Phonics is the understanding that there is a predictable relationship between phonemes (the sounds of spoken language) and graphemes (the letters and spellings that represent those sounds in written language). An effective phonics program needs to be systematic and explicit-that is, it will identify a useful set of letter-sound relationships and organize the introduction of these relationships into a logical instructional sequence, which may include relationships between the sounds associated with single letters as well as with larger units of written language (e.g. "th" or "ing" or spelling patterns such as "es" or "ie").

For a more detailed explanation of phonemic awareness and phonics instruction, see pages 1-19* of "Put Reading First," downloaded from the National Institute for Literacy website at www.nifl.gov. You can also use the lesson plans from the Adult Beginning Reader Guide, which have been written with sensitivity to the adult learner. Your students will need a balanced approach to learning these basics, taking into consideration the skills they already possess.

[*To print this section of the booklet, click the printer icon within the Adobe Reader and select pages 7-25.]

We'll look more in depth at fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension in Section III, "Adult Learners and Comprehension Strategies."

Disclaimer: While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this web-based training component, it is not an official publication of the Florida Department of Education.