An alternative method to teaching children how to read and write leaves traditional ABC’s behind and introduces the ’42 letter sounds of the English language instead.
What is Jolly Phonics?
In short, Jolly Phonics is about learning to read by sounding out the sounds that make words.
Jolly Phonics is a child-centred, seven-step program that teaches children how to read and write through the ’42 letter sounds of the English language”, instead of the traditional 26 letter alphabet.
It is a systematic, synthetic phonics program that teaches children how to read and write through stages of blending and segmenting sounds into words. The program has three characters Inky Mouse, Snake and Bee who are used throughout the Jolly Phonics material. Jolly Phonics was created by UK teachers Sue Llyod and Sara Wernham in order to support children who were struggling with the traditional methods of reading and writing.
How does Jolly Phonics help Children read?
Jolly Phonics works by introducing children to the ’42 letter sounds of the English language. Students learn letters by sound rather than by name and are taught them via songs, actions and frequently to the tune of ‘Skip to My Lou’. ‘A’ for example, is learnt through a song about ‘ants’ instead of being taught by its name.
The sounds are taught in a specific order, not alphabetical, which enables children to build words as early as possible.
There are five key skills implemented in the Jolly Phonics program for reading and writing and they are:
- Learning Letter Sounds
- Learning Letter Formation
- Blending
- Identifying sounds in words (Segmenting)
- Tricky words
The Jolly Phonics program lasts for approximately one year and is reinforced and built upon throughout students’ education by implementing the next stage, Jolly Grammar. Jolly Grammar teaches children essential grammar rules by drawing upon their knowledge of Jolly Phonics and implementing colours and actions which help children identify parts of speech and sentences such as verbs and nouns.
Jolly Phonics apps
Jolly Phonics apps are a modern way that helps children to learn how to read using the Jolly Phonics system. There are many different apps that teach Jolly Phonics, all designed to be fun and interactive. The apps can be used by children who are just starting to learn how to read, or by children who need a little extra practice.
The best thing about Jolly Phonics apps is that parents can use them with their children at home in conjunction with other learning methods. They can be used on computers, tablets, or smartphones, and they work on both Android and iOS devices. This means that no matter what type of device your child has, there is sure to be a Jolly Phonics app that will work for them.
Some apps we recommend include:
Jolly Phonics Lessons app Designed for iPad, this app uses obvious letter to sound teaching combined with fun games to introduce kids to Jolly Phonics.
ABC Kids – Tracing and Phonics Not a jolly phonics purist app but major points for engagement- helping kids to link sounds to letters.
Jolly Phonics Australia
Jolly Phonics is implemented in some school programs, however, its use still receives some criticism as critics have argued that the program does not benefit all children and all learning styles.
The Jolly Phonics website, Jolly learning, offers a free downloadable guide for teaching and reading with Jolly Phonics as well as purchasable Jolly Phonics products, such as activity books, DVD’s, audio tracks, finger phonics books, flashcards, home and school kits, software, puppets and more. Jolly Phonics songs and videos can also be found on YouTube. For Australian based training and information go to https://cpdcollege.com/jphau-jolly-phonics-australia or https://jollyeducation.com.au/
Are there other apps or tools that you would recommend? Please let us know in comments below.
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