Phonics Fun Lite

Teaching and learning to read English using synthetic phonics, for 5- to 8-year-olds.

This is a fully featured free app that teaches beginning readers how to read, with a sample lesson on the sounds sh (/ʃ/), ch (/tʃ/), th (/θ/, /ð/) and ng (/ŋ/).

The complete version, available for online subscription at www.e-unik.com.my/online, has 8 lessons for Level 1 and 7 lessons for Level 2.

This app comprises 4 sections, viz.,

1. Lesson

2. Word Smart

3. Let’s Practise

4. Let’s Say It

1. Lesson - Covers 3 crucial skills:

• Recognizing sound-letter relationship

Children are taught the phonemes /ʃ/, /tʃ/, /θ/, /ð/ and /ŋ/, and the letters that represent them. This knowledge is important in understanding grapheme-phoneme correspondence.

• Blending sounds to form words

Children are taught to blend sounds to form words. They say the sounds that make up a word and merge the sounds together until they can hear what the word is. This skill is vital in learning to read.

• Segmenting words into individual sounds

Children are also taught to segment, which is the opposite of blending. Children say a word and then break it up into the phonemes that make up the word. This skill is vital in being able to spell words.

Children also learn to recognize specific “tricky” words – words that are not spelt or pronounced according to the phonic “rules” that they are taught.

2. Word Smart

Covers lateral expansion of literacy development:

Children listen to two tongue twisters, two rhymes, and a song. The tongue twisters, rhymes and song have sounds that the learner has just learnt. Words are highlighted in red as they are read out.

3. Let’s Practise

Covers practice exercises that reinforce learning:

Practice 1: A listening skill practice that develops children’s phonemic awareness. It tests their ability to identify and distinguish phonemes taught. Children are required to match letters to their phonemes.

Practice 2: Children first listen to a word and then break it down to its constituent phonemes. The letters corresponding to the phonemes are then picked to spell out the word. This is a listening skill practice that tests children’s decoding ability.

Practice 3: A listening skill practice that challenges children’s memory. Children are required to pair letters and their sounds.

4. Let’s Say It

Covers sound recognition:

Six words are introduced for each phoneme taught. Children can tap on the words to listen to their pronunciation.

Help us improve this app. If you have suggestions or comments on how we can improve this app, whether in content or functionality, please send us your feedback. We value your input; it can make a world of difference to the learning experience of children using this app.

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