To be able to identify letter-sound relationships, known as phonics, is a key skill needed in learning to read. The reader needs to be able to identify the letter name and recognize the sound that the letter represents. The Akanbi Home Phonics  Program offers a creative, practical and fun way for a parent to teach a child to identify sound-symbol relationships using items that are typically found in the home, which also makes the program culturally relevant. The chart above shows a packet of macaroni, a fan, a toothbrush, pictures of tacos forming the shape of a “T”, Cheerios  glued to cardboard to  form the /ch/ digraph, a doll., and buttons glued in a B shape beside a picture of buttons. To the right of the chart is a picture of some cookies, and to the left, a picture of a vase. These are all real objects. A phonics lesson could be developed around any one of these items, involving a multisensory approach (seeing, hearing, listening, speaking, touching, and writing), as well as developing phonemic and phonological awareness. The lesson plan format is presented below.

Akanbi Home Phonics Lesson Plan Format

Learning Objectives:

  1. For the student to be able to recognize the alphabet letter presented. (Print Awareness)
  2. For the student to be able to recognize the sound represented by the letter. (Phonemic Awareness)
  3. For the student to be able to distinguish the letter sound being taught from other letter sounds. (Auditory Discrimination)
  4. For the student to be able to write the letter sound. (Writing)
  5. For the student to be able to recognize and identify the sound of the letter in activities involving art, science, math, social studies, physical education and play activities.

Materials Needed:

  • Household items
  • Pictures from magazines and newspaper circulars
  • 4 X 6 index cards
  • Paper
  • Markers, pencils or crayons
  • Books
  • Toys that begin with the targeted letter sound

Procedure:

  1. Hold up a household object (e.g., cup, bowl, fork, mirror, )  and ask the child what it is. The name of this object will be the key word representing the letter sound being taught.
  2. After the child names the item and you confirm that the answer is correct, tell the child what letter the object begins with and hold up the letter written on a 4 X 6 index card. Say, “This is the letter ___ which stands for _____ (name of object).”  Show the child how to make the sound of the letter.
  3. Next,  say, “Here are some other items that begin like___.”  Then hold up other objects and pictures of items that begin with the targeted sound, naming  each object/picture that you hold up and emphasizing the beginning sound.  Say, “now you say the names of these (objects/pictures). Can you think of other words that begin like___ ?” (Use the key word.)(Phonemic Awareness)
  4. Play a word game (e.g., a riddle where the answer is a word that begins with the targeted letter).
  5. Say, “Now, I am going to say some other words that begin with the /___/ sound as in (say the key word), and some words that do not. Raise your hand when you hear a word that does NOT begin with that sound. (Auditory Discrimination)
  6. Have the child to trace the letter, using two fingers together, and then to write the letter on paper.

(NOTE:  For steps 3 and 4, you may include referents from different cultures.)

Assessment:

Assessment will be by observation to determine if the child has met the learning objectives.

Extension Activities:

Extension activities focused on the targeted letter-sound could be carried out in other areas of the curriculum. For example, if teaching the /j/ sound, the parent could read a story like Jump Frog Jump for language arts, play a jumping game for physical education, and estimate how many jellybeans there are in a jar for math.

Please click here to see a sample lesson for the letter “B.