IDEAL READING PROGRAM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

IDEAL READING PROGRAM - Essay Example It requires practice, and it is through reading that people are able to write and communicate verbally. 1. Phonemic Awareness and Language Acquisition It facilitates concentration (hearing, identifying, and usage) and this brings about understanding concepts in speech language and writing. The topic focuses on understanding key terms as used in definitions, knowing what they mean and using them accordingly. Language use is more than just talking; it is about understanding the definitions and ways they relate to speech. It concentrates on sensitivity of sounds as used in words (Gillon, 2012). Apart from focusing on the smallest units of sounds, it also focuses on larger units such as rimes and syllables. Its relation to â€Å"put reading first† is that in following this rule, children are taught about blending and segmentation. They also learn about the sounds and how they relate to the spoken words. Individual sounds in spoken language are called phonemes (Gillon, 2012). This is where the teacher says a word phoneme by phoneme, which students repeat in sequence. Segmentation involves a teacher saying a word, and students dividing the words into phonemes. They learn about rhythm (Armbruster, Lehr, & Osborn, 2001). Effectiveness Learning phonemic awareness and language acquisition is important to first grade students since it enables them to develop communication skills that they used throughout their stay in school. It helps learns to gain knowledge of expertise that makes them to be professional. Most of the first grade students do not know the basic communication skills and the proper use of sounds in words they use. Learning phonemics enables students to become sensitive, attentive and more aware of speech. 2. Phonics It facilitates better reading and writing language skills. Phonics enhances phonemic awareness in that with the ability to hear, identify, and use basic units of language, students can be able to read and write appropriately. It combines sound and spelling and teaches the relation between the two. It uses the alphabetic principle where the sounds of letters and the letters themselves are related with each other. Word reading becomes enhanced since there is the use of both sound and their relation to the letters (Villaume & Brabham, 2003). Its relation to â€Å"put reading first† is that in following this guideline, there is the learning of how sound of spoken language and letters of written language relate. Children are taught this relation from an early age. The use of this is that children are able to recognize and identify words quickly and instantly. Word study instruction involves phonics instruction and is a major in-text feature that enables grown-up children to acquire knowledge on phonics and use it in reading and writing. They learn about prefixes, suffixes, and word roots that they use while reading and writing. There is also the learning of rapid word recognition, and this helps children in gettin g the real purpose of reading (Armbruster, Lehr, & Osborn, 2001). Effectiveness Learning phonics in the first grade creates the foundation based on teaching students to read, relate, and write. It ensures that students pick up from non-effective reading to effective reading. Students are able to become more confident and composed. It also helps in ensuring that students write meaningful work, and also brings students closer to being fluent, able to use vocabulary appropriately and understand comprehensions (Armbruster,