The Word Master: A Phonics and Reading Program
by Rene Schiltz
This new phonics and reading program is now available exclusively from The Classical Pedagogue!
After two years of work, I am finally ready to release this program which I hope will make teaching reading and phonics much easier and more fun for mothers and students. Based on Word Mastery by Florence Akin (pub. 1914), the program starts with short bursts of 5 minute lessons and over a few weeks expands into ten and then fifteen minute lessons. It is portable and can go with you anywhere: in the car, to the doctor's office, to the park, etc. Unlike other programs, it is based on communication between you and your child for the first month or so, which means no pencils, paper or supplies (other than your voice) required.
As your student progresses into writing, the program also becomes a spelling curricula. I believe this is key to creating good spellers. Start early and teach the spelling rules when you teach the phonemes. Even if they just hear it because they aren't writing quite yet, it will lay a foundation for good spelling.
Below I have included a sample which demonstrates lesson 1.
SAY: Today we shall play a game. Listen and see if you can guess the word I am saying, or follow the instruction I give you to show you have figured out the special word.
DO: Read the following sentences using only the phonetic sound of the hyphenated words. Go very slowly to make sure each sound is pronounced clearly and independently. Choose one word in each sentence to sound out for now, later you can do sentences with two or more words. See Appendix A & B for more words.
Show me something R-E-D.
T-A-P on your D-E-S-K.
H-O-P on one F-OO-T.
Where is the W-IN-D-OW?
Who has a D-O-G?
Does a C-A-T have claws?
Does your D-A-D drive a T-R-U-CK?
SN-A-K-ES are reptiles.
The D-O-LL is PR-E(i)-TTY.
The J-U-N-GLE is where the T-I-G-ER-S live.
D-I-D you BR-U-SH your teeth today?
C-A-N you J-U-M-P high?
Cold W-A-T-ER feels good on a H-O-T day.
TIP: Connect a few phonograms for the child to understand
blends easier such as S-N=SN, E-R = ER, etc.
This lesson or "game" is played until the student is easily recognizing that these sounds represent words, and the student is easily connecting and decoding the words from the phonemes.
From there, more lessons or "games" are introduced which focus on listening, speaking and finally, the visual act of letter recognition. Learning phonics in this order creates a student with a better understanding of the decoding process for reading.
Here is a sample from a lesson from the spelling section of the book (these lessons are taught much later than the first - possibly 4-6 months later).
Card 13 Th-, -th
Consonant Digraphs
SAY: Today let’s learn (*voiced) “th.” Say it with me, “th.” This digraph has another sound (**unvoiced) “th.” Let’s try that one together, “th.” Some words use the voiced sound of
“th,” and other words are unvoiced like in “th.” Here are some words using the voiced sound of “th.” The, that, those, this. Say them with me. (Do so.) Now try saying these words: thin, thick, thump. They do not have the voiced sound at the beginning. So we have learned two sounds today, “th” and “th.”
DO: Go over the words in the chart below and decide which
ones are voiced, and which are unvoiced. Have fun with it and make it a game. Say each word with both sounds to discover which is correct. Show the “Tt” and “Hh” cards together.
thin thick thump width tenth throb the that then this these those
See Appendix F.
*Voiced - Place your tongue between your teeth and say the
“th” sound so that you hear it and can feel it in your throat.
**Unvoiced: Place your tongue between your teeth and blow
air over the top of the tongue.
