Here in Hibarigaoka Elementary school we take the time to teach students how to read in English using synthetic phonics. We first teach them the individual sounds of each alphabet characters as well as the sounds that special letter combinations make. Then we focus on connecting the different sounds to form the words they are reading before moving on to putting words together to be able to read sentences. This process is started from their first year and continues throughout their time as students.

As with many things, continued practice is needed for students to continue to succeed and progress. Recently, fourth graders have been taking some time to go back to the basics. We have been getting them to practice sounding out individual sounds of three-letter words before reading them so that they can try to pick out unnecessary sounds that have started to slip into their pronunciations. Each of the children get one on one time with the teachers to check that they are using the correct pronunciations and can connect the sounds correctly to form the words they are reading. Students practice individually or with a partner using a slide show provided by the teacher through LoiloNote. Once the children have been checked and passed this stage, they will be able to move on to reading sentences using those three-letter words with more confidence.

Taking the time to make sure the students can correctly pronounce each individual sound in a word will provide them with a better chance at being able to accurately decode and read unfamiliar words that they will start to encounter as they begin to read more English. At times it can feel like a tedious process, but continuing to work on the basics is what keeps them sharp and prepared to take on the next challenge.