Overview:
Phonics Builder Kits are for students who have learned the sequence of the alphabet and can associate some basic vocabulary with most of the letters (ie, the sort of study represented by Phonics Starter). There are 6 kits, each containing 5 lessons of 3 pages, totalling 90 pages of downloadable material.
Builder works on adding more vocabulary for the alphabet's consonants and short vowel sounds, reviewing and consolidating Phonemic awareness for these sounds and introducing the concept of "first", "last" and "middle" letter. Consonants and short vowels start combining to create simple monosyllabic words, some additional words employing long vowel sounds are introduced, and common "sight words" are also included.
Developing basic reading skills is a big emphasis for the Builder series - by the conclusion of the series, students have access to a considerable bank of words recognizable in written form. They should have cemented their knowedge of basic consonant sounds and short vowels and could be expected to be able to accurately write simple monosyllabic words they hear spoken or see illustrated.
Various "discovery learning" techniques are featured in the Builder kits, the most prominent of which is represented by wordfinds that illustrate the vocabulary chosen for the various sounds and require the students to locate the written forms. These wordfinds also incorporate all the previously studied and about to be studied words, so that students can relocate them and recycle their recognition skills peripherally.
