of strong stresses. Papua New Guinea students have no idea of weak-strong stress. It is all strong-strong-strong.
But the students knew over 100 sentences from wall charts. But they did not speak in rhythm. All sentences were made up of strong stresses. Papua New Guinea students have no idea of weak-strong stress. It is all strong-strong-strong.
Still they knew the sentences off by heart. They found my patterns very easy which is making me go back home to design sequences that will challenge this grade 1 class. Does this mean they can read books with ease? Perhaps.
My only criticism or perhaps suggestion for improvement would be that the sentences form part of a sequence across all sentences to teach students the structure of English sentences.
In the grade 1 class, the wall sentences had no system and would not prepare students for the next phase of combining simple sentences into complex sentences. I see a challenge here.
But still the students in this class would be far ahead of the students in the past struggling with vernacular and not English.
The curriculum for the phonics is going to be fluid as some students appear to be racing ahead supported by their teachers who are drilling the new patterns.
The format will be as follows: (1) structure patterns ( I go I go I go to town I go to town), (2) spelling supported by sentences (steel, heel, feel - I feel pain in my heel) (3) silly sentences ( It was sunny and I saw a funny bunny. It was a very funny bunny. The bunny was very funny) (4) grammar structures ( He gave money .... me. He took money .....me. They sat in a boat ......the river. They swam ....... the river. They sat ....... the river).
I am told that many students race far ahead in phonics to the point they have the skill of students two grades ahead. Some students have been placed in higher grades and excelled at higher levels. But there is more to learning than just phonics.
I am finding that there are grade 2 students who will easily master the higher Mastery Writing skills within a year or two . Phonics must open the door to a systematic mastery of English patterns.
It is not just an end in itself that goes for 2 years at the start of a child's education. The rhythm of language is valid to the end of schooling. All successful novelists and journalists know that their writing has to have elegance and beauty that comes from skill in sweet phonics. Please click:
WRITE SWEET ENGLISH
Phonics is the starting point for elegant, beautiful and professional writing. I strive to write in sweet english even on this blog. I write a paragraph and then read to myself to make sure that the rhythm is regular and sweet.
The curriculum for the phonics is going to be fluid as some students appear to be racing ahead supported by their teachers who are drilling the new patterns.
The format will be as follows: (1) structure patterns ( I go I go I go to town I go to town), (2) spelling supported by sentences (steel, heel, feel - I feel pain in my heel) (3) silly sentences ( It was sunny and I saw a funny bunny. It was a very funny bunny. The bunny was very funny) (4) grammar structures ( He gave money .... me. He took money .....me. They sat in a boat ......the river. They swam ....... the river. They sat ....... the river).
I am told that many students race far ahead in phonics to the point they have the skill of students two grades ahead. Some students have been placed in higher grades and excelled at higher levels. But there is more to learning than just phonics.
I am finding that there are grade 2 students who will easily master the higher Mastery Writing skills within a year or two . Phonics must open the door to a systematic mastery of English patterns.
It is not just an end in itself that goes for 2 years at the start of a child's education. The rhythm of language is valid to the end of schooling. All successful novelists and journalists know that their writing has to have elegance and beauty that comes from skill in sweet phonics. Please click:
WRITE SWEET ENGLISH
Phonics is the starting point for elegant, beautiful and professional writing. I strive to write in sweet english even on this blog. I write a paragraph and then read to myself to make sure that the rhythm is regular and sweet.
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