There are various phonics programs that are widely available for educators and mothers to teach their children. The most common shows are Letterland, Zoophonics, Ants on the Apples, and Jolly Phonics.
With a lack of knowledge in phonics, many parents avoid teaching their own children. In this modern age, information is abundant at your fingertips. I believe that parents are the best teachers. Therefore, I go the extra mile to understand more about phonics so that I can help my daughter personally.
I started without knowing anything about phonetics. For my daughter’s sake, I visited phonics websites like Starfall and searched for videos on YouTube. With a willing heart, nothing was difficult. In fact, I was confident that I would teach my daughter well.
I started Letterland when my daughter was 2.5 years old. She really didn’t like him. I felt that the songs were too difficult to understand at her age. With a different tune to sing with each alphabet, it was too much for her to remember.
I tried the Ants on the Apples show after Letterland. The Ants on the Apples program suits my daughter well because the phonic song has a catchy melody with a standard beat. With the colorful illustrations and big words, it made teaching and reading easy. It made the teaching more systematic as my daughter could point to the words in the book while singing the song. The phrases in the songs were shorter and easier to remember.
Ants on the Apples is a wonderful educational tool that I personally like and highly recommend. I think your son will like them like my daughter. Several sections of the book I find quite funny and I can act, sing and dance with my son. It is truly a more fun and interactive experience.
For example,
1. The dolls are dancing (I take my son’s hands and we dance together)
2. Caterpillar cough (strong cough)
3. Indian itch (we scratch pretending to itch a lot)
The Ants on the Apples program comes on songbook and CD only. Being a Flash Card lover, I supplemented Ants on the Apples with Zoophonics Flash Cards. In Zoophonics, each alphabet has an animal with a special name (beginning with the alphabet) and an action associated with the animal.
For example,
1.Alphabet:A
2. Special Name: Allie
3. Animal: Alligator
4. Action: Snap hitting with two hands
It goes like this, ‘Allie Alligator… air air air followed by fast action.
By incorporating Ants on the Apples and Zoophonics, learning is more fun with music and movement. My girl learns with better understanding.
Some common questions related to phonetics:
1. Q: Do I have to use the same phonics program as the school?
A: I personally don’t think it’s necessary. My daughter uses Jolly phonics at school and I am using Ants on the apples and Zoophonics. She doesn’t have any problem since the only difference between the program is the teaching method. (Note that the initial ‘a’ sound in Jolly phonics is pronounced as ‘ar’ instead of ‘air’.)
2. Q: Why is phonetics important?
A: Phonics helps your child learn to read and spell. Without this skill, your child cannot be fully literate. Words are like codes, and phonics teaches children how to crack the reading code. Therefore, phonics is an important part of any reading development program.
3. Q: What is the best time to learn?
A: It is recommended from 3 years old. However, parents can help a younger child learn phonics through an informal way of learning.
I cannot say that I am an expert in phonetics. I just enjoy the learning process together with my daughter. There is no right or wrong method. It’s just a matter of preference. The deciding factor will be your child. Now, I am starting the same phonetic methods on my second child with a bit more experience and confidence. I will still enjoy it because every child is unique!