Intensive Phonemic Awareness and Phonics Instruction for Students in Upper Grades Who Need Support with Foundational Reading, Phonics Skills, and Spelling

Posted on August 10, 2021 by Emily Banks

3rd Grade Lead Teacher (3B)

Summary of workshop/​opportunity

This institute will support upper-grade teachers whose students need foundational skill support. The institute will tackle this work in ways that are joyful, asset-based, and inclusive.

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Triangle/Square/Circle

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What are 3 things I took away/​learned?

1. Effective phonics instruction is crucial to fostering long-term literacy skills.

2. There are more symbols than sounds in English (44 phonemes, 250 graphemes). It makes sense that students will not have mastered all of them in K-2.

3. High-frequency words should be taught using phonics principles, not through memorization.

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What squared with my existing practice/​beliefs?

Third and fourth grade are a "gray area" for phonics instruction. However, it is clear that phonics instruction is needed in upper elementary grades.

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What is still circling around in my head?

What phonics skills have been taught K-2? What phonics needs do my students have? How will I assess this? What work should be done in the Learning Center and what should be done in the classroom? Should we adopt a common phonics curriculum in K-4 (i.e. Teachers College)?

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Would you recommend this opportunity?

Yes

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PD #235

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