Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Phonics”
Learning to read is essential for children. Reading and understanding the written word plays a huge part in our everyday lives. Whether children learn to read for work, school, or pleasure, reading is necessary for all children to have developmental success. While there are various ways to teach reading, teaching children phonic sounds is a great place to start. In …
Why Learning to Read is So Important for School Readiness… According to a 2012 report by the Brookings Institution, “children with higher levels of school readiness at age five are generally more successful in grade school…” And the key to this readiness is helping your child learn to read before class even begins. Reading is the one skill that unlocks …
In recent times, we’ve all had to make some pretty dramatic changes in our daily lives. Teachers have had no choice but to adapt the way they teach, and students have been introduced to a very new style of learning. The changes that have been made to how we teach and learn have been quite the challenge for many! Everything …
How can you create an inspiring and engaging lesson that your students will love? With the help of Red Cat Reading’s FREE lesson plans, of course! No need to stress about preparing endlessly for a lesson, collecting resources, or coming up with something creative on the spot! Red Cat Reading has all of the resources you need to teach phonics …
Learning new phonic sounds can be a challenging and time-consuming process. It’s especially difficult when you come across some particularly tricky sounds. Some even look exactly the same! How can you help your child learn and master some of the most difficult phonic sounds? Check out this video that makes learning interactive, musical, and fun! 1. 8 Most Difficult Phonic …
It’s coming up to the big summer holiday break, and you may be wondering how to motivate your kids to keep reading and learning. The best way is to encourage curiosity and a love of reading in your child. But of course this is often easier said than done! Why does your child need a summer reading list? It’s a well-known fact that kids can …
When teaching phonics to young children, there are going to be times that they might have difficulty with certain areas. Since all children are different, they tend to need help in different areas. However, many children struggle with some of the same issues, making them easier to point out. In the case of the hardest phonics, usually the most difficult …
Introducing the Short “u” Sound “U” is the last of the vowels in the English alphabet. Like the other vowels, it has both a short vowel sound and a long vowel sound. The short “u” sound says “uh,” as in “umbrella” and “bug.” The long “u” sound, on the other hand, is a little less common. It’s heard in words like …
The phonics short o sound is the vowel sound in “hop,” “top,” “mop,” “tot,” “pot,” and “lot.” Other o sounds are the long o, as in “mode” or “toad,” and the double o, as in “mood.” All these different sounds that one letter can make can be confusing for a new reader! The short o sound is the easiest to …
Poets Day is a wonderful way to introduce your children to the world of reading and poetry, and can be a lot of fun to celebrate with your emergent reader! There are fun and endless ways to create your own silly kids poems together, whether they rhyme or not. Be as silly as you can. It has been shown that …
Introducing the Short “i” Sound The short “i” sound, which is the vowel sound in “hit” and “big,” is an important sound for new readers to learn. Start with words where the short “i” comes first, like “igloo” or “iguana,” so that your child can hear the “i” sound clearly. The short i sound says “ih,” as opposed to the long …
Cupcake Day can be an incredibly fun day for emergent and young readers. It’s also a great educational opportunity that will not only give your child a great boost in reading, but also allow you both to bond over a delicious dessert that you can make together! Whether you are choosing to use a cake mix to make your cupcakes, or if …
International Date to Create Day We’re celebrating international Date to Create Day with a variety of creative activities you can use to help your child learn to read. Check out our many craft ideas for kids! Reading and creativity often go hand in hand when dealing with young children. There are so many crafts for children that you and your child …
Introducing the Short E Sound Short “e” is the sound that the letter “e” makes in the words, “egg,” “leg,” and “wet.” It is pronounced eh (as opposed to words like “meet,” “tea,” or “key,” which contain long “e” sounds, pronounced ee). The short “e” sound is very common, especially in the middle of words (like “pet”). That means there are …
The short “a” sound is one of the first sounds that many kids learn to read. It’s also pretty common, so kids get lots of practice! The short “a” sound is the sound at the beginning of the word “ant” and in the middle of the word “cat.” It’s pronounced “ah.” (The long “a” sound, by contrast, is the “a” …
As a parent, it’s always important to begin thinking about when you would like to teach your children to read. Some children who are already in pre-kindergarten programs or Head Start programs might already be starting to learn basics. For parents and guardians who don’t send their children to pre-kindergarten programs or who do not have access to such programs, …
While teaching young children in kindergarten phonics and the basics of any language isn’t the easiest task in the world, it certainly is one of the most rewarding. By helping children learn to read and embrace the spoken and written word, you are giving them a lifelong gift – the gift of a love of reading. Once children begin to grasp the concepts and …