Phonetic Reading

Phonetic Reading
A Practical Approach to Teaching Phonetic Reading

1

BACKGROUND

This book is an adaptation of the Montessori Beginning Reading Manual (MWEI) whose
authors Margaret Homfray and Phoebe Child were Dr Maria Montessoris first two disciples
in England. It is dedicated to the pre-school teachers and teacher trainers with whom my
Montessori colleagues and I have had the honour and pleasure of sharing this unique
Montessori Beginning Reading System.
From experience, we know that a book like this is invaluable and will be welcomed as a
quick pick-up reference to refresh the participants memory of the training they have
undergone at our English Language Workshops. The participants positive response and
enthusiasm made our workshops a resounding success and their written feedback confirmed
the need for such a book to guide and sustain them on the road to bringing literacy in
English to the children of Malaysia. We hope that even the most uninitiated will find this
book easy to digest and the Beginning Reading System easy to implement.
The benefits of the Montessori Method have long been the domain of a select group of
people those who were able to afford the training and the children who have had the
privilege of attending Montessori Pre-Schools. The public at large only have a vague
knowledge that a Montessori Preschool education is good but exclusive to the rich and
beyond the reach of the masses. In pedagogic circles, the Montessori Method maybe
regarded as obsolete but many parents and governments still recognise its success as an
effective approach to beginning reading in Early Childhood Education. Hence this book is a
start to demystify the Montessori System and making it accessible to all. With a hope and a
prayer, we are confident that this book will pave the way for future training and publication in
the remaining Montessori curriculum areas namely Practical Life, Sensorial Education,
Beginning Mathematics and Cultural Subjects.
Mrs Liew Sau Pheng

Note to the Reader
In this book, for the purposes of simplification, the teacher is referred to as she, while the
child is referred to as he.
2

CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1:INTRODUCTION TO PHONETIC READING ........................................ 3
CHAPTER 2: PRE-READING ACTIVITIES ................................................................ 4
CHAPTER 3: GEOMETRIC INSETS FOR DESIGN ................................................. 12
CHAPTER 4: SANDPAPER LETTERS.17
CHAPTER 5: WRITING22
CHAPTER 6: LARGE MOVABLE ALPHABET.24
CHAPTER 7: PHONETIC READING LEVEL 1 - Pink Scheme ..........31
CHAPTER 8: SIGHT WORDS ................................................................................. 42
CHAPTER 9: PHONETIC READING LEVEL 2 - Blue Scheme .............................. 44
CHAPTER 10: ADVANCED PHONETIC READING METERIALS...52

Appendices
1)PINK SCHEME - Three-letter or shorter phonetic words ....................................... 61
2)BLUE SCHEME - Four-letter or longer phonetic words ......................................... 62
3)Un-phonetic Letters or Phonograms ..................................................................... 63
4)Silent Letters ..................................................................................................... 65
5)Simple Irregularities .............................................................................................. 65
6)Compound Words ................................................................................................. 66
7)Sight Words - The 100 Most Frequent Words by Edwards and Summers ............. 67
8)Making Picture Cards for Pink and Blue Schemes ................................................ 68
9)Making Word Cards for Pink and Blue Schemes ................................................... 68
10)Making Big Picture Cards for Pink and Blue Schemes ........................................ 69
11)Making Silent Reading Cards for Pink and Blue Schemes .................................. 70
12)Making Word Lists for Pink and Blue Schemes ................................................... 71
Reference list.72
Panel of writers 73

3

CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION TO PHONETIC READING
Montessori Beginning Reading System is a fail-proof way of helping children learn the
sounds of the English Alphabet, first by writing then by reading. The first piece of apparatus
in this system the Geometric Insets for Design - introduces the child to all the lines and
curves of the 26 letters of the English Alphabet through a variety of enjoyable exercises
which are aimed at giving him pencil control and eye-hand coordination.
Following this, the child is presented with the Sandpaper Letters and is taught the phonetic
sound of each letter using the 3-period lesson. First he hears the sound of the letters and
traces them with the first two fingers of his dominant hand (i.e. feels the way the letter is
written). He is able to discriminate between two contrasting sounds correctly. This is the
acclaimed multi-sensory approach to reading: the child hears the sound, sees its
representation in the form of a letter, feels the correct way it is written with his fingers and
articulates the sounds. In this way a good motor pattern for handwriting is developed. In
contrast, a child taught by the Look and Say method is limited to the words that he has
been specifically taught. He depends on his memory to recall these words. With this
phonetic approach the child is able to sound out or decode any new word he confronts. This
approach is by far simpler and more effective, as 80% of the time, letters use the phonetic
sounds. Therefore with this knowledge the child has a better head start.
Unlike the traditional approach, the Montessori System teaches the phonetic sounds of the
letters before introducing the names of the letters so as not to confuse the child. He learns
to associate one sound with one letter and that sound does not change. If the sound
changes, the letter becomes non-phonetic. This often happens because some letters can
represent more than one sound. Other sounds that are less frequently used than the
phonetic sounds are also taught later as phonograms or as sight words. It is best for
children to learn one thing at a time. The names of the letters can be taught later. This is
the same with capital letters. In addition the child learns to listen for the same sound in
different parts of a word and not just at the beginning. With intensive practise using the
Large Movable Alphabet, the child goes into word building with the sounds and soon
becomes aware of the sequence of sounds in words.
Reading in English always involves an interplay of skills and experiences, none of which can
be neglected! Therefore a child is moved further into the reading process with the help of
objects and picture cards, and finally matching them with the word cards. Thus he makes
the breakthrough to literacy and begins to read phonetically, enjoying each step of the
journey. From sounding out letters to reading words, from words to phrases, phrases to
short sentences and then longer ones, the child graduates to reading story books all by
himself!

4

CHAPTER 2
PRE-READING ACTIVITIES
INTRODUCTION TO PRE-READING ACTIVITIES

Children like repetition, therefore we have chosen pre-reading activities such as songs,
chants, games and stories that contain repetitions in terms of spoken English to make their
learning an enjoyable experience!
PURPOSE OF PRE-READING ACTIVITIES

As most of our Malaysian children do not have the exposure to spoken English at a young
age, it is essential that pre-reading activities are introduced before starting them on the
Phonetic Reading System. The pre-reading activities enable the child to hear the spoken
language through songs, chants, games and stories. And because children find the English
expressions enjoyable, they love to repeat them, thus making the learning effective.

SONGS

Creating the environment for singing

The whole class is involved in the singing. The singing is usually carried out in a large open
space with the children standing in a circle. The songs are accompanied by interesting
actions and gestures that the child sees and follows. The children will eventually memorize
the songs and be able to sing by themselves.

Presentation
The teacher invites the children to stand in a circle and tells them to listen while she sings.
Then she teaches them the song line by line together with the action. Finally everyone will
sing together.

5

Examples of songs

Where is Thumbkin?

Where is Thumbkin, where is Thumbkin?
Here I am, Here I am,
How are you this morning?
Very well, I thank you
Run Away, Run Away

Where is Pointer, where is Pointer?
Run Away, Run Away

Where is Tall Man, where is Tall Man?
Run Away, Run Away

Where is Ring Man, Where is Ring Man?
Run Away, Run Away

Where is Pinky, Where is Pinky?
Run Away, Run Away

The Wheels on the Bus

The wheels on the bus go round and round,
Round and round; round and round.
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
All day long

The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish
swish, swish, swish; swish, swish, swish
The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish
All day long

The horn on the bus goes beep, beep, beep
beep, beep, beep; beep, beep, beep
The horn on the bus goes beep, beep, beep
All day long
6

The people on the bus go up and down
up and down; up and down
The people on the bus go up and down
All day long

The babies on the bus go weh, weh, weh
weh, weh, weh; weh, weh, weh
The babies on the bus go weh, weh, weh
All day long

The mommies on the bus go shhh, shhh, shhh
shhh, shhh, shhh; shhh, shhh, shhh
The mommies on the bus go shhh, shhh, shhh
All day long

Head And Shoulders Knees And Toes

Head and shoulders knees and toes
(knees and toes)
(knees and toes)
Eyes and ears and mouth and nose
(knees and toes)

Im A Little Teapot

Im a little teapot, short and stout
Here is my handle
And here is my spout
When the waters boiling
Hear me SHOUT!
Tip me over and pour me out
Tip me over and pour me out

Leo the Lion

Leo the Lion
Is the King of the Jungle
And he loves to roar and roar
ROAR!!!

Leo the Lion
When he roars is a warning
That you better run and hide
ROAR!!

7

Hokey Cokey

You put your right hand in
You put your right hand out
You put your right hand in
And you shake it all about
You do the Hokey Cokey
And you turn around
Thats what its all about (clap, clap)

You put your left hand in
You put your left hand out
You put your left hand in
And you turn around

Ooo The Hokey Cokey
Mmm The Hokey Cokey
Ooo The Hokey Cokey

Knees bent
Arms stretched
Rah! Rah! Rah!

You put your right foot in
You put your right foot out
You put your right foot in
And you shake it all about You do the Hokey Cokey
And you turn around

You put your left foot in
You put your left foot out
And you turn around

Ooo The Hokey Cokey
Mmm The Hokey Cokey
Ooo The Hokey Cokey

Knees bent
Arms stretched
Rah! Rah! Rah!
You put your whole self in
You put your whole self out
8

And you turn around

And you turn around

You put your left foot out
And you turn around

Ooo The Hokey Cokey
Mmm The Hokey Cokey
Ooo The Hokey Cokey

Knees bent
Arms stretched
Rah! Rah! Rah!

You put your whole self out
And you turn around

9

CHANTS

Creating the environment for chanting
The whole class is involved in the chanting. The chanting is usually carried out in a large
open space with the children standing in a circle. The chants are accompanied by
interesting actions and gestures that the child may learn and follow. The children will
eventually memorize the chants and be able to chant by themselves.

Presentation
The teacher invites the children to stand in a circle and tells them to listen while she chants.
Then she will teach them the chant line by line together with the action. Finally everyone will
chant together.

Example of chants

Three Little Monkeys

Three little monkeys were jumping on the bed
One fell off and bumped his head
His mommy called the doctor and the doctor said,
No more jumping on the bed!

Two little monkeys were jumping on the bed
One fell off and bumped his head
His mommy called the doctor and the doctor said,
Do keep those monkeys off that bed!

One little monkey was
jumping on the bed
he fell off and bumped his head
His mommy called the doctor
and the doctor said,
Well thats what you get for jumping on the bed!

10

GAMES

Creating the environment for games
The whole class is involved in the game. The game is usually carried out in a large open
space with the children standing in a circle. The teacher takes on the main role and assigns
names or numbers to each player. She takes on the main role and starts the game. Once
the children have understood the rules they conduct the games themselves.

Example of games

The Prince of Paris

The teacher invites the children to volunteer themselves. She needs six or seven children to
take part in the game. Then she will run through the game with the children, getting them to
repeat after her. Finally the game will start and everyone gets a turn.

Round 1
No. 1 : The Prince of Paris has lost his hat. Have you found it No. 4 sir?
No. 4 : (Jumps up) What sir, I sir?
No. 1 : Yes sir, you sir!
No. 4 : No sir, not I, sir!
No. 1 : Who then, sir?
No. 4 : No. 7, sir.

Round 2
No. 7 : No. 1, sir.

Round 3
No. 1 : No. 2, sir.

And the game continues on until everyone has had a turn. The teacher brings the game to a
close by getting the last child to say:
Yes sir, I found it sir!
11

STORIES

Creating the environment for story telling
The story is usually read to the whole class. The teacher reads the story to the whole class
in a lively manner at a pace which the children can follow. After reading to the children for a
while, the teacher will involve them in the reading because the story session should be
interactive and participatory.

Presentation
The teacher stands in front of the class and tells the children, Today I am going to tell you
an interesting story about <name of story>. Then she starts to read the story and reads the
story slowly with expression. When she comes to the spoken parts, she will invite the
children to repeat the lines with her. This continues until the end of the story. As the
children become more and more familiar with the story, they will take over the story telling.

Examples of stories

A few example of stories that can be used are Chicken Licken, The House That Jack
Built, Billy Goat Gruff, and The Enormous Turnip.
12

CHAPTER 3

GEOMETRIC INSETS FOR DESIGN

INTRODUCTION TO THE GEOMETRIC INSETS FOR DESIGN

In the Montessori approach, the child learns to write before he learns to read. The child is
given 10 geometrical shapes either in metal or in plastic, and he uses these to learn to write
the 26 letters of the alphabet.

The frames are in pink and the insets are in blue and the paper that the child uses are
squares of coloured paper cut to fit the size of the frames. Boxes of 48 to 60 different
coloured pencils are given so that the child is exposed to a wide range of colours, making
the exercises enjoyable.

Note: The Geometric Insets shown below on Fig 3.1 come in two parts, i.e. the blue insets
and the pink frames. Exercises 3, 6 & 7 allow the child to use both blue insets and pink
frames, while Exercises 1, 2 ,4 and 5 uses only the pink frames.

Fig 3.1

Geometric Insets for Design

Fig 3.2 Fig 3.3

Inset Paper Coloured Pencils
13

Curved Shapes

Circle Ellipse Oval

Curvilinear Triangle Quatrefoil

(Fig 3.4)

Lined shapes

Square Rectangle Triangle

Trapezoid Pentagon

(Fig 3.5)

14

PURPOSE OF THE GEOMETRIC INSETS FOR DESIGN

This apparatus prepares the hand for writing by helping the child acquire eye-hand
coordination and pencil control through an enjoyable exercise. It also introduces the child to
artwork and colour schemes as well as gives him an understanding of geometric designs
and symmetry, thus laying the foundation for mathematics.

Presentation

Exercise 1: Single Shape

The teacher asks the child to choose one shape from
the insets and two contrasting coloured pencils e.g.
red and blue together with a piece of inset paper.
She invites the child to join her and says, Today I
am going to show you how to work with the
Insets for Design. Watch me carefully.She shows
the child how to use the frame to trace the shape
onto the paper anti-clockwise, without lifting the
pencil off the paper. The teacher draws parallel lines
that go from left to right from one end of the shape to
the other. She draws the lines so close together that
no paper can be seen between the lines. Halfway
through, she invites the child to do the same, asking
Would you like to try?. Once the child
understands what he should do, the teacher leaves
him to work alone. He can choose his own coloured
paper and pencils and any frame to practise the
exercise.

Exercise 2: Symmetry

The aim of this exercise is to show the child how to
make a symmetrical design. The teacher chooses a
frame (e.g. the rectangle) and draws it on the inset
paper. She then turns the frame 90 degrees and
draws a second rectangle. The child looks at the
resulting design which is now a square with four
rectangular arms. The design can be filled in with
any colour scheme the child desires, but it is better
that he does not use the same colour for the two
adjacent sections of the design. The child can take
any shape to use in this way.

Fig 3.7

Fig3.6
15

Exercise 3: Double Outline

The teacher asks a child to choose a frame together
with its inset, as well as coloured paper and two
contrasting coloured pencils. She tells the child to
draw the frame in one colour and then shows him
how to cover the inset exactly over the drawn shape.
The child traces around the inset with the other
coloured pencil. He notices how the second shape
appears just outside the first one and the result that
the hollow frame and the solid inset give.

Fig 3.8

Exercise 4: More Than One Shape

The teacher demonstrates to the child how to make
designs using more than one shape(e.g. with a circle
and a triangle). The child then draws patterns with
the frames or insets and then colours them.

Fig 3.9

Exercise 5: Monochromatic Design

The teacher suggests to a child to colour his design in
different shades of the same colour. For example,
using a dark red coloured pencil and applying a
different pressure each time, he can get three shades
of red dark, medium and light red.

Fig 3.10

16

Exercise 6: All Over Design

The child is encouraged to draw designs that fill up
the whole paper.

Fig 3.11

Exercise 7: Border Design

This exercise requires a
long strip of paper that has
the length of three frames.
The child makes a border
design by moving the
frame along the paper.

Fig 3.12

17

CHAPTER 4

SANDPAPER LETTERS

INTRODUCTION TO THE SANDPAPER LETTERS

Sandpaper Letters are used to teach the 26 phonetic sounds of the English Alphabet. The
sandpaper letters representing the sounds are mounted on cards. The vowels are on pale
blue cards and the consonants on pale pink cards. Only the finest sandpaper is used. There
is sufficient space on either side of the cards for both right-handed and left-handed children.
The printed letters usually have the same font as those that the children see in books.

Fig 4.1

18

PURPOSE OF THE SANDPAPER LETTERS

The Sandpaper Letters teach the sounds and shapes of the English Alphabet. Every letter
of the alphabet is given a sound value. These sounds as represented by the letters of the
English Alphabet (consonants and vowels) are the smallest and most precise sounds in
speech that a human ear can hear. The phonetic sound of a letter is the clear sound most
commonly used in words.

a as in ant
b as in bus
c as in cat
d as in dog
e as in hen
f as in fig
g as in got
h as in hat
i as in ink
j as in jam
k as in kit
l as in lap
m as in men
n as in nod
o as in ox
p as in pet
q as in quit
r as in ram
s as in sun
t as in ten
u as in up
v as in van
w as in wet
x as in fox
y as in yes

z as in zip

We refer to the letters of the alphabet by their sounds not by their names because sounds
help the pronunciation of words, while names are only used in reciting the alphabet. One
does not teach the names and the sounds together because this will confuse the child. It
would also be difficult for the child to remember both names and sounds. Only after the
children have mastered the sounds, then the names of the letters are introduced.

The Sandpaper Letters apparatus enables the child to acquire a muscular memory of the
shapes of the letters in preparation for writing.

19

SANDPAPER LETTERS: A MULTI-SENSORY APPROACH TO LEARNING THE
ALPHABET

In the multi-sensory approach, the child hears the sound, sees its form, feels the way it is
written and says the sound. The child is also guided to listen for the same sound appearing
in different parts of the word, that is, at the beginning, in the middle and at the end. And, with
practise, he becomes aware of the sequence of sounds in words. A 3-Period Lesson is
conducted with the sandpaper letters.

THE 3-PeriodLesson

The Montessori teacher uses the following script to introduce the 3-Period Lesson.

Introduction

The teacher tells the child, Today we are going to learn two sounds with the Sandpaper
Letters. Lets go and wash our hands with soap and warm water.This makes the
hands more sensitive to touch and gives the child a muscular memory of the shape of the
letter and the way it should be written.

Fig 4.2

The teacher and the child then go to the shelf and select two letters that contrast in shape
and sound and return to the table. The teacher sits beside the child and starts the 3-Period
lesson.

Fig 4.3

20

First Period

The teacher places one letter in front of the child and traces the letter lightly in the direction
in which it is written using the first two fingers of her dominant hand, saying This is s.
Feel s. Then she gets the child to feel the letter in the same way and makes sure that he
traces it in the direction in which it is written. (If the child does not say the sound at this
stage, the teacher says it for him.) The same process is repeated with the second letter.
She says, This is t. Feel t and so on.

Second Period

The teacher checks whether the child has made the connection between the sound and the
shape of the letter. She places both the letters in front of the child and says, Write s. Do
it again.Then she asks him, Write t. Do it again.Next, she changes the position of the
two letters and asks the child to write and say the letters again. When she finds that the
child is sure of the sound, she continues to the Third Period. If the child makes a mistake at
this stage, the teacher takes the child back to the First Period and simply starts again.

Third Period

The teacher checks if the child can pronounce the sounds correctly. Placing one letter in
front of the child, she tells him, Feel the letter. Say the sound. The process is repeated
with the second letter.

Conclusion

Once the teacher knows that the child can pronounce the sounds correctly, she ends the
lesson by giving the child an idea of how the letters come together in words. She asks Can
you hear s when I say sun, when I say blossom, when I say miss? Can you
hear t when I say truck, when I say button when I say mat? Then she sends the
child off with this thought, If you can think of more words with s and t in them,
come and tell me.

(For a sample list of words where the sound of a letter appears in the beginning, the middle
and at the end, please refer to the next page.)

Note: If the child already knows the names of the letters, the teacher can explain to him that
each letter has a name and a sound. Since he knows the names, then she only needs to
teach him the sounds. At no time should the child be exposed to both the name and the
sound in the same lesson.
21

A sample list of words where the sound of a letter appears in the beginning, the
middle and at the end.

Sound Sound in the beginning Sound in the middle Sound at the end
a ant man -
b bag robin cub
c crab - plastic
d dog middle rod
e end net -
f fan muffin if
g gum magnet flag
h hat behind -
i if kid deli
j jack sojourn -
k kid ski drink
l lip clock till
m milk comet drum
n nut bonnet tin
o ox mop -
p pot trumpet cap
q quilt liquid -
r ring barren fur
s sun blossom miss
t truck button mat
u up bus -
v vest living rev
w well wigwam -
x - exit box
y yak beyond -
z zip zigzag buzz
Table 4.1

Note: When a space is empty it means that for that particular letter no word was found that
contains the sound in that position.
22

CHAPTER 5

WRITING

INTRODUCTION TO WRITING

The sandpaper letters have prepared the childs hand for writing. As a sequel to the
sandpaper letters the child needs to master the art of manipulating a writing instrument and
forming letters through a variety of activities.

Once the child has been working with the insets for design and is seen to have good pencil
control, he can be introduced to writing.

It is important at this stage to introduce the child to a writing table where he can go to
practise his writing skills.

PURPOSE OF WRITING

The purpose of writing is to enable the child to transfer the skills learnt with the insets for
design and the sandpaper letters to writing with a variety of writing tools on different
surfaces.

Presentation

The teacher shows the child where he can practise his writing skills. She then invites him to
choose a sandpaper letter by saying, Today, we are going to write the shape of a
sandpaper letter on a piece of paper.

Fig5.1
Choose a letter. Feel the shape. Do it again.
The child is encouraged to feel the shape for at least 3 times.
Now use a pencil to write it down on paper.
23

Note: The teacher observes that the child does not lift the pencil except when writing the
letters k and x, crossing the f and t and dotting the i and j. Take care that the child
learns the right way of writing a letter in the beginning as it will difficult to correct him later on.
As a variation to the above-mentioned activity, the child can be shown how to write on a
sand tray or a chalk board or on a whiteboard.
The teacher is encouraged to use the following print for writing the letters of the alphabet.

Fig5.2

24

CHAPTER 6

LARGE MOVABLE ALPHABET

INTRODUCTION TO THE LARGE MOVABLE ALPHABET

The Large Movable Alphabet is contained in a large box with twenty eight compartments
filled with blue vowels and pink consonants and dots for the is and js. With this apparatus
the children who have completed the sandpaper letters are able to practise breaking
phonetic words into sounds as a preparation for reading, writing and spelling.

Fig6.1

The exercise is broken down into three stages. In Stage 1, the teacher revises the sounds
taught previously using the sandpaper letters. There are two parts to the second stage. Part
One of Stage 2 involves the child in building three letter or less phonetic words. In the
Second Part, the child builds four letter or longer phonetic words. At Stage 3, the child builds
words with objects and picture cards.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LARGE MOVABLE ALPHABET

Beginning reading involves the skill of transforming symbols (letters of the alphabet) into
sounds for which the child needs a lot of practice. The Large Moveable Alphabet enables
the child to revise the sounds he has learned and to understand that these are the smallest
units of sounds that the letters of the code or the alphabet stand for. The children will go on
to learn that the letters on a page (the printed word) stand for specific sounds in spoken
English and the process of matching letters to sounds then make sense to them.
25

STAGE 1: REVISING THE SOUNDS

Purpose of Revising the Sounds

The purpose of using the Large Movable Alphabet at this stage is for revising the sounds
taught previously with the sandpaper letters.

Presentation

This is a group activity. The teacher spreads a large green mat on the floor and calls 3 or 4
children of the same ability to sit on the floor. She says, Today we are going to revise the
sounds of the Sandpaper Letters. She opens the Large Moveable Alphabet and puts the
box in the lid in front of the children.

The children take a look at the letters and then the teacher asks for various letters by their
sounds. She asks them, Can you find b? Put b on the mat.Every child tries to find
the letters. They do not need to take turns.

Fig6.2

When they have finished, she asks them, Can you find k? Put k on the mat.

Fig6.3

She waits for them to finish and then she asks them, Can you find q? Put q on the
mat.

Fig6.4
When they have had sufficient practise, they all help to place the letters back into the box.
She says, Put back b. Put back k. Put back q.The teacher can continue to ask for
more sounds.
26

STAGE 2: PART 1 BUILDING 3-LETTER OR SHORTER PHONETIC WORDS

Purpose of Building 3-letteror shorter phonetic words

The purpose of using the Large Movable Alphabet at this stage is to help the child build and
analyse3-letter or shorter phonetic words.

Presentation

This is another a group activity. The teacher spreads a large green mat on the floor and calls
on the same group of children to take part, using the same arrangement of materials. The
teacher tells the children, Now we are going to make words.

She asks them, What sounds can you hear when I say cat?. c-a-t, c-a-t, cat. Find
the sounds that make up the word cat. Put them on the mat. When they have
finished, the teacher puts the letters in the correct sequence, sounds the letters and reads
the words back to the children a few times. She pronounces the sound of each letter
individually and then as a whole word. She smiles and says, We have made the word c-a-
t, cat.

Fig6.5

Then she begins the next round by asking, What sounds can you hear when I say tin?
t-i-n, t-i-n, tin. Find the sounds that make up the word tin. Put them on the mat.
When they have finished, the teacher puts the letters in the correct sequence and sounds the
letters and says the word, We have made the word t-i-n, tin. The teacher continues with
more 3-letter phonetic words.

Fig6.6

Note: A list of 3-letter or shorter phonetic words is provided in the Appendices.
27

STAGE 2: PART 2 BUILDING 4-LETTEROR LONGER PHONETIC WORDS

Purpose of Building 4-letteror longer phonetic words

The purpose of using the Large Movable Alphabet at this stage is to help the child build and
analyse 4-letter or longer phonetic words.

Presentation

This is a group activity. The teacher spreads a large green mat on the floor and calls on the
same group of children to take part, using the same arrangement of materials. She tells the
children, Now we are going to make words.

She asks them, What sounds can you hear when I say hand h-a-n-d , h-a-n-d, hand.
She breaks up the words into individual sounds han-d and says them faster and faster
until the children hears the word hand. She asks the children, Find the sounds that
make up the word hand. Put them on the mat.The teacher arranges the letters in the
correct sequence to make the word hand. At this stage, the teacher may encourage each
child to sound the letters and say the word that he has made. She asks him, Now, can you
sound these letters and say the word?If the child is unable, then the teacher will say the
word for him.

Fig6.7

What sounds can you hear when I say frog? f-r-o-g, f-r-o-g, frog. Find the sounds
that make up the word frog. Put them on the mat. The teacher puts the letters in the
correct sequence. She asks him, Now, can you sound these letters and say the word?
If the child is unable, then the teacher will say the word for him.

Fig6.8

28

Note: A list of 4-letter or longer phonetic words are provided in the Appendices.

The teacher should not point out a childs mistake during this stage of word-building. If they
cannot give the word, the teacher says it for them. The child needs a lot of practise in order
to build the words correctly. The teacher gives them any help they ask for.

STAGE 3: PART 1 BUILDING WORDS USING OBJ ECTS

Purpose of Building Words Using Objects

The child who is able to build 3-letter phonetic words with the Large Movable Alphabet is
ready to work alone using objects to build words with minimal help from the teacher.

Presentation

The teacher spreads a large green mat on the floor and invites the child to sit beside her.
She opens a pink box containing small objects whose names are 3-letter phonetic words.
She shows the child how to put the box on the lid and take out the objects. The teacher uses
the following script.

Today we are going to use objects to make words.What is this object? Name this
object.The child tells the teacher that the name of the object (Fig 6.9) is a hen.

Fig6.9

Now find the sounds to make the name of the object. The child finds the sounds from
the box of Large Movable Alphabet and places them on the mat.

Fig6.10

You have made the word hen, h-e-n hen.

After the child has had sufficient practise with the 3-letter phonetic objects, he may use the 4-
letter or longer phonetic objects from the blue scheme in the same way.
29

Fig6.11 Fig6.12

The teacher reads the words back to the child as a preparation for the child to read for
himself. The teacher says the sound of each letter of the word, says them quickly, faster and
faster until the word is formed. The child sounds and reads in a similar manner. The teacher
encourages the child to work independently with the remaining boxes.

The child may make a spelling mistake, but as long as the child is working with interest, the
teacher must not interfere. If the child repeatedly misspells the same word, he can be shown
the correct spelling politely. For example, the teacher can write the correct spelling on a
piece of paper and give it to the child and say. This is how we write this word.

STAGE 3: PART 2 BUILDING WORDS USING PICTURE CARDS

Purpose of Building words using Picture Cards

The child who is able to build words with the objects is ready to work with the picture cards.

Presentation

The teacher spreads a large green mat on the floor and invites the child to sit beside her.
She opens a pink box containing small picture cards whose names are 3-letter phonetic
words. She shows the child how to put the box on the lid and lay out the picture cards. Then
she shows him how to take each card and build its name beside it and then takes another
picture card to do the same. The teacher uses the following script.

Today we are going to use picture cards to make words.
What is in the picture? Can you name it? The child tells the teacher that the name of
the picture in the card (Fig 6.13) is a fan.

Fig6.13
30

Now find the sounds that make up the name.The child finds the sounds from the box of
Large Movable Alphabet and places them on the mat.

Fig6.14

You have made the word fan, f-a-n fan.

When the child has had enough practise with the 3-letter phonetic word picture cards, the
child may use the 4-letter or longer phonetic word picture cards from the blue box and
continue to build words with them.

Fig 6.15

Fig6.16

Note: In introducing the activity to a child, the teacher says the sound of each letter of the
word, says them quickly, faster and faster until the word is formed. The child sounds and
reads in a similar manner.

The teacher encourages the child to work independently with the remaining boxes.
31

CHAPTER 7

PHONETIC READING

LEVEL 1 THE 3-LETTER PHONETIC WORDS: PINK SCHEME

Introduction to Phonetic Reading Pink Scheme

The Pink Scheme consists of reading materials that make use of 3-letter phonetic words.
There are 5 variations of reading materials in the Pink Scheme:

1. Pink boxes of attractive objects with corresponding word cards.
2. Pink boxes of picture cards with corresponding word cards.
3. Big pink cards with six pictures and space under each for the name cards.
4. Pink boxes labelled Silent Reading containing squares of coloured paper with 3-letter
phonetic words written on them.
5. Long lists of 3-letter phonetic words.

Purpose of Phonetic Reading Pink Scheme

The purpose of the Pink Scheme is to provide a variety of materials for reading practise in
order to make reading enjoyable.

Presentation

Objects and word cards

Fig7.1

The teacher takes the box of objects and sets it in front the child on the table, placing the box
on the lid. The teacher says, Today we are going to do some reading.

Fig7.2

32

The teacher asks the child to place the objects in a row in front of him and invites the child to
name each of them.

Fig7.3

Place the objects in a row. Can you name each of them?

When the child is able to name each object, he receives a word card from the teacher. The
teacher uses the following script:

This card contains the name of one of the objects.

Fig7.4

Can you say the sound of the letters in the name?
Can you say them faster? Can you say them even faster?

The teacher continues to help the child say the sounds together faster and faster until the
child hears the word. The child hears the word formed by the combined sounds and places
the word card next to the object.

Now, match the word card to the object.

You may work with this on your own.
33

Fig7.5

The child continues independently with the rest of the objects and word cards.

Fig7.6

When the child has finished, the teacher helps the child check his work. Can you read
them to me?

The child reads the word cards. When he is finished, he puts the cards back into the box.
34

Picture cards and word cards

Fig7.7

The teacher takes the box of picture cards and sets it in front of the child on the table,
placing the box on the lid.

Fig7.8

The teacher uses the following script, Today we are going to do some reading.

The teacher invites the child to place the picture cards in a row in front of him and then to
name them.Place the picture cards in a row. Can you name each of them?

35

Fig7.9

When the child is able to name each picture, he receives a word card from the teacher and
she says, This card contains the name of one of the pictures.

Fig7.10

Can you say the sound of the letters?

The teacher continues to help the child say the sounds together faster and faster until the
child hears the word.

The child hears the word formed by the combined sounds. The teacher tells him to match
the word card to the picture card. Now, match the word card to the picture card.The
child places the word card beside the picture card.

36

Fig7.11

You may work with this on your own.

The child continues independently with the rest of the picture cards and word cards.

Fig7.12

37

When the child has finished, the teacher helps the child check his work. She says, Can
you read them to me?

The child reads the word cards and when he has finished, he puts the cards back into the
box.

Big Picture Cards and Word Cards

Fig7.13

The teacher takes a big picture card with the packet of word cards and sets them in front of
the child and says, Today we are going to do a matching exercise.

38

Fig7.14

The teacher places the big picture card in front of the child and asks the child to name each
picture.

The child receives a word card from the teacher and is asked to read the word.

Fig7.15

Can you read this word?The child reads the word bus (Fig 7.15).

Now, match the word card to the picture.

39

Fig7.16

The child continues independently with the rest of the big picture cards and word cards.

Fig7.17

40

Silent Reading Box

Fig7.18

The teacher takes a silent reading box and sets it in front of the child on the table, placing the
box on the lid next to the box.

Fig7.19

She uses the script, Today we are going to read silently and that means we dont make
any sounds.

The teacher demonstrates what it means by silent reading. She takes out one of the folded
pieces of paper, unfolds it, reads the word silently, moving her lips as though she is making
the sounds, folds it back and puts it on the lid.

Fig 7.20 Fig 7.21

She takes out another piece and another piece, each time reading them silently until the
child gets the idea that she does not make a sound when she reads. She then invites him to
do the same, saying, Now, you try.

The child takes out a piece of folded paper, unfolds it and then reads the word silently.

The child continues to practise reading silently by himself until he finishes reading all the
words. The teacher tells him, You may work with this for as many times as you like.
When you have finished, put it back on the shelf.
He then continues to practise with the remaining Silent Reading boxes.
41

Word Lists

Fig7.22

The teacher takes out a word list and sets it in front the child. She says, Today you are
going to do some reading with the word lists.

The teacher holds up the word list and invites the child to read the words.

Here is a list of words. Can you read them by yourself?

After the child finishes reading the list aloud, the teacher ends the lesson by saying, You
can continue to read other lists to yourself, silently.

At another time, the teacher will show the child how he can copy the words from the lists
into a same sized paper with red and blue lines (Fig 7.23) to guide his writing. In this way
the child will not only improve his reading but his writing as well.

Fig 7.23

Note: The Word Lists may be hung on the wall so that the child may read them at his leisure.
42

CHAPTER 8

SIGHT WORDS

INTRODUCTION TO SIGHT WORDS

The common words like a and the cannot be read phonetically. Such words are taught as
sight words to the child using the 3-Period Lesson with a box of words printed on square
pieces of grey or beige paper.

Fig 8.1 Fig 8.2

PURPOSE OF SIGHT WORDS

The purpose of sight words is to teach the common words that cannot be decoded
phonetically. Teaching a child sight words will help the child read fluently and become an
independent reader.

PRESENTATION

The teacher takes the box of sight words and sets it in front the child, placing the box on the
lid. The teacher uses the 3-Period Lesson.

Introduction
Today we are going to learn two sight words.

First Period
This is a a a.
This is the the the.

Second Period
Show me the.
Show me a.

The teacher switches the cards and asks,
Show me the.
Show me a.
the a
43

Third Period
She points to a. What is this word?
The child tells the teacher that the word is a.

She points to the.What is this word?
The child tells the teacher that the word is the.

Conclusion
Today, we have learned, a and the. You can take them out and name them for as
many times as you like, and when you have finished, please return them to the shelf.

The teacher may use the same method to teach other sight words. For the list of the 100
Most Frequent Words by Edwards and Summers, please refer to the Appendices.

Note: Please refer to the Appendices on how to make Sight Word cards.
44

CHAPTER 9

PHONETIC READING

LEVEL 2 THE 4-LETTER PHONETIC WORDS: BLUE SCHEME

Introduction to Phonetic Reading - Blue Scheme

The Blue Scheme consists of reading materials that make use of 4-letter phonetic words.
There are 5 variations of reading materials in the Blue Scheme:

1. Blue boxes of attractive objects with corresponding word cards.
2. Blue boxes of picture cards with corresponding word cards.
3. Big blue cards with six pictures and space under each for the name cards.
4. Blue boxes labelled Silent Reading containing squares of coloured paper with 4-
letter or longer phonetic words written on them.
5. Long lists of 4-letter phonetic words.

Purpose of Phonetic Reading - Blue Scheme

The purpose of the Blue Scheme is to provide the child with a variety of reading materials for
practise and to make reading enjoyable to him.

Presentation

Objects and word cards

Fig9.1

The teacher takes the box of objects and sets it in front the child on the table, placing the box
on the lid and says, Today we are going to do some reading with some longer
phonetic words.

Fig9.2
45

The teacher invites the child to place the objects in a row in front of him and then to name
them. Place the objects in a row. Can you name each of them?

Fig9.3

When the child is able to name each object, he receives a word card from the teacher and
she says, This card contains the name of one of the objects.

Fig9.4

Can you read this word?The child says the sounds of the letters and pronounces the
word. Now, match the word card to the object.

The teacher allows the child to work independently.

Fig 9.5 Fig 9.6

The child continues with the rest of the objects and word cards. The teacher returns to
check on his work and listens as the child reads each word card.

46

Picture cards and word cards

Fig9.7

The teacher takes the box of picture cards and sets it in front of the child on the table,
placing the box on the lid.

Fig9.8

She says, Today we are going to do some reading with longer words.

The teacher invites the child to place the picture cards in a row in front of him and then to
name them. She says, Place the picture cards in a row. Can you name each of them?

Fig9.9
47

When the child is able to name each picture, he receives a word card from the teacher and
she says, This card contains the name of one of the picture cards.

Fig9.10

She asks him.

Can you read this word?The child reads the word.

Now, match the word card to the picture.

Fig9.11

The child continues independently with the rest of the picture cards and word cards. The
teacher returns to check on his work and listens as the child reads each word card.

Fig9.12
48

Big Picture Cards and Word Cards

Fig9.13

The teacher takes a big picture card with the packet of word cards and sets them in front
of the child. She begins by saying, Today we are going to do a matching exercise.

Fig9.14
49

The child receives the packet of word cards from the teacher. She asks him. Can you
read this word?

Fig9.15

The teacher then tells the child to, Match the word card to the picture.

Fig9.16

The child continues to work independently with the rest of the big picture cards and word
cards.

Fig9.17
50

Silent Reading Box

Fig9.18

The teacher takes a silent reading box and sets it in front of the child on the table, placing the
box separately from the lid. She tells the child to read silently as he has done for the Pink
Scheme.

Fig9.19

The child takes out one of the folded pieces of paper one by one, unfolds it, reads the card
silently, moving his lips as though he is making the sound, folds it back and puts it on the lid.

Fig 9.20 Fig 9.21

The child continues to practise reading silently by himself until he finishes reading all the
words. He then continues to practise with the remaining silent reading boxes.
51

Word Lists

Fig9.22

The teacher takes out a word list and sets it in front the child. She says, Today you are
going to do some reading with lists of longer words.

She invites the child to take out a list, Here is a list of words. Can you read them
yourself?. The child reads the list aloud.

At another time, the teacher will invite him to copy the word list into a same sized paper with
red and blue lines (Fig 7.23), just as he had done for the Word List from the Pink Scheme.

Note: The Word Lists may be hung on the wall so that the child may read them at his leisure.
52

CHAPTER 10

ADVANCED PHONETIC READING MATERIALS

Introduction to Advanced Phonetic Reading Materials

The child who is ready for more advanced reading materials can look to the following reading
materials for his reading practice:

1. Phrase booklets
2. Short Sentence booklets
3. Long Sentence booklets
4. Picture cards with matching sentence cards for comprehension (Comprehension
Cards)
5. Story Books

Research has shown that before the age of 6, children enjoy the study of language for its
own sake. The Advanced Reading Materials enable the child to see connected prose how
words join together to make phrases, then short sentences, longer ones and finally to
compositions in the form of story books. These reading materials holds the key to progress
in the English language. Competency is the childs goal and competency stems from
repetition. Children repeat actions, and this is the time (from 4 to 6 years), when he
willingly practises reading to achieve mastery.

The Purpose of Advanced Phonetic Reading Materials

The purpose of giving the child more advanced reading materials in the form of Phrase
Booklets, Short and Long Sentence booklets, Comprehension Cards and Story Books is to
make the breakthrough to early literacy. The child must learn to read by himself with the
appropriate and manageable reading materials that are designed for this purpose. In this
way the child is set for success.

The Advanced Reading Materials are specifically designed for training the skill of reading. It
provides the constant and sustained practise in silent reading that the beginning reader really
needs in order to acquire fluency after he has been building words from sounds.

Preparation

The teacher sets-up a book corner in the classroom and puts up the sign SILENCE so that
children who go there to read will know that they have to be quiet.

53

Presentation

The teacher shows a child how to remove a book from the shelf and to return it to its proper
position when they have finished reading. He is told that he can take the books to read by
himself whenever he feels like it.

The teacher gives a lesson on how to handle and care for books. She shows the child how
to turn the pages as he reads the books.

The child should be able to read the phrases, short sentences and long sentences on his
own. The child can self-correct by looking at the pictures. At first, he may pause between
each word. If so, just ask him to listen to you while you read the phrases with expression
and then read silently.

Phrase Booklets

Example:

Fig 10.1

Each booklet contains phrases and illustrations. The phrase booklets are to introduce a
phase i.e. phonetic words placed together in a meaningful way. Phrases do not have a verb,
capital letter or full stop. Sight words, a and the are introduced by the teacher using the
3-period lesson.

54

Short Sentence Booklets
Example:

Fig 10.2
Each Short Sentence booklet contains short sentences and illustrations. These booklets
introduce capital letters and full stops. A sentence must always have a verb. The teacher
can revise the new sight words, and introduce the concept of the capital letter at the
beginning and full stop at the end of the sentence. The child should then be able to read the
short sentences on his own, and can self-correct by looking at the picture.

Longer Sentence Booklets
Example:

Fig 10.3

Each booklet contains longer sentences and illustrations. These booklets are an extension
of the short sentence booklets, challenging the child with new vocabulary and longer
blending.
55

Introduction to Comprehension Cards
The child needs to understand the written word in order to match sentences with appropriate
picture cards. The comprehension cards may comprise of sentence cards with matching
picture cards. In each set of comprehension card, either one verb or one noun is varied
each time in otherwise constant sentences.

Purpose of Comprehension Cards
The purpose of comprehension cards is to check whether the child understands what he
reads and if he is able to match the sentence he has read to the appropriate picture.

Presentation

The following 2 presentation are examples on how the comprehension cards are presented
to the child.
1) Comprehension Cards which focus on the Noun

The teacher takes the picture cards and sentence cards, sets them in front of the child and
says, Today we are going to do a matching exercise.

Fig 10.4
The teacher invites the child to lay out the pictures. Please lay out the pictures?
56

Fig 10.5

The child receives a sentence card from the teacher. She asks him to read the
sentence.Can you read this sentence?

Fig 10.6

She tells the child, Now, match the sentence to the picture.

The teacher may leave the child to work independently by saying, You may work with this
on your own.

57

Fig 10.7

The child continues to work independently with the rest of the pictures and sentences.
When he has finished, she asks him, Can you read them to me?

The child can choose to work with the cards again or put them back on the shelf and take
another set of comprehension cards to work with.

58

2) Comprehension Cards which focus on the Verb

The teacher takes a new set of picture cards and sentence cards, and invites the child to
work on it independently.Today we are going to do a matching exercise. Would you
like to work on this by yourself?

Fig 10.8
The child lays out the pictures.

Fig 10.9
He reads a sentence.

59

Fig 10.10
Then the child matches the sentence to the appropriate picture.

Fig 10.11
The child continues to match the rest of the pictures and sentences independently.

The teacher returns to tell the child that he is free to choose to work with the cards again or
return them to the shelf and continue to work with other materials.
60

Choosing Story Books for Children's Reading Pleasure

Teachers must exercise care in choosing books for young childrens reading pleasure.
Books chosen for the young child should feed his mind and help him understand the world
around him. Examples of such books are books about animals, plants, vehicles, space,
buildings and how people live in different countries. The photography in these books should
be clear and attractive and the English used must be good and grammatical because as the
child reads, he is learning spelling, punctuation, sentence construction and the use of words.
A childs aesthetic taste is formed in the early years. Therefore, as teachers or parents, we
have to provide him with the best that humankind can offer. If we give children books, then
these books must be well written with beautiful illustrations and the language used must be
rich.

61

APPENDICES

(1) PINK SCHEME - Three-letter or shorter phonetic words
bag
bed
bib
bin
box
bun
bus
cap
cat
cot
cup
dog
dot
fan
fez
fig
fin
fox
gum
hat
hen
hut
jam
jet
jug
kid
leg
lid
log
man
mat
men
mop
mud
mug
net
nut
ox
pan
peg
pen
pig
pin
pod
pot
pup
red
rod
six
sun
tap
ten
tin
top
tub
van
web
wig
yak
zip

62

(2) BLUE SCHEME - Four-letter or longer phonetic words

bell
belt
black
blot
brick
bulb
bunk
button
clam
cliff
clip
clock
clog
club
cock
crab
crisp
cross
desk
doll
dress
drum
duck
flag
flex
frog
gong
gull
hand
hill
kilt
king
kitten
lamp
lemon
lemon
lock
magnet
milk
mill
mitt
muff
neck
nest
pink
plank
plug
plum
pond
pram
pump
quilt
ribbon
ring
robin
rock
sack
sand
sandal
seven
sink
skunk
slug
smock
sock
splint
stag
stamp
stem
step
stick
strap
string
stump
swing
tank
tent
truck
twig
well
vest

63

(3) Un-phonetic Letters or Phonograms

In the English Language, certain letters have been combined and are given a new sound
value. For example, when c and h are combined, the new sound is the phonogram ch.
Below are 48 different phonograms that children need to learn in order to read fluently.
Teachers may make cards for these phonograms using green paper and teach them to the
child using the 3-Period lesson.

sion
television
mansion

tion
station
fraction

ure
picture

ph
elephant
dolphin

wh
whip
whisk

ign
sign

le
castle
apple
rattle
kettle
bottle
puzzle
buckle
cradle
rectangle
peddle

dge
bridge
badge
judge
hedge
ledge

y
holly
jelly
sixty
berry
teddy
donkey

er
letter

a-e
face
cage
cape
gate
safe
cake
rake
snake

ai
nail
pail
sail
snail
rain
train

ay
hay
tray

ie
pie
tie

y
fly

igh
light

o-e
coke
bone
cone
mole
rose
stove

oa
coat
goat
loaf
soap
toad
toast

ee
bee
feet
leek
green
tree
deer

ea
bean
leaf
read
seal
seat

i-e
kite
five
hive
nine
pipe
stile

oe
hoe
toe

64

oo
moon
spoon
zoo
hoop
broom
stool
foot
hood
book
cook
hook
crook

u-e
lute
flute

ue
glue

ew
screw

aw
jaw
paw
saw
hawk
yawn

au
vault

all
ball
wall
or
cork
fork
corn

ir
girl
skirt
fir
bird

ur
curl

er
fern
kerb

ou
house
cloud
scout
snout
trout

ow
owl
cow
gown
clown
brown
crown

or
horn
fort
stork

ore
core

ar
arm
car
card
cart
dart
barn
harp
star
scarf

oi
oil
coil
coin

oy
boy

are
hare

air
fair
hair
stair

ear
ear
tear
beard
spear

ou
gourd

th
moth
cloth

ch
champ
match
chest
chimp
chick
chop
hutch
crutch

sh
sash
shed
shelf
shell
ship
dish
fish
shop
brush

el
camel
barrel
tunnel
65

(4) Silent Letters

The letters highlighted in red are silent.

lamb knot wren castle
tomb knee wrack listen
climb knuckle wrong rustle
thumb knight writer whistle
bomb knock wrist soften
dumb knitting wrap fasten

(5) Simple Irregularities

SimpIe Irregularities are words that contain two letters of the same sound placed together
side-by-side. The child is told to only pronounce the sound once.

bonnet
bucket
carrot
jacket
locket
parrot
pocket
puppet
rabbit
rocket
66

(6) Compound Words

Compound words are not phonetic words and they are made up of two words. The
compound words given below are frequently found in childrens literature. They may be
learned as sight vocabulary and taught to the child using the 3-period lesson.

bedroom
blackbird
carpet
crayfish
cupcake
dustpan
eggshell
fishpond
flagpole
football
handbag
jigsaw
lipstick
mailbox
milkman
pancake
peacock
peanut
popcorn
raincoat
seagull
seaweed
seesaw
starfish
target
teapot
teaspoon
toolbox
toothbrush
windmill

67

(7) Sight Words - The 100 Most Frequent Words by Edwards and Summers

The 100 most frequent word types listed below, accounted for nearly 50% of the 250,000
words used. (Edwards, 1974)

a
about
all
also
an*
and*
any
are
as
at*
be
because
been
but*
by
called
can*
could
do
each
first
for
from*
good
had*
has
have
he
him*
his
how
i
if
in*
into
is*
it*
its*
like
made
make
many
may
more
most
much
must*
new
no
not*
number
of
on*
one
only
or
other
out
over
people
place
same
see
should
small
so
some
such
than
that
the
their
them
then
there
these
they
this
through
time
to
two
up*
use
used
very
was
water
we
were
what
when
which
who
will
with
work
would
you
your

The teacher has to write the sight words given above on beige or grey cards and teach them
using the 3-Period lesson. The child can use these words to learn at his pace and record
them in his book of words. Words in asterisk (*) are phonetic words.
68

(8) Making Picture Cards for Pink and Blue Schemes

FigA.1

(9) Making WordCards for Pink and Blue Schemes

FigA.2
5cm
2.8cm
6.3cm
4.3cm
5cm
6.3cm
pod
3cm
69

(10) Making Big Picture Cards for Pink and Blue Schemes

FigA.3

26.5cm
21cm
5cm
2.8cm
1.2cm
1cm
1cm
1cm
1.2cm
6.3cm
4.3cm
3.3cm
1.3cm
2.5cm
3.5cm
70

(11) Making Silent Reading Cards for Pink and Blue Schemes

FigA.4

5cm
6.3cm
job
3cm
71

(12) Making Word Lists for Pink and Blue Schemes

FigA.5

2cm
and
beg
pit
not
jug
lap
set
lit
pop
rim

2cm
1cm
10cm
28cm
72

REFERENCE LIST

Montessori Book:

Beginning Reading, Margaret Homfray& Phoebe Child, Montessori World
Educational Institute, Copyright by Authors 1982, Revised 1993.

Songs:

1. Where is Thumbkin?
2. Wheels On The Bus
3. Head And Shoulders Knees And Toes
4. Im A Little Teapot
5. Leo the Lion
6. Hokey Cokey

Chant:

Three Little Monkeys

Game:

The Prince of Paris
73

PANEL OF WRITERS

Advisor:
Tuan Haji Ali bin Ab. Ghani AMN
Director, Curriculum Development Division
Ministry of Education Malaysia

Editor:
Dr Ng Soo Boon
Head, Sector of Early Childhood Care and Education
Curriculum Development Division, Ministry of Education Malaysia

Writers:
Mrs Liew Sau Pheng
Mr Daniel Kwok Tak Hoong

Typesetting:
Mr Daniel Kwok Tak Hoong
Mr Mohd Azahar Bin Madar

The materials for the photographs taken in this book were made available
by courtesy of:

DArgosy Educational Equipment (M) Sdn. Bhd.
Email address: d_argosy@hotmail.com

Special thanks to:

The principal and the children of Tadika Kawan Sejati. Kuala Lumpur

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Phonetic Reading

A Practical Approach to Teaching Phonetic Reading

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