It is the dream of every parent to see their child excel in school and life. And one of the crucial stepping stones on this path to success is to become a good reader. After all, learning to read is the foundation of all future learning. So how can parents help nurture a capable reader? Well, phonics classes will definitely help!
Why phonics is essential for your child
Phonics classes help children learn to read and write by developing their phonemic awareness, which is their ability to hear, identify, and manipulate individual sounds in spoken language. When they learn to recognise and decode words more efficiently, they can better pronounce words correctly and communicate more effectively, thus improving their social skills and academic performance.
In fact, research discovers that phonics when taught correctly is one of the most effective ways of teaching children how to read, helping them establish a robust foundation for academic success.
How do phonics classes benefit your child?
Benefit #1: Enhance your child’s literacy skills
Phonics classes have long been championed as making a significant difference in how children learn to read, helping them pick up the English language more effectively. Your child will be taught to recognise the sounds that individual letters make and how these sounds can be combined to form words, serving as a precursor to learning to read.
Once your child is familiar with this process, they can even reverse it and segment simple words by paying attention to the letters that comprise them. As a result, they learn to decode words easily, which helps their comprehension skills. And wWhen your child can read more fluently with greater accuracy, they develop greater confidence in their literacy skills and a love of reading and learning.
Benefit #2: Develop your child’s speech and language
As your child learns the various letters of the English language in their phonics classes, they also grasp how to break down words into their individual sounds. By slowing down to examine how each sound is formed and how our mouths and lips work to produce the sound, your child can learn to pronounce words more accurately, thus enhancing their speech development. As a result, they can express themselves more effectively, which helps to build their confidence and self-esteem.
Learn More: 3 Ways To Help Your Soft-Spoken Child Speak Confidently
Benefit #3: Teach your child the rules of English
The English language is complex. Even the way we pronounce specific letters may differ depending on the letters that come after them. For example, the letter “C” in the words “cat” and “cent” utilises different phonograms. Phonics classes can help your child comprehend the rules of the English language, helping them understand the appropriate phonogram to use depending on each letter’s position in a word.
Benefit #4: Help your child become a better speller and reader
Learning the phonograms can also help your child better understand how to break down words into sounds, helping them to figure out their spellings. Additionally, they become more proficient in deciphering words, enabling them to read at greater speed and accuracy. As a result, your child becomes more confident in their overall spelling and reading abilities. So when they finally progress to primary school, they will receive a head start and find the transition less daunting.
As you can see, there are plenty of benefits to enrolling your child in phonics classes in Singapore. These lessons can lay the crucial foundations to help them learn English effectively. So if you notice your child is struggling with reading and writing, you may want to consider signing them up for our phonics classes.
At The Eton Academy, our educators are highly passionate about teaching. We understand that every child learns differently. As such, our teachers work to ensure every child can learn at their own pace, allowing them to build up their vocabulary gradually to express themselves better.
Contact us today to learn more about our English enrichment classes for N2 to K2.