When
students, especially young students, read they often are so focused on
decoding words and comprehending what they’ve read that they don’t have a
good idea of what they actually sound like when they are reading.
Struggling readers might not know how long it takes them to
sound out a word or that the sound they are actually saying out loud
isn’t the sound they think they are saying. One way to help with this
issue is by using Phonics Phones (sometimes called Whisper Phones).
What are they?
Phonics
Phones are tubes that are shaped like a telephone receiver, and like a
telephone receiver students hold one end to their ear while speaking
into the other end. This shape allows sound of the student reading to
travel to their ear and thus students can more directly hear themselves
read.
The Research
According to Marygrove College’s Master in the Art of Teaching’s website, phonics phones help students in many ways:
- Phonemic Awareness is built as students hear their own voice
- Students can focus on blending, proper sound use, and fluency when reading
- Focus and attention on reading (time on-task) is improved.
- The noise level of the classroom drops since students must whisper into the phones.
- Shy readers can gain confidence reading aloud as they practice and get used to hearing their own voice.
- Regardless of a students’ reading level, the phones help build reading fluency.
Right Track Reading also lists similar benefits for phonics phones and also
emphasizes that the phones provide privacy for students while also
improving focus and attention as they are less likely to be distracted
by a neighbor.
What does this mean for your classroom?
- Phonics phones can be used as a whole class, in a small group, or at a station.
- Since the phones offer a quiet and private setting for building phonemic awareness and fluency, teachers can easily differentiate instruction by having students read books that are at an appropriately challenging level for students as individuals.
- If there are particularly loud readers, these phones will help quiet them. If a student speaks in a loud or even a normal voice it will funnel right back to his ear. Almost all students quickly regulate their voices to a soft, comfortable level.
- Make sure not to single out struggling readers by only have certain students use the phones. By using stations, small groups, or whole class activities, it helps struggling readers build reading skills and confidence without being detrimental
Where can I get them?
Phonics phones can be purchase from several different sources. A few are listed here: The CANDL Foundation, Whisper Phones, Amazon.
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