Explicit Instruction in the Classroom

What are some of the elements that you thought Mr. Javier could have incorporated into his lesson? Explicit phonics instruction involves several key elements. It involves reading letters and words repeatedly, and pointing to the letters as you sound words out. It is important to overemphasize syllables and specific phonemes. Work on breaking words apart, and exaggerate letter shapes as you draw them. And finally, associate words with what they mean like Mr. Javier did with the letter “p.”

  • Dyslexia
    a learning disability characterized by poor spelling and difficulties with word recognition and word decoding. It is unrelated to intelligence, motivation, or school experience
    Explicit instruction
    systematic and direct teaching that takes into account students’ prior knowledge
    Phonics-based reading instruction
    teaching focused on how letters represent sounds and how words can be sounded out by knowing letter-sound correspondences
    Plasticity
    the brain’s ability to change as a result of experience