WHAT ARE PHONICS?

"Phonics is the study of the way in which spelling represent the sounds that make up words. It is related to phonetics, which is the study of speech sounds in general" (Wikipedia, 2006).

Phonics refers to a process of learning, in which written words become familiar by learning the sounds that those letters make in a particular language.  In earlier days, we were taught to "sound it out". Although our teachers didn't call this "phonics", that is really what it was. Today, much more is understood about the role of phonics in learning, and great tools are available for use in the school and at home.

HOW DO PHONICS HELP CHILDREN LEARN TO READ?

When it comes to learning to read, if a child can learn to recognize the sound that a letter makes, it is much easier for the child to recognize familiar words as well as scrutinize new words. Making the connection between what is on paper and what one hears, increases the child's confidence level. This in turn, leads to an increased desire to read, and with each book the child's reading skills improve.

WHAT BOOKS CAN I USE TO HELP TEACH PHONICS?

While any book can help kids learn to read, there are books which are specifically designed to teach phonics. Scholastic Publications (and their Cartwheel Books division) is one of the leading publishers of phonics related materials. Scholastic's Clifford the Big Red Dog is featured in six different series of phonics books. Each "Phonics Fun" pack features 12 different books, contained in a colorful storage box and includes a cassette tape as well.

Pack #6 Box

Cover of  Book #3, Pack #4

 Each book is authored by an educational specialist, and is designed to focus on one particular sound. For example, one book in the series might focus on the sound of the letter "x". By the time each book is mastered, the child will have acquired a whole new set of phonics skills. In this example, "A Good Day for Clifford" (Book #3 of pack #4), the focus is on the sound "oo" Built into the story are many examples of words using the "oo" sound.

Inside Cover Explaining the Focus of the Book

Example of Illustrations and Text

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CLIFFORD'S STORYBOOKS, AND CLIFFORD'S PHONICS BOOKS?

Norman Bridwell, the author and creator of Clifford, wrote the majority of Clifford storybooks. His books are renowned for excellence in childrens' literature and come highly recommended. In these books, the emphasis is on a story, written to the level of the child. The stories are fun, imaginative, and exciting. They are in essence, "storybooks". Clifford Phonics books, are also fun, imaginative, and exciting. The same characters that are found in the storybooks, are also found in the phonics books. The difference is in the overall purpose of the books. Phonics books are written with specific target skills in mind. Each book in the series differs from the other in that each teaches a particular skill. "Phonics Fun" books are written for children ages 4-6 or 4-8 (depending on the series).

CAN I GET SINGLE COPIES OF CLIFFORD PHONICS BOOKS?

While Scholastic Publications issues Phonics Fun series in packs of 12 books, it is possible to find both new and used single copies (or complete packs) of Phonics Fun books on eBay.

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