Sound Systems: Explicit, Systematic Phonics in Early Literacy Contexts
How to teach phonics to young children is one of the most vexing and complex issues for early childhood educators today. Teachers know lockstep commercial phonics programs do not meet the needs of all children. At the same time, teachers who avoid explicit instruction in phonics because they lack linguistic and assessment know-how cannot help students who may need the most support in understanding phonics. Even teachers who are savvy about the latest research and methods for phonics instruction struggle to find time to add more to a full school day. Here is a resource that strikes a balance between the rigidity of commercial programs and leaving phonics learning to chance. Sound Systems, by two educators with extensive experience as primary-grade teachers, merges a rich research base in developing phonics instruction with a wealth of practical materials, from assessment protocols to sample lessons.