By Mercy Arthur
Bediako, Oct.01, GNA – Madam Mabel Kyeraah Twum, the Intellectual School Quiz Mistress has stated that teaching Jolly Phonics at the preschool level, helps boost writing and reading skills in pupils.
Madam Twum said Jolly Phonics was a synthetic, fun and multi-sensory approach to teaching literacy, especially for young learners, which focuses on sounds and letters.
She told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that teaching jolly phonics helped to build strong reading skills in children, as it helped them to decode unfamiliar words by sounding them out and encouraged reading with understanding rather than just memorising the words.
She added that Jolly Phonics also improved spelling and writing, as the children understand how sounds were mapped to letters, making spelling easier, while ensuring accurate writing because of the breaking down of words into sounds.
“It also encourages active learning through the use of songs, actions and stories, making lessons engaging and memorable,” she noted.
The Quiz Mistress enumerated the steps in teaching Jolly Phonics, which included learning the letter sounds, letter formation, blending sounds for reading, identifying sounds in words for spelling and tricky words practice with memory aids and repetitions.
She urged facilitators to create parent awareness by holding short workshops or meetings to explain Jolly Phonics methods and share its importance in early reading.
Madam Twum advised that teaching children struggling with letter sounds or blending, should involve a multi-sensory approach, repetition and extra support, making the lesson fun and engaging.
She emphasised that children with speech difficulties or learning challenges could adapt to Jolly Phonics by slowing the pace and focusing more on multi-sensory methods such as actions, songs and visual aids.
She encouraged parents to reinforce the lessons at home with the collaboration of a speech therapist where needed.
GNA
Edited by Laudia Sawer/ Christabel Addo