Due to the pandemic, we have to keep kids at home. As this article emphasizes how important it is to build a basic reading foundation for young children, even though we have to stay at our house, we also need to teach children basic phonics. But how can we teach phonics online?
Worry no more as we will discuss in this article some of the ONLINE PHONICS PROGRAMs that you could avail while we are making sure that our children are safe from COVID-19.
First on our list is Starfall ABCs, it is a website which covers everything from alphabet, phonics, identifying shapes of words, and fluency and comprehension. Good news is, you can use this for FREE! Yes, there is no monthly fee for using this website. Children will enjoy learning through this as it is also interactive and entertaining.
Next on our list is HOMER Learn and Grow, it can be downloaded both in mobile phones or computers (you just need to install an emulator on your pc). HOMER includes teaching several skills, such as Thinking skills, creativity, math, social-emotional, and reading. All the lessons are personalized based on the interest and age of children who will use the application. Their reading section is composed of alphabets, and phonics. And there are a lot more features that make this application interactive and fun.
Third and last on the list is Teach your Monster to Read, which offers a free reading game for young children. This website has three different parts:
- Teach your Monster to Read – Where you and your child could create a player, you can also create cute avatars such as this:
Children could change the monster’s arms, head, legs, and even their colors. This is based on their own preference, how cool is that? Also, this application also has a mini storyline that children will really enjoy.
- Teach your monster Reading for Fun – In this part the narrator will instruct you to read the following words with him. This will help children to learn how to read faster.
- Teach your Monster Number Skills – the last part of Teach your Monster, here your children can learn about numbers in the most interactive way. Teach Your Monster Application is not just focused on the ABCs and Phonics, they also promote learning numbers through game approach.
These applications are all free and accessible through computer or mobile phones. Teaching phonics can be really challenging, but with the help of these applications and exerting effort to engage your children in learning will make it easier. You got this, parents!
Conclusion
- There are a lot of phonics programs to choose from for the pre-reading skills of young children. There are also existing applications that can be used to have interactive and fun phonics lessons.
- Teaching phonics online gives more opportunities to the children to try various learning methods and try learning phonics in a fun and different ways.