Making Sense of Phonics: The Hows and Whys

Now in a revised and updated third edition incorporating a decade of additional research and classroom experience, this book has helped over 100,000 primary-grades teachers understand and successfully apply the science of reading in phonics instruction. Isabel L. Beck and Mark E. Beck present innovative approaches to assessing and teaching letter–sound relationships, blending, Word Building, multisyllabic decoding, fluency, and more. A wealth of reproducible forms and word lists can be copied from the book or downloaded and printed; the companion website also features supplemental word lists, word and syllable cards, and 30 illustrated Syllasearch stories. Engaging teacher anecdotes and end-of-chapter “Your Turn” activities enhance the book's utility as a professional development resource and course text.

New to This Edition:

• Chapter on the key role of phonics in today's literacy programs—with a focus on what is needed for high-quality instruction aligned with the science of reading.
• Chapter on extending Word Building instruction to small groups and individual students.
• Extensive revision of the Syllasearch activity for decoding multisyllabic words.
• Expanded reproducible and downloadable tools, including enhanced Word Building lists, new Syllasearch lists (with teaching tips), and eight new Syllasearch stories.

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Table of Contents

Preface

1. What Is the Forecast for Phonics Instruction in the United States?
2. The Alphabetic Principle and Phonics sample
3. Phonemic Awareness
4. The Phonics Landscape
5. Teaching Children the Sounds That Letters Represent
6. Blending
7. Word Building: Overview and Procedures
8. Word Building: Grouping
9. Assessment
10. Multisyllabic Words
11. Syllasearch
12. Orthography: A “Sticking Point in Word Recognition”
13. Fluency

Epilogue

Appendices

1.Word Building Lists

2. Specific Phonics Assessments: Administration and Scoring Guidelines

3. The Word Pocket

4. Words and Syllable Matrices for Syllasearch

5. List of Online Teaching Resources

Glossary

References

Index

"Making Sense of Phonics, Third Edition, is a 'must' for anyone who wants to navigate the science of reading with effective, engaging, efficient instruction. Beck and Beck analyze the state of phonics instruction in current core programs and provide classroom recommendations complete with online downloadable resources and easy-to-administer, focused assessments. I particularly appreciate the authors’ excellent treatment of phonemic awareness—it is a breath of fresh air and should be read carefully by teachers, administrators, and teacher educators alike!"
- Kathleen J. Brown, PhD, Director Emeritus, University of Utah Reading Clinic

"This is the ultimate phonics guide. Beck and Beck provide strategies, resources, and commentary to support educators with developing a comprehensive approach to teaching phonics. No need to struggle through the teacher's edition of a basal program any longer once you have this book! Readers of previous editions will be thrilled with new content in the third edition, including updates to Word Building (a fan favorite), a new and improved Syllasearch routine, and much more. Not to be missed!"
- Lisa Yonek, EdD, Reading Coordinator, Reading Achievement Center, Allegheny Intermediate Unit, Pennsylvania

"This excellent book is appropriate for inservice and preservice teachers alike. Beck and Beck thoughtfully critique widely used commercial phonics programs and address ways to better prepare teachers in this key area. The book outlines specific, powerful instructional procedures that teachers can easily use to enhance or modify their phonics instruction. The authors describe various options for how best to implement their recommendations in classrooms, and provide an array of resources to assist teachers in doing just that."
- Marcy Stein, PhD, School of Education (Emeritus), University of Washington Tacoma