Phonics and Decoding

Types of Phonics

• Analogy phonics

• Analytic phonics

• Embedded phonics

• Synthetic phonics

​TSLB3573 | Kho Chung Wei

Success Criteria

By the end of this topic, I will be able to:

• Compare and contrast the four different types of phonics

• Examine the strengths and weaknesses of each type of phonics

• Demonstrate how each type of phonics is taught

• Analyse and compare each type of phonics using a graphic organiser

​​TSLB3573 | Kho Chung Wei

Overview

​​TSLB3573 | Kho Chung Wei

Multiple Choice

Which type of phonics is demonstrated in this video?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UelDGI6Zbc&t=3s

• Synthetic phonics

• Embedded phonics

• Analogy phonics

• Analytic phonics

Analogy Phonics

• Analogy = comparing things based on their similarities

• Uses known word families to help children decode unfamiliar words

• Teaches phonograms (or rimes) and their related word families (formed by adding onsets or consonant patterns at the front)

• 37 high-frequency phonograms found in over 500 words commonly found in lower-level texts (Wylie & Durrell, 1970):

  • -ack, -ail, -ain, -ake, -ale, -ame, -an, -ank, -ap, -ash, -at, -ate, -aw, -ay

  • -eat, -ell, -est

  • -ice, -ick, -ide, -ight, -ill, -in, -ine, -ing, -ink, -ip, -it

  • -ock, -oke, -op, -ore, -ot

  • -uck, -ug, -ump, -unk

​​TSLB3573 | Kho Chung Wei

Open Ended

What are some strengths and weaknesses of analogy phonics?

Analogy Phonics

Strengths:

• Builds a Child’s Vocabulary: Starts with the familiar and builds on it to reach unfamiliar or less well-known words.

• Helps Children Identify Patterns: The repetition and clustering of words helps children learn patterns in the English language.

Weaknesses:

• Uses Guess Work: Children often get away with guessing phonemes (and at times are encouraged to). They will know either the onset or rime, and guess the rest of the word rather than focusing fully on all phonemes in the word.

• Not as Good for Constructing Words: The focus of this approach is on deconstructing rather than constructing words.

​​TSLB3573 | Kho Chung Wei

Multiple Choice

Which type of phonics is demonstrated in this video?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AV3FcTMSSoE

• Synthetic phonics

• Embedded phonics

• Analogy phonics

• Analytic phonics

Analytic Phonics

• Start with familiar words that students have learnt by rote and then break them down into onset and rime

• Teach students to identify and analyze parts and patterns within whole words

• Teach students to apply established orthographic patterns to support memory of whole words

• Use memory of whole words to read with automaticity

​​TSLB3573 | Kho Chung Wei

Open Ended

What are some strengths and weaknesses of analytic phonics?

Analytic Phonics

Strengths:

• Teaches Sounds in Context: Sounds are learned as parts of words, rather than in isolation and decontextualized.

• Starts with the Familiar: Teachers can start with words children are familiar with and use them as a springboard for further teaching.

• Helps with Decoding New Words: Emphasizes decoding, which is great for reading new and unfamiliar words

​​TSLB3573 | Kho Chung Wei

Analytic Phonics

Weaknesses:

• Uses Guess Work: Children often get away with guessing phonemes (and at times are encouraged to). They will know either the onset or rime, and guess the rest of the word rather than focusing fully on all phonemes in the word.

• Some Students Slip Behind: Because instruction is not as structured and direct as in the synthetic approach, some struggling students could slip behind and not understand.

• Not as Good for Constructing Words: The focus of this approach is on deconstructing rather than constructing words.

​​TSLB3573 | Kho Chung Wei

Multiple Choice

Which type of phonics is demonstrated in this video?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoaqX_-J-fs

• Synthetic phonics

• Embedded phonics

• Analogy phonics

• Analytic phonics

Embedded Phonics

• Teach phonics in authentic reading contexts

• Begin with a teacher reading a book and teach phonemes and graphemes when they arise in teachable moments (e.g. interesting, recurring)

​​TSLB3573 | Kho Chung Wei

Open Ended

What are some strengths and weaknesses of embedded phonics?

Embedded Phonics

Strengths:

• Contextualized: Students learn about words and how to decode them while reading actual books.

• Good for Practice: Once children have learned the basics of phonics, they need a lot of practice – and when they stumble upon issues, they need reinforcement on those issues.

Weaknesses:

• Guess Work: When students look at context to understand a word, they are guessing rather than thinking about phonetics.

• Can’t be Used in Isolation: It won’t work alone – at some point students need direct explicit and structured instruction.

​​TSLB3573 | Kho Chung Wei

Multiple Choice

Which type of phonics is demonstrated in this video?

https://youtu.be/RbbEAyIztOc

• Synthetic phonics

• Embedded phonics

• Analogy phonics

• Analytic phonics

Synthetic Phonics

• Teach reading by blending the sounds of letters and letter groups to form words

• Start with teaching phonemes and then progress to teaching full words

• Systematically teach phonics beginning with explicit instruction about the 44 phonemes and graphemes in the English language

  • Usually involve whole-class explicit teaching lessons and a great deal of repetition of phonemes

• Then, move on to blending phonemes to build words

  • often gets the nickname of the ‘blending and building’ approach.

​​TSLB3573 | Kho Chung Wei

Open Ended

What are some strengths and weaknesses of synthetic phonics?

Synthetic Phonics

Strengths:

• Structure: It provides a very structured introduction to reading. This structure ensures no phonemes or graphemes are missed and students get thorough instruction.

• Good for Manipulating Language: The focus on blending and building words using phonemes helps children when they come across (or need to write) unfamiliar words. They will be very used to the process of blending phonemes to create words.

• Research Backed: Research consistently finds it to be the most effective method of teaching reading.

​​TSLB3573 | Kho Chung Wei

Synthetic Phonics

Weaknesses:

• Whole Class: Learning of phenomes and graphemes tends to be done through whole-class instruction rather than differentiated and individualised.

• Decontextualized: Phonemes and graphemes are learned out of context and disconnected to words. This may confuse students and make them unsure about the purpose of the lesson.

​​TSLB3573 | Kho Chung Wei

Multiple Choice

Arrange the four types of phonics from the most structured to the least structured.

• 1. 1. Embedded

  2. 2. Analogy

  3. 3. Analytic

  4. 4. Synthetic

• 1. Synthetic

  2. Analogy

  3. 3. Embedded

  4. 4. Analytic

• 1. 1. Embedded

  2. 2. Synthetic

  3. 3. Analogy

  4. 4. Analytic

• 1. Synthetic

  2. Analytic

  3. Analogy

  4. 4. Embedded

Multiple Choice

Arrange the four types of phonics from the most contextualised to the most decontextualised.

• 1. 1. Embedded

  2. 2. Analogy

  3. 3. Analytic

  4. 4. Synthetic

• 1. Synthetic

  2. Analogy

  3. 3. Embedded

  4. 4. Analytic

• 1. 1. Embedded

  2. 2. Synthetic

  3. 3. Analogy

  4. 4. Analytic

• 1. Synthetic

  2. Analytic

  3. Analogy

  4. 4. Embedded

Wrap-up

​​TSLB3573 | Kho Chung Wei

​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf9zUWaYrXE&t=175s