Educating young learners: Making phonics fun

Pearson Languages
A woman gesturing to her mouth in a playroom with a child copying the gesture

For many young learners, reading and writing can be one of the most challenging steps in their English learning journey. Even fluent English speakers often find it difficult to understand the connection between how English is pronounced and how it is written.

Let’s explore how phonics can be a valuable and fun tool to help students and teachers understand this connection.

What is phonics?

Phonics is a method of teaching learners how to read by making the connection between sounds and letters. There are around 44 different sounds used in English, and around 120 different ways of writing them down.

Children learn to identify and say individual sounds (phonemes) and what letter or groups of letters can be used to write that sound down (graphemes). This helps children to read and spell words. For example, the /k/ sound is frequently written using these letters:

  • k as in kite
  • c as in cat
  • ck as in back

When children learn to read using phonics, the sounds are read out in isolation, for example, b-a-ck. Then they are blended together to form the whole word: back.

How to teach phonics

Other methods of learning how to read and spell rely on students memorizing every new word they encounter – that’s potentially thousands of new words! On the other hand, phonics gives students the tools and confidence to read and spell unfamiliar words autonomously. If they know the sounds, they can read the word.

Simply drilling sounds and letters will quickly become dull for students, so here are some practical, fun phonics ideas you can try out in the classroom.

1. Use music

Music can create a positive atmosphere for teaching phonics, and it helps children to memorize sounds in a lively, enjoyable way. Furthermore, it can improve pronunciation and listening skills.

  • Use musical instruments or clap to help students break words into individual sounds.
  • Alternatively, use ‘robot talk’ – say the words in a robotic way, breaking up the words into their component sounds, for example ‘r-e-d’.
  • Tongue twisters are useful for working on the initial sounds in words. Try creating tongue twisters using known vocabulary and students’ names, e.g. Sara sings in the sun.
  • Many ELT courses provide phonics songs that practice new sounds. However, you can also adapt well-known songs to teach phonics.

Example song:

Clap your hands and turn around!

Put your hands up!
Put your hands down.
Clap your hands
And turn around!

Put your head up!
Put your head down!
Clap your hands
And turn around.

Put your leg up!
Put your leg down!
Clap your hands
And turn around.

2. Move your body

Learning through movement comes naturally to many young learners and can be a dynamic part of your phonics routine. Incorporating movement into your lessons can motivate students and help them retain the sounds and letters.

  • Add an accompanying action when you present a new phonics sound and its corresponding letter/s. For example, say, ‘S, s, s, snake’ and make a snaking movement with your arm. The action becomes a visual prompt, so students call out ‘S!’ whenever you do the action.
  • Air drawing can be great fun. Have students trace the shape of letters in the air with a finger while repeating the corresponding sound. This is also good pre-writing practice.
  • You can even challenge students to work alone or in pairs to make letter shapes with their whole bodies!

3. Make phonics tactile

To really embed the connection between the shape of the letters and the sounds they represent, get children to use their hands to feel the shape of the letters while they repeat the sounds.

These tactile phonics activities have the added advantage of working on fine motor skills, which in turn will improve students’ handwriting.

  • Show students how to trace the shape of the letter in a tray of sand while repeating the sound. Alternatively, try tracing the letter shape in shaving foam.
  • Try modeling the letter shapes out of playdough or a piece of string.
  • A fun pair-work game involves one student silently drawing a letter on their partner’s back. Their partner must guess the letter and say the sound.

4. Be creative

There are wonderful, creative ways you can explore phonics with your students. For younger students who don’t yet have the fine motor skills to write letter shapes, using arts and crafts can be an enjoyable way to reinforce the link between the letter/s and the sound.

  • They could make letter shapes from dried pasta or use junk modeling.
  • Have your students decorate letter shapes by painting, coloring, or collaging. This will help them memorize the shapes. Encourage them to repeat the sounds as they do this, or play a phonics rhyme in the background so the association between the sound and letter/s is constantly reinforced.

Create class displays for different sounds using a variety of pictures and objects starting with that sound. Use them for revision and classroom games. Try splitting the class into teams and then calling out a sound, or a word starting with that sound. The first team to touch the display with the matching letter/s wins a point.

5. Play games

Many popular ELT games can be adapted to teach phonics. Games are a great way to bring phonics to life and to give young learners the confidence to produce the sounds themselves.

  • Play ‘Whispers’. Students sitting in a circle whisper a sound rather than a word to the child next to them until it reaches the end of the circle. The last child says the sound aloud, or points to the letters that correspond to that sound.
  • Get children to create their own sets of cards with sounds and pictures on them. These can be used to play card games like snap and pairs.
  • Other games such as i-spy, board rush games, bingo and lucky dip, can be easily adapted to teach phonics.

Whether you dedicate a whole lesson or just five minutes of your lesson to phonics, make sure to have fun!

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    One example is a formal email to a client:

    Subject: Proposal for Partnership

    Dear Mr. Smith,

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    [...]

    I look forward to your response and the possibility of future collaboration.

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    Why is effective business writing important?

    Effective business writing is crucial as it reflects the professionalism and credibility of an individual and their organization. It ensures that the message is understood as intended, which is pivotal in decision-making processes and maintaining positive business relationships.

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    When crafting business documents, several key elements ensure your workplace writing is effective and well-received. These elements include:

    • Structure and organization: A well-structured document with a clear introduction, body and conclusion makes your content more understandable and engaging. Use headings and bullet points to break down information and guide the reader through your message.
    • Tone and formality: The tone should match the context and purpose of your communication. While a business proposal might require formal language, an internal email to colleagues can be less formal. Understanding the nuances of tone can greatly impact how your message is perceived.
    • Purpose-driven writing: Every piece of corporate writing should have a clear purpose. Whether it's to inform, persuade, request or confirm, keeping the purpose in mind ensures that your writing is focused and achieves its intended goal.
    • Attention to detail: Precision and accuracy are paramount. This includes correct grammar, punctuation and spelling, as well as ensuring that all facts and figures mentioned are accurate. Errors in your writing can diminish your credibility and confuse the message.
    • Cultural sensitivity: In a global business environment, it is crucial to be aware of cultural differences and avoid culturally sensitive phrases. This sensitivity can prevent misunderstandings and foster more harmonious business relations.

    By focusing on these elements of workplace writing, you can enhance your business English writing and ensure it's both professional and effective.

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    Improving your business English writing involves focusing on clarity, conciseness and appropriateness. Here are a few strategies to get you started:

    • Immerse yourself in business language: Read a variety of business-related materials such as reports, emails and articles.
    • Practice regularly: Engage in writing exercises that mimic real-world business scenarios.
    • Get feedback: Have your writing reviewed by proficient English speakers and incorporate their suggestions.
    • Brush up on basics: Reinforce your understanding of grammar, vocabulary and punctuation.
    • Utilize technology: Take advantage of language learning apps and online courses that offer business English modules. These tools can provide interactive learning experiences and immediate feedback.
    • Join professional networks: Participate in forums and networking groups where business English is used. Observing and engaging in discussions can enhance your understanding and application of business terminologies and conventions.

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    You've got a writing task to start but you don't quite know how to approach it. Here are some actionable steps to help you:

    • Start with a clear purpose: Define the objective of your document and stick to it.
    • Organize your thoughts: Use headings, bullet points and paragraphs to structure your content logically.
    • Be concise: Use straightforward language and eliminate redundant words.
    • Use an appropriate tone: Maintain professionalism and consider the cultural context of your audience.
    • Revise and edit: Always revise your work for errors and clarity before sending it.

    Bad corporate writing

    To illustrate what to avoid, here are a few examples of bad writing:

    • Overuse of complex vocabulary leading to confusing sentences.
    • Long-winded paragraphs that bury the main point.
    • Casual or inappropriate language and words that don't fit the business context.
    • Writing that lacks a clear call to action.
    • Ignoring cultural nuances and making assumptions based on one's own cultural context. This can lead to misinterpretations or even offense, undermining the purpose of the communication.

    A bad example

    Applying the points above, you can begin to see how this message uses some of these examples, this could be perfectly fine for written conversation with a friend but not on a more serious, professional level:

    Subject: Quick Hello and Ask 

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    Hope this message finds ya in good spirits. Wanna catch up real quick this Thursday on a lil' something I've got on my mind? Got an idea that might just be up your alley - think major game-changer vibes for both of us. Let's make it happen. Excited to hear your thoughts!

    Cheers!

    Alex

    The effects of poor professional writing

    Poor business writing can have far-reaching repercussions that can significantly impact an individual's career progression as well as an organization's reputation. Ineffective communication may lead to misunderstandings and loss of opportunities, eroding trust between parties and taking a toll on professional relationships. It's not just about immediate confusion or delays; the long-term effects can include the potential loss of business, as clients and partners may perceive inefficiency and lack of professionalism.

    English for effective business writing

    Mastering workplace writing is a continuous process that demands dedication and practice. By focusing on clarity, structure and an audience-centered approach, you can craft messages that not only inform customers but also influence them.

    Keep refining your skills, taking feedback positively, and staying updated with trends. Your written word has the potential to make a real impact in the business world, so wield your pen (or keyboard) and write with confidence and precision.

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