What method is best for teaching young readers?

Question

Would you approach teaching new words with a "Look and Say" method using flashcards, or is phonics always a better approach?

Answer 1

Learning phonics allows emerging readers to sound out words. After learning a few groups of sounds, students can unlock most of what they read. Phonics also supports spelling.

However, some words "don't play fair" or follow phonetic patterns that emerging readers have not yet learned. An example would be that a first-grade student would not know that the ight spelling sounds like ite. For words that break the rules and high frequency words, it is best to memorize what they look like. Teachers usually call this type of word a "sight word." While phonics unlocks the ability to read more words faster than memorizing each individual word, it does have some limitations.

Most teachers use a blended approach to reading and spelling with a more time devoted to phonics than to sight words.

Answer 2

I have found that a combination of both methods is best. Phonics is essential in understanding sounds and being able to sound out new words, but in learning to read the English language children can become frustrated when the rules of phonics don't work for them. Words like "the", "who" and "what" are best taught with flashcards.