英语博客：Oh, so you don't like phonics?

　　Hands up any of you who don't like English phonics. I can't see your hands, but it certainly sounded like a lot of them went up. Do you think English phonics are a pain? Well, do you know what I think? I agree with you; they are a pain. Believe me, as an English person, learning¹ my own language was not that easy. Of course, speaking it came easily because I'm a native, but the writing part was much more problematic. I'm reminded now of the struggle that it can be to come to understand and remember all the different rules to English phonics. My second grader, who I homeschool, is climbing up the hill of phonics knowledge. He has almost got to the top, but still has a little way to go. It's extremely satisfying, as a mum, to see a child make progress with reading or writing, and to see how, once they know a rule, they can apply it. I'm looking forward to the day when he can read for pleasure. Today, in an effort to help my son get to the top of that reading and writing hill, I went to The Academic Toolbox. It's an amazing shop that supplies teachers and homeschoolers with everything: books, DVDs, games, toys, maps, art supplies. You name it, they have it. I didn't have enough time to really look around, but I did manage to find an interesting series called 'Explode The Code²' all about phonics. These books give very clear, simple practices of all the phonetic³ rules that we use in English: vowel⁴ combinations⁵, double consonants⁶, endings, beginnings, irregularities, and comprehension. I like the style of the series; the art is simple but cartoonish at the same time. Kids like that. Many of the sentences are funny, and some of the activities are simply to draw a line or a circle to identify a word or its meaning. I'll have to do a podcast some time on the history of English. I think then we can all understand why it is such a mix of different things. Remember, that England, being a small island, was invaded⁷ many times by people of many different languages, my ancestors. So, it makes sense that the language has its complexities⁸. Hopefully, my son will like these books as I do. And I also hope that he will quickly learn from them, reach the top of the hill, and then discover what fun English books can be,
Grammar notes.
Related⁹ vocabulary: in an effort to, problematic, comprehension, cartoonish.
1. In an effort to clean the kitchen, he ended up making a real mess.
2. The situation is problematic; there are many possible solutions, but also many risks.
3. His reading is great, but his comprehension is not at the same level.
4. That expensive painting looks too cartoonish to take seriously.

1 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

2 code   

n.代码，代号，密码；法典，法规，规划

参考例句：

• What's the code for Tianjin?天津的代号是多少？
• Remember to use postal code.勿忘使用邮政编码。

3 phonetic   

adj.语言的，语言上的，表示语音的

参考例句：

• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。
• English phonetic teaching is an important teaching step in elementary stages.语音教学是英语基础阶段重要的教学环节。

4 vowel   

n.元音；元音字母

参考例句：

• A long vowel is a long sound as in the word"shoe ".长元音即如“shoe” 一词中的长音。
• The vowel in words like 'my' and 'thigh' is not very difficult.单词my和thigh中的元音并不难发。

5 combinations   

n.合作( combination的名词复数 )；密码组合；联合体；排列

参考例句：

• The music students are learning how to score tunes for various combinations. 学音乐的学生把曲调改编为各种器乐组曲。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Some antigens, or combinations of antigens, are much more potent than others. 某些抗原或者联合抗原可比其它抗原作用强得多。 来自辞典例句

6 consonants   

n.辅音，子音( consonant的名词复数 )；辅音字母

参考例句：

• Consonants are frequently assimilated to neighboring consonants. 辅音往往被其邻近的辅音同化。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Vowels possess greater sonority than consonants. 元音比辅音响亮。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

7 invaded   

v.侵入，侵略( invade的过去式和过去分词 )；涌入；侵袭；侵犯

参考例句：

• Troops invaded on August 9th that year. 军队是在那年的8月9日入侵的。
• The diseased tissue can be easily invaded by these microorganisms. 有病的组织容易被微生物侵袭。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 complexities   

复杂性(complexity的名词复数)； 复杂的事物

参考例句：

• The complexities of life bothered him. 生活的复杂使他困惑。
• The complexities of life bothered me. 生活的杂乱事儿使我心烦。

9 related   

adj.有关系的，有关联的，叙述的，讲述的

参考例句：

• I am not related to him in any way.我和他无任何关系。
• We spent days going through all related reference material.我们花了好多天功夫查阅所有有关的参考资料。