ABSTRACT
The teaching of phonics incidentally to sight reading by giving the child help with unknown phonograms whenever they are required and irrespective of level of difficulty. The ability to remember sounds in sequence and to blend them smoothly and rhythmically into words is so fundamental to successful progress in developmental reading that teachers must ensure that the skill is thoroughly acquired. If the child appears completely unable to blend, then training in auditory perception must be continued. Improvements could have resulted from a number of factors, e.g. systematic teaching and emphasis on programming, or good motivation arising out of the children’s knowing that the scheme originated in their school. The supplementary activities should therefore provide opportunities for listening to directions, environmental sounds, music, talks by adults and children, poetry, and a variety of stories. Such opportunities reinforce the expressive side of language and help the child to become interested in words and sentences.
