What is Phonics?
Phonics development is next in the continuum after phonological and phonemic awareness. While phonemic awareness in it’s definition is the ability to hear and manipulate sound units, phonics is the ability to hear, and also read sounds represented as graphemes (letters). Both skills sets should be taught along side each other for true reading acquisition.
Phonological and Phonemic Awareness Skills
For more information about phonological and phonemic awareness skills and development, click here. For assessment and intervention ideas, click here.
Finding Phonics Apps that Work
Finding apps that work with your group of students can take time. Often what suits one group does not suit another. Therefore, you may need to try a range of apps with your groups.
I love the flexibility and the opportunities to differentiate with Starfall. However, I need to add new content for my students and I thought it best to ask my Facebook fans what apps they use with their students.
I love asking our fans because we all get a selection of tried and true ideas.
Here’s the link to the Facebook thread:
https://www.facebook.com/235761613111516/photos/a.297318953622448.69595.235761613111516/1344536585567341/?type=3&theater
I asked this question in two places:
Phonics Apps
Here’s what our Facebook fans came up with:
Alphablocks (thanks Jaclyn Harris – 1st grade assistant)
SkyFish Phonics (thanks Jenny Hupka Pickett – Kindergarten teacher)
Jolly Phonics (thanks Simon Armstrong – grade omitted, Marwa Yassine – Kindergarten teacher, Cell Gaerlan – K-1 teacher)
abc PocketPhonics (thanks Simon Armstrong – grade omitted)
Spalding app (thanks Theresa Reusel – grade omitted)
Lexia Learning (thanks Monika Jones-Oldham – 1st grade teacher)
Raz Kids/A-Z Readers (thanks Monika Jones-Oldham – 1st grade teacher)
Starfall (thanks Stephanie Shermer – grade omitted, Laura Quickenton O’Connor – 1st grade teacher)
Phonics Hero (thanks Shinaz Saleh – 2nd grade teacher)
Oz Phonics – (thanks Brodie Elise K-2 teacher)
Endless ABC and Endless Words (thanks Ruthie Baumann Vega – Early Childhood Specialist)
Hairy Phonics (thanks Kelly Louise – mother)
Spellasour (thanks Sheila Medina – grade omitted)
If you’re looking for the android versions of these apps, click through the links, then click on the author’s website link.
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Want to Add an App?
I will be adding to the link as our members add to the posts.
If you would like to let us know about a phonics app you have found helpful, you can leave a comment on our Facebook post link here. Or via our Facebook Word Work group (request an invite and I will approve you, then leave a comment for us).
More Phonics Support
You might also like to collect some more phonics ideas via our Pinterest board: PHONICS.
To compliment my phonics program, I use a comprehensive set of phonics posters. Some are displayed and some I print two to a page and place in a binder as intervention prompts. The cards i use with games, and I also print two to a page and use in pocket charts. See more phonics posters here.
You might have noticed that I love all things word work. Be sure to explore our blog for more ideas. You can also sign up to receive our vowel chart freebie, plus ideas, support, discounts and freebies, not to mention a whole word work resource library full of free files.
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Happy word work!
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