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english raven's phonics!
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Paper-Based Practice/Application [Free Downloads]
These are older files from the English Raven archive, and require MS Word to download and view them. They can also be seen in .pdf fromat by downloading the Phonics and Vocabulary Building Teacher Resource Kit located here.
Games and Activities
Several games/activities relevant to the teaching of Phonics are documented in the new Phonics and Vocabulary Building Teacher Resource Kit. For more information, click here.
Motor Skills
Motor Skills are essential from a typological perspective, as this is what helps the students to learn how to produce neat accurate letter writing at a very early age. Knowing how to draw lines from top-to-bottom, left-to-right and in the correct sequence will greatly enhance their letter writing ability. It is also good as a remedial measure for students who are clearly writing letters incorrectly. Imitation on its own is not enough for some students when it comes to writing letters, and employing Motor Skills activities in the classroom will provide some systematic guidance for them. It is generally advised that teachers start with simple Motor Skills worksheets (for example Motor Skills 1 below) and gradually progress to more advanced patterns and size differentiation although any of the activities can be employed for specific remedial purposes.
Motor Skills Downloads:
Motor Skills 1 | Motor Skills 2 | Motor Skills 3 | Motor Skills 4 | Motor Skills 5 | Motor Skills Various
Alpha-Themes
A very effective way to both recycle the alphabet (or sections of the alphabet) and to make it more stimulating for the students is to present it as part of various themes. The "theme" should capture the students attention, rather than the alphabet study itself. If alphabet letters are written or applied as part of a thematic activity, the students are much more likely to find it interesting and challenging. Some typical "Alpha Themes" are listed below, though it should be noted that the range of themes possible is limited only by the creativity of the teacher concerned. Be imaginative - you might surprise yourself!
Alpha-Themes Downloads:
Alpha-Pics
Alpha Pics involves a more systematic approach to alphabet writing and vocabulary application. This is a good writing/drawing activity that makes an excellent follow up to Motor Skills and Alpha Themes, and also lends itself well to recycling. While it may seem a little repetitive, students tend to enjoy applying their own creativity to the pictures and generally like to produce something that this is attractive to the eye. Earlier attempts at Alpha Pics can involve looking back through any Phonics books for vocabulary/picture ideas (thus encouraging independent study and learning strategies). The sheets can also be progressively gathered together to create an "Alphabet Book" that the students have made themselves. Later attempts at Alpha Pics can be made more challenging by disallowing students to look in their textbooks for ideas, or by asking them to draw multiple vocabulary items for each letter. Alpha Cards can also be used to apply Alpha Pics to guessing game formats.
Alpha-Pics Downloads:
Alpha-Bingo
Bingo is always a popular game with students, and Alpha Bingo is an excellent way to hold their attention, encourage accurate listening and application skills and create fun and motivation. There are 2 Alpha Bingo games presented here, but the activity lends itself well to all sorts of variations. In Alpha Bingo 1 provides 6 games with a narrowed range of letter values, good for focusing on particular letters or letter groups. Alpha Bingo 2 is the more adaptable version, it can be used for writing or drawing or a combination of both. Alpha Bingo 2 can also be used for more advanced levels, to focus for example on written words or differentiating long and short vowel sounds. The format for Alpha Bingos 1 and 2 makes them good for quick warm-ups or filler activities.
Alpha-Bingo Downloads:
Alphabet Consolidaton
It is vital to consolidate students' alphabet knowledge and writing before they make the transition to more advanced study areas such as digraphs, long vowels vs. short vowels, consonant blends, etc. Students need to practice applying the alphabet in its entirety, and in focused sections that presented particular difficulties for them. The sorts of activities used can be drawn from Alpha Theme work or Alpha Pics, but they should contain as much of the alphabet as possible.
Vocabulary Builders and Picture Dictionaries
Phonics study is a great way to build up students' vocabulary. In addition to the vocabulary provided in a standard Phonics textbook, focusing on particular letters and sounds provides an opportunity to draw the students' attention to the vocabulary in their core textbooks and other basic words that will enhance their "word hoard" for the purposes of communication. Having studied a letter in their Phonics book, it is a good idea to ask the students to find words in their other books that have the same initial, final or medial sound, or that rhyme with words in the Phonics textbook. It is also a good idea to ask them to see if they can't think up more words on their own. Having added effectively to the vocabulary for that letter/sound, it is then important to consolidate it in the form of some kind of activity, whether it be a chain-memory game around the class or an illustration-application activity on paper.
Students can also build their own picture-based dictionary using correct alphabetical sequencing.
Vocabulary Builders and Picture Dictionary Downloads:
Sentence Writing Practice
Active sentence writing eventually becomes a big priority in any child's English education, so it is a good idea to introduce and practice it as part of any Phonics curriculum. English Raven's Sentence Builder and Sentence Navigator materials (see here) also greatly facilitate this, but it is still a good idea for the teacher to implement a variety of activities that encourage sentence writing (as opposed to simple letter or word writing). The Writing Practice Template below provides sentence lines for students to write on, and is also formatted to allow teachers to type in sentences to be copied or questions requiring answers. Note that word order is a big priority in sentence writing, as is spacing and punctuation. Also note that students tend to find it easier to copy sentences by writing below them, whereas letter imitation is best facilitated by writing next to the letter to be copied. A simple method of encouraging students to produce clear spacing between words is the "fingernail rule" where students place their finger on the page next to the last word written and write the next word on the other side of it.
Sentence Writing Practice Downloads:
Sentence Stress
Sentence Stress is the process that gives English its particular rhythm, and is one of the key areas in which a native speaker is clearly differentiated from a second language learner. Sentence Stress is surprisingly easy to teach to children, and provided it is introduced early and clearly and then constantly recycled, students stand a fair chance to learn how to produce very natural sounding English. From early textbooks onwards, Phonics lessons in the textbook often incorporate short simple sentences to illustrate the sounds/letters. It is recommended that these sentences always be the focus of a quick sentence stress identification/production exercise. The link below includes a full explanation of English sentence stress with a list of suggested activities.
Sentence Stress Downloads:
Phonics Application, Games and Activities
English Raven Junior's first foray into Phonics with basic motor skills...
Watch the video and click on the thumb nails below to see how he got on!
ERES
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