Abracadrabra phonics: Balanced magic
Monday, August 9, 2004
Dr Kerry Hempenstall, RMIT University, Australia

Abracadrabra phonics * simply sprinkle a little phonics into your literature-based program * and poof! * your program is balanced. Of course, one dictionary definition of abracadrabra is “gibberish and nonsense”.

We know from a strong consensus of research that effective programs include phonics (among other components), so it is tempting to conclude that simply adding some phonics to a list of activities in an existing program will supply some vital catalyzing ingredient, beef up your program, and thereby make it research-based. However, program effectiveness is not ensured solely by the presence of a portion of this vital program element. It also depends on the proportions in the final curriculum mix, in the quantity and quality of the element, and when and how the curriculum is taught.

The proper role of phonics in a literacy program can be compared to a building’s foundation. We understand that stable buildings invariably have foundations. However, foundations may be weak or strong or in-between. It is not the mere presence of a foundation that provides the fundamental strength and stability of a building. It derives from the presence of the correct foundation. The difference between a strong and weak foundation lie in the details of the former’s make-up, such as appropriate concrete composition and the correct grade of reinforcing mesh - evenly distributed through the mix. A foundation’s preparation is equally critical. Trenches are meticulously prepared to ensure that the poured foundation is correctly sited, and of adequate width and depth. Also, formwork or scaffolding is employed to provide initial support to any exposed or weak points.

The concrete of phonics requires the additional strength of reinforcing mesh if it is to avoid cracking under pressure. Thus, those approaches ensuring that students have a sensitivity to the sound structure of spoken words, while presenting letter-sound correspondences, increase the likelihood that phonics teaching will evoke in students comprehension of the alphabetic principle. Gradually, it will produce a generative strategy to handle the load presented by previously unseen words.

The foundation for a building is formed and poured before any other task, because all the construction that follows is reliant on the integrity of this initial base. If a fundamental element of the foundation is missing, then the structure is inevitably compromised. The building will be unable to attain its anticipated integrity and performance. Indeed it may fail, catastrophically or sequentially, either initially or further along in its lifespan.

The foundation for a building is allowed curing time to ensure setting (and hence, strength) occurs before it is asked to carry a load. If a load is applied too early, the foundation will be weak or deformed, and the building may not have the strength to handle its own weight.

So, in explicit phonics students are taught the foundations of spoken and written word structure before attempting to carry the load of reading lofty texts. They are provided with carefully planned, rather than incidental, instructional sequences.

During the “curing” time in effective synthetic phonics programs, students are supplied with decodable text that does not weigh too heavily upon their fragile load-bearing capacity. However, once they have developed an ability to manage the decodable text comfortably, the new challenges of “authentic” text and a rapidly escalating number of new words do not threaten their ability to thrive as readers. If young readers are presented with an avalanche of inconsiderate text, they may discontinue the decoding strategy in favour of attractive, short-term, but ultimately catastrophic, strategies. These include guessing from context, pictures and initial letters. In this case, they will not develop the capacity to manage the decoding demands of the huge increase in vocabulary that occurs from mid primary school. Not for nothing is this phenomenon known as the 4th grade slump.

A systematic phonics approach will attend to the details of instruction as well as to the content * incorporating error correction, adequate massed and spaced practice, and daily, short intensive sessions.

Once the foundations have set, then a house may be constructed with the confidence that it will able to handle the exceptional loads the environment places upon it over a long period of time. When students have a firm foundation in reading, they have been freed from the vocabulary limitations of conversation and television. When they can read fluently, recognizing effortlessly most of the words, and using decoding skills only on complex text, they have reached the point at which self teaching occurs. They are now able to accelerate their vocabulary development depending only upon the amount of reading they choose to do, rather than on the limited number of words able to be taught in school.

When otherwise literature-based programs add phonics belatedly, the effects are equivalent to attempting to provide foundations after a home is finished.