Phonics can be taught implicitly or explicitly. Implicit phonics instruction begins with a whole word and looks at beginning sounds, ending sounds, and context clues. Explicit phonics instruction does the reverse: incorporating blending and building from a single letter to a word. Explicit phonics instruction is essential for students with dyslexia or other learning disabilities. The Reading Horizons programs teach explicit, intensive phonics.
The sounds and rules governing written language are taught in a sequential, cumulative manner. The program addresses sight words and teaches them from a linguistic standpoint rather than through rote memorization. Reading Horizons addresses and teaches phonological awareness, phonological decoding, phonological encoding, phonological recording, print awareness, semantics, syntax, and segmentation. Additionally, it teaches language-based skills such as handwriting, spelling, directional-tracking, language arts, listening, and thinking skills.
The goal of systematic phonics instruction is to give students the knowledge required to analyze and identify just about any word they encounter-even to the point of deciphering and reading words they have never seen before!
Reading Horizons is taught in a logical sequence. The alphabet is introduced in sets of four consonants and one vowel. Each letter is introduced individually, and students learn the name, sound, and formation (uppercase and lowercase) simultaneously.
Students are then taught to combine consonants with the vowel sound, blending the sounds together in what is called a slide. Consonants are then added as ending sounds, forming words. The material is consolidated for students who know the alphabet.
Sentence structure begins following the introduction of the second set of consonants and vowels. As each new set of letters is introduced, it is combined with those letters previously learned.
The program continues through the entire alphabet, then adds blends. Long vowel sounds are taught, and the five phonetic skills are presented, helping students know and identify the five patterns of English words. Next, a two-step decoding skill is taught. Skillful readers' ability to read long words depends on their ability to break words into syllables. Reading Horizons teaches students to break words into syllables and apply the Five Phonetic Skills they've learned to decode the words. Consequently, they can read words of any length.
The remaining sounds are taught (r-controlled vowels, digraphs, special vowel sounds, etc.), each new principle building upon previously learned skills. As students move through the logical sequence of the course, they experience learning success in incremental steps while receiving continuous, positive reinforcement of previously learned skills.
The Discover Intensive Phonics for Yourself reading method utilizes a unique marking system that allows students to identify vowels, vowel sounds, digraphs, and so forth within whole words. Marking the words strengthens the visual ability to identify patterns and is always accomplished in a left-to-right sequence. The marking system and decoding process employed in Discover Intensive Phonics for Yourself provides a working knowledge of likely and unlikely sequences of letters and gives students the ability to easily break words into syllables.
Reading Horizons is presented to students through an Orton-Gillingham, multi-sensory methodology that encompasses the visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile modalities. All of the modalities have been employed to address each individual learning style. Students need the visual and tactile experience to secure what they've learned auditorily.
Interactive computer software has been designed to provide a multi-sensory experience with a human voice audio soundtrack, visual screen displays, and tactile use of the keyboard, mouse, and screen.
The Discover Intensive Phonics for Yourself approach provides an opportunity for students to work at their own level and at their own pace. The program reaches the struggling students while offering the ability to tailor-fit the lesson plan to more-advanced readers. Work can be individualized or done collaboratively in groups. Classroom instruction and interactive computer software utilize direct instruction and multi-sensory methods that respect individual learning styles. Discover Intensive Phonics for Yourself correlates with the DIBELS® test.
The more severe the learning disability, the more crucial the need for explicit, sequential, intensive phonics. Reading Horizons is a must for students with special needs such as those suffering from dyslexia or other types of learning disabilities. The phonetic elements are taught in alogical order, from simple to complex. The sound/symbol unit is then read and spelled in words; those words, in turn, are used in sentences. The sentences are then placed in simple stories.
Armed with decoding skills, students are now ready to tackle all types of reading material. The K-3 program includes controlled-vocabulary stories to reinforce concepts and build confidence. Reading Horizons, for grades 4-12 includes a library with over 225 high-interest-leveled passages in 15 different genres. Students enjoy applying their newly acquired skills in expository readings that build fluency and comprehension through timing and comprehension questions.
