There is more to phonics than whole language enthusiasts are willing to accept - There is more to whole language than phonics proponents are willing to accept.

CLOVERDALE, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, January 4, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Phonics is a skill helpful to reading and spelling. Whole language is fluent, meaningful, reading which includes prosody.
Reading benefits from both. While the science of reading is trending in the direction of phonics, phonics while a useful skill, can be too restrictive at times. Most children will not be harmed by practice reading with interesting readers that bring joy and meaning while practicing "Dad is glad that Tad has a tan hat and a cat." While practice on logical structures such as these help with developing sounds, they also have a downside, children are not understanding the purpose and joy of reading. Also, in looking at reading from a stimulus-response view, we are not seeing how the brain interacts with all of these components.
Phonics lacks prosody. While phonics is the science of reading, prosody is the music of language, the sounds that bring joy and mystery. and meaning in the way words are said. Real reading doesn't just happen with phonics: It requires practice with repeated reading, leveled books, and other whole language activities.

While reading researcher and author Matthew Glavach. Ph.D. understands the importance of phonics, he feels that a reason why reading scores are so low is that we are missing a fundamental step in the teaching of reading, and it is not phonics. Children, especially children from challenged environments, have been found to have underdeveloped or delayed language development and poor auditory discrimination for sounds. Distinguishing sounds is fundamental to learning to read.

Music with lyrics helps develop important reading skills. The rhythm in songs is slower than speech and there is more separation of sounds which improves auditory discrimination and helps children develop the sounds for letters and words. The melody of songs can help with developing prosody and fluent reading skills. The words in songs help language development.

Listening to, playing, reading, and creating music involves almost every part of the brain. If one pathway is weak, music can help open others. With practice, songs build stronger connections between the right and left sides of the brain and can bring many to reading. Learning to read requires attention, engagement, and repetition, all a part of singing.

Most children’s songs benefit enjoyment and learning. One difficulty with songs and reading is that children often memorize the songs, and the words are in sequential memory. The author uses a finger-point reading activity with each song that has students identify words quickly putting the words into long-term memory and available for reading. A difficulty with songs on a computer screen is that many children cannot follow the bouncing ball. Children need to point to each word.

Phonics Songs plus is based on a first-grade study using only songs and chanting that showed significant improvement in reading and attitude over traditional phonics.
https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_dissertations/280/ content

The author is so concerned about the need to improve reading and how Phonics Songs plus can make a difference for readers, especially struggling readers, that he is offering grade one free for a limited time. as a free digital program. This offer is absolutely free, no credit card required, and your email will not be shared. He will also be offering a free program from his extensive catalog of preschool through college learning programs free each week for the new year. The program for the week of January 8 is Latin and Greek Word Roots., Grade six thru high school.

PHONICS SONGS plus is for all students, including students with reading difficulty and English as a Second Language. The program is easy to use by parents and teachers and can be used as a support for phonics programs or as a phonics program. For those of us who go back a few years, Donny and Marie bring fond memories.

Click on this link for your free program. https://www.strugglingreaders.com/dm/
(The program offer can be discontinued at the author’s discretion. Emails will not be shared.)

Matthew Glavach
Glavach & Associates, StrugglingReaders.com
+1 707-894-5047
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