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Phonics instruction, an outdated practice to some, is often viewed as something that does not belong in the primary classroom. As I continue to learn more about the Science of Reading, I see how strategic and explicit phonics instruction is a necessary part of teaching children to read successfully. In this post, I will share a few things that I learned about phonics instruction from Chapter 3 of the book, Shifting the Balance: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Balanced Literacy Classroom (Burkins and Yates, 2021).
In my previous post about this amazing book, I describe how so many people interchange terms like phonemic awareness, phonological awareness, and phonics as if they all mean the same thing. I have done the same thing, too! I am growing my understanding of each term. It’s true, the meanings do intertwine, yet they are all significant parts of teaching my students to read.
Read This: A Little Fun with Phon – Words (blog post by Burkins and Yates, www.thesixshifts.com)
Phonics instruction is a way to guide our students to learn the connections between sounds (phonemes) in our spoken language (e.g., English) and the letters (graphemes) that we use to represent them. Since language is first learned through speech, we need to help our students learn how to make those connections. We can help them do this with intentional and explicit instruction of phonics.
Phonics instruction is a way to guide our students in learning the connections between sounds (phonemes) in our spoken language (e.g., English) and the letters (graphemes) that are used to represent them.
Read Previous Post: Try Something New: Phonemic Awareness Instruction
The title of the third chapter (or Shift 3) is “Reimagining the Way We Teach Phonics”. One of the biggest take-aways for me is that too often, some phonics instruction may happen, but with little planning or intention. Such an approach limits us in truly assessing what students need to learn and also what they have learned.
Related Reading:
Blog Post: Shifting the Balance – Professional Reading for the Summer
Blog post about Shift #1 (Talking Builds Comprehension)
Blog post about Shift #2 (Phonemic Awareness)
I learned that specific programs are not necessarily required for phonics instruction in my classroom. If I work on building a stronger understanding of phonics routines, then I can help set up my students for reading success. I am reminded that going from simple to more complex is key. Also giving students plenty of chances to apply new learning helps to consolidate information.
Table 3.1 in the book (page 68 – 69) called, “Systemic Phonics Progression: Why, What, and When” shares six principles that children need to understand, as well as examples of explicit phonics instruction.
A key message again is to carefully plan for and explicitly teach phonics.
Kris, www.mindstogrow.ca
In this chapter, I am able to see how a Sound Wall can be instrumental in helping students make those connections between sound and spelling. I have started using one in my classroom this year and it is a joy to see how the children use it daily during whole group and small group activities.
In Table 3.2 (page 71), a chart called, “Sound-Spelling Correspondence Examples” beautifully breaks down how we can teach these connections:
Example:
Phoneme: /b/ (sound)
Number of Spellings: 1
Graphemes: b (letter / symbol)
Example: bat
I will definitely implement the “High Leverage Instructional Routines for Systematic Phonics Instruction” as described in Table 3.3 (page 78). It shows eight routines, explains the purpose, and frequency for doing them in class! Some routines can be done each day, whereas others can be done 1-3 times per week, 2- 3 times per week, or as needed.
Since focusing more on the Science of Reading this year in my primary classroom, I have done a lot more work on helping students blend words, build words, read words, and write words. I will do more work now on helping students analyze, compare, and contrast patterns we see in spelling.
The “Continuous Blending Routine” (page 79) is something I have been using to assist my students in blending sounds and letters together to say or read a word. I intend to follow the steps on page 80 for teaching cumulative blending (Table 3.5). This method breaks down the blending process into even smaller parts, and thus can help those who really need it. I have never really tried this particular approach before and so I’m eager to see how it helps my students during reading conferences!
WEBSITE: www.TheSixShifts.com
Even though phonics instruction has been frowned upon by some over the last while, I have learned that it has a very important place in my reading program. Teaching students the tricks of making connections between sounds (phonemes) and letters (graphemes) lays a foundation for successful reading. Prescribed programs can offer some help in teaching phonics in the classroom, however they are not required. With mindful and intentional planning, educators can create a system (scope and sequence) to help guide instruction, give students opportunities to work on what has been taught, and see the growth in their reading.
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In order to further assist my students as they learn to read, I am using the book, Shifting the Balance by Jan Burkins and Kari Yates, as a resource. I will share my learning about the importance of phonemic awareness instruction from the second chapter, “Shift 2: Recommitting to Phonemic Awareness Instruction” and reflect on some ways I intend to use it in my classroom. It has also inspired me to try something totally new and I can’t wait to see how it all works out over the year.
READ THIS: “Shifting the Balance: Professional Reading for the Summer”
*non-affiliate / unsponsored link*
In the opening of this chapter, there was a description of how certain terms like phonemic awareness, phonological awareness, and even phonics are often used as if they all mean the same thing. I have also been confused over the years with the terms. Reading this chapter has helped clarify it more for me, but I will surely revisit this chapter often to build upon and review my learning.
According to the text, Shifting the Balance, phonemic awareness “involves only spoken sounds, without letters attached” (page 38), while phonemic awareness instruction is “teaching children to notice, articulate, and manipulate the smallest sounds in words” (page 35).
READ THIS: “Talking Builds Comprehension: Create Opportunities to Talk”
This was one of the topics of “misunderstanding” in this chapter, that “phonemic awareness develops naturally” (page 36). Learning to listen, learning to read, is a whole lot of work! It takes great time and effort to develop these key skills. For that reason, students need the time and regular practice to work on becoming stronger in these areas.
Reading through this chapter made me realize just how necessary it is to consistently and explicitly teach students about the sounds they hear, especially as they learn to read. It made me think about how I’m going to plan for phonemic awareness instruction in my daily routines. I definitely want to approach teaching phonemes differently this year.
Phonemes are the smallest sounds in words. These small, individual sounds (phonemes) are what I need to help my students learn more. There are 44 phonemes in the English language. Check out Jake Pool’s post, “44 Phonemes in English and Other Sound Blends” to see a nice breakdown of phonemes.
Here is a great video that models the 44 phonemes in English.
This chapter is extremely important and I’m so glad that it’s part of this book. I have to admit, however, that it was overwhelming. There is so much helpful information packed into this chapter. It is why I will revisit the chapter many more times this year in order to try out different things!
A recommendation for making this shift calmed me down after wondering how I would be able to “do it all”. The authors suggest that educators “gather what you need for thoughtful phonemic awareness instruction” (page 50). Here are the four things they suggest teachers really need to do this:
WEBSITE: www.TheSixShifts.com
*non-affiliate / unsponsored links*
One suggested routine is to help students learn to observe how sounds are made. The reasoning behind this routine is to give children the opportunity to see how their mouth, lips, etc. make different phonemes. I instantly loved the recommendation to have students look in a mirror to see what their mouths look like when they make certain sounds…then I remembered that it won’t work this year in class since we are wearing masks due to the pandemic.
That’s when I decided I needed to find another way to help this process start in the classroom, despite the fact that we cannot see our mouths as we manipulate sounds.
I decided that I will use a Sound Wall, one with images of mouth shapes connected to the sounds being made.
I searched through many resources online and finally selected one by Simply Kinder. Check out this awesome resource here!
I plan on instructing my students carefully and not simply placing the images on the wall before explicitly teaching them about a specific sound. I want to encourage them to use it as a reference.
I have learned that I truly need to be intentional about phonemic awareness instruction. If I consistently and explicitly help my students focus more on this, it is my hope that I can especially help those who may be struggling readers and writers.
How do you use phonemic awareness instruction to help students learn to read and write?
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In order to further assist my students as they learn to read, I am using the book, Shifting the Balance by Jan Burkins and Kari Yates, as a resource. I will share my learning about the importance of talking from the first chapter, “Shift 1: Rethinking How Reading Comprehension Begins” and reflect on some ways I intend to use it this school year.
READ THIS: “Shifting the Balance: Professional Reading for the Summer” *non-affiliate / unsponsored link*
As mentioned in my initial blog post about this book, Shifting the Balance aims to help in “clearing up some confusion” and discussed various misunderstandings. I really appreciated the visual diagrams and explanations for “Listening Comprehension’s Three Processing Systems” and “The Four-Part Processing Model for Reading Comprehension” (adapted from Seidenbern and McClellen, 1989). It set the stage for talking about the need to realize that reading comprehension doesn’t begin with print on the page (e.g., reading the words from a book), but actually with spoken language.
Now, this information about the power of talking wasn’t news to me. I have learned from experience that a precursor for learning language is through speech. However, I was really excited to see the High-Leverage Instructional Routines for Language Development in Table 1.3 of this chapter. It gave several examples of practical routines that can be used in class, shared reasons why they’re important, and then provided some examples. What I noticed was that the routines shared are actually tasks that have been using in class already! This made me happy because when I first picked up the book, I was thrilled for new learning, yet worried about having to create a new program or completely different routines.
The old saying of “Talk is Cheap!” doesn’t apply here in any way! There is so much value in using talking as a means of developing comprehension skills in our students. I will focus on three of the awesome routines as described by the authors in this chapter. I look forward to using them this year with a renewed purpose and aim to keep them consistent.
Students enjoy talking with their friends, especially in social settings such as recess time. Open, unplanned conversation during class time is something I want to use more intentionally this year. I think my students would love periods of time where they can respectfully initiate conversation during class time on topics of their choice. Some may feel like it’s getting a few moments of extra recess time, but it’s in fact an opportunity to strengthen key skills in a naturally fun and engaging way!
Providing opportunities for planned and meaningful conversations during class time helps students build comprehension and strengthens communication / speaking and listening skills. Such planned conversation time can happen during your scheduled day (e.g., sharing ideas about a book that was read in class; asking peers about their favourite games to play, etc.)
I created a “Let’s Talk!” Series of digital slides that I can’t wait to use in my classroom this year! This resource will help me start quick, meaningful discussions in my classroom. They will be on topics specific to our curriculum and also based on topics of personal interest to the students. Click on the image below to see a quick video of the first set of slides!
If I want my students to develop strong communication skills, then I need to introduce them to a variety of words on a regular basis. Teaching new vocabulary to students, helping them learn the definitions of words, and how to use them in context, empowers students! I remind my students that when they use these interesting words in context as they speak, their families will be so impressed! We have lots of fun learning new words on a daily basis. I’m always so thrilled when I hear students using the “Word of the Day” in a sentence or in response to a question asked during a lesson.
To help me intentionally organize my words for teaching each day, I have been using an amazing resource as a guide for many years. A Word a Day (Grade 1) has been extremely helpful to me in teaching new words to my students. There are other books in the series for other grades, too. Some words may seem like they are too difficult for the students, yet you’d be amazed at how students respond to the daily instruction of learning new vocabulary!
*non-affiliate / unsponsored link*
Read alouds are also a suggested routine in Shifting the Balance! It’s something we all do and something that students love. To help, we can intentionally select books that will allow them to build schema, make connections, learn new words, facts, etc. Engaging them in conversation about the books in a text set can also help them develop a deeper comprehension. It’s a great way to give our students the tools they need to talk more about what they know (or wish to know).
Here is a small example of a Text Set on the science topic of Living Things. In this Text Set, I selected both fiction and non-fiction books about bears (non-affiliate / unsponsored links):
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Eric Carle
National Geographic Readers: Sleep, Bear!
National Geographic Readers: All About Bears (Pre-Readers)
Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson
I would use the books to help students discuss facts about bears they notice in the fiction books (especially the story, Bear Snores On).
This first chapter helped me focus on some purposeful routines that I can continue using, but with greater intention. With the reminder that talk time is an extremely important way to help students build and strengthen comprehension, I look forward to including the following routines this year:
How do you plan to incorporate more conversation time into your classroom?
Let’s chat on social media! Stay connected with Minds to Grow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. You can also keep in touch with linktr.ee/mindstogrow.
Shifting the Balance is a book that caught my attention recently because it focuses on a topic that I want to learn more about: the Science of Reading. While scrolling on Instagram just a few weeks ago, I noticed the term, the “Science of Reading” and it stopped me in my tracks. It was a term I had not seen or heard before and it instantly made me curious. For this reason, I started searching for resources to help me learn more about the Science of Reading.
I was so happy to come across the book, Shifting the Balance by Jan Burkins and Kari Yates (2021). After reading more about the resource, I decided that it was the best fit for me. I ordered the book and it is now my professional reading for the summer break! I have yet to start the book, but I’m excited to learn more about the Science of Reading through studying this resource.
Upon looking at the cover, I see that this book is primarily suitable for teachers from Kindergarten to Grade 2. The subtitle for the book, Shifting the Balance is “6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Balanced Literacy Classroom”.
Hmmm. A Balanced Literacy Classroom…that’s my classroom. That’s what I have learned about from so many workshops, professional resources, and more. The title of the book was calling out my name and I knew that it would be the book to help me understand what this shift is all about!
The term, “balanced literacy” has been at the forefront of many language programs, especially in early primary classrooms (Kindergarten to Grade 2). In my opinion, it is a broad term that describes ways to help immerse students in different kinds of language activities (e.g., guided, shared, independent work) in order to help them become well-rounded readers and writers.
I personally love helping my students grow and strengthen their language skills through reading, writing, oral communication, word play, etc. The focus on having a balanced literacy program has felt like the norm for the last little while. It has become a comfort zone, so to speak, in planning my language program, and I’m very happy with the success many students have achieved. However, there are sometimes some learners who may appear to have more difficulty grasping key language skills. As a teacher who constantly wants to problem-solve, such a situation puts me on a mission to find new strategies or ideas to help me try and reach those students in a different and better way.
In the same way I wish for my students to become lifelong learners, I, too, enjoy learning and “growing my brain”. Learning about the Science of Reading is an opportunity for me to learn something new, perhaps have a shift in mindset on the approach of teaching reading, and hopefully, make me a stronger reading teacher for my students, especially those that may be struggling.
Is this book on your summer reading list, too? Click here to buy Shifting the Balance. *non-affiliate / unsponsored link*
Let me repeat: I have yet to start reading, Shifting the Balance! I just received it in the mail yesterday. In this blog, I will outline my initial thoughts on the resource. I look forward to sharing more about the book in future posts! Stay tuned.
Here are some interesting things that I noticed as I skimmed through the book for the first time:
I’m really excited to see the breakdown from the contents because it sounds like I will be learning a lot! As I skim through the list of “misunderstandings”, I immediately agree with some, yet realize that there are many that may cause a shift in my thinking as well. That’s good! There will be growth!
I’m also glad there is a summary of the Science of Reading as it relates to each “shift”.
When I initially started researching about the Science of Reading online, it became a bit overwhelming to see some of the information out there, hence the reason why this book seemed like a great introduction for me!
The “Recommendations for Making the Shift” makes me smile because I know there will be some practical ways to help me implement new learning with my students. I can’t wait to dive in!
I must admit, I am a bit nervous as I prepare to dive into this book. I’m super excited to start, nevertheless! This book may stretch me in a short time. It may cause me to change some approaches in how I teach reading. I’m ready for the new learning. I acknowledge that it may mean an overhaul of what I have done before. That’s more than okay if it can help produce even greater results and help for students!
I’m ready to go beyond my comfort zone and learn the science so that I can help struggling students.
I see lots of figures and tables included on the pages. Loving that already! I am a visual learner, so these types of tools are especially helpful and beneficial to me. The book is also colour-coded (e.g., each shift has a specific colour for easy reference, I believe). I also noticed some reflection questions at the end of each chapter. I will reflect on my learning at the end of each chapter and use it this year.
This book, Shifting the Balance, is a professional reading resource for Kindergarten to Grade 2 teachers. On the website for this book, https://thesixshifts.com, I noticed that there are some great free resources available there! I will surely look into them. There is also a podcast which can help me in my journey of learning more about the Science of Reading.
If you are interested in learning along with me, consider purchasing a copy of the book. *non-affiliate / unsponsored link*
Looking forward to sharing some of my thoughts and new learning after reading the first chapter of Shift the Balance. Hope you will join me then!
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