THE

PHONOVISUAL
METHOD
 PHONOVISUAL IS…

• An organized and systematic approach to

teaching sound/symbol relationship.

• For over seventy years, the Phonovisual

Method has been used successfully with
non-readers and struggling readers alike.
 VALUES OF THE METHOD
1.Provides a quick and simple means for teaching all initial and
final consonants, and the vowel sounds.
2.Teaches the pupil to distinguish easily between letters often
confused, such as p and q, m and n, b and d, f and t.
3.Trains the pupil to read from left to right by emphasizing the
beginning of words, which help to prevent reversal
tendencies.
4.Gives the child tools with which to attack new words.
5.Gives security and confidence by giving the child clues which
help him to remember words taught by sight.
6.Corrects minor speech defects without making the child
aware of being corrected.
 VALUES OF THE METHOD
7. It is specially valuable in spelling. The habit of critical listening
taught by the Phonovisual Method, and the training in auditory
discrimination will develop a keen ear for detecting even slight
variations in syllables, vowel sounds, and the ending of words. Mastery
of both charts enables students to spell hundreds of words without any
study whatsoever.
8. Provides assurance in correctly reading and spelling consonant
blends.
9. Enables the child to read with comprehension and fluency and
inspires him to read with joy.
10. Provides the child the power and the desire to write creative
stories.

THOROUGH TEACHING OF THE PHONOVISUAL METHOD GIVES THE

STUDENT CONFIDENCE AND INDEPENDENCE IN APPLYING HIS
DECODING SKILLS FOR BETTER READING, SPELLING, SPEECH, AND
WRITING.
 METHOD
• The Phonovisual Method offers a quick, easy,
and fun way to teach all initial and final
consonant sounds, and the vowel sounds. Using
two charts (the CONSONANT CHART and the
VOWEL CHART) clearly establishes the
relationship between the letter symbol and its
sound.
 3 BASIC STEPS

1. Teach all initial consonant sounds.

2. Teach all initial and final consonant sounds.

3. Teach the vowels.

THE CONSONANT CHART
• The 26 sounds are organized
vertically and horizontally .
• 1st column : breath consonant
sounds
• 2nd column: voiced consonant
sounds
• 3rd column: nasal sounds
• 4th column: remaining
consonant sounds
• Horizontally the sounds are
spaced to indicate the phonetic
relationship with the sounds in
the first vertical column.
THE VOWEL CHART
• There are 18 sounds.
• 1st row: Long vowel
sounds.
• 2nd row: Short vowel
sounds.
• Columns below: two-letter
vowel sounds indicate
other most commonly used
sounds spelled with the
letter at the top of the
vertical column.
EXPLANATION OF THE CONSONANT CHART

• Key picture.
• The dash after the symbol indicates “missing
letters”.
• The dash in front of the –ng and –x : taught in
their final position.
 PRODUCING THE CONSONANT SOUNDS
FIRST COLUMN (breath sounds)

• Continuant sounds: wh, f, th, s, sh, h.

• Explosive sounds: p, t, ch, k.

A continuant sound can be sustained, an

explosive sound cannot be sustained.
P-

• The sound of letter p is

made by closing your
lips and gently blowing
out.
wh-

• Wheel or weel?
f-

• Touch your lower lip

with your upper teeth.
th-

• Put your tongue slighly

between your teeth and
blowing gently.
• The vocal cords do not
vibrate
 t-

• The tongue is pressed lightly

against the shelf (gum
ridge) behind the upper
front teeth, holding the air
within the mouth.
• Avoid the uh
s-

• In producing the
continuant sound s,
avoid the tendency to
pronlong it.
sh-

• Make the sh a quiet

sound
 ch-

• Pretend you are starting

to sneeze.
k- and h-

• K: coughing sound or crow

sound
• H: panting puppy sound;
huffing sound
• Since k and h are made in
the back of the throat,
there is a little chance of
adding an uh.
THE SECOND COLUMN – VOICED SOUNDS

• The continuant sounds are: w, v, th, and

z.
• The explosive sounds are: b, d, j, and g.
• Producing these sounds should be easier
since they are formed the same as their
breath equivalents in the first column.
You merely add voice.
b-

• When teaching this

sound make sure you
hear the voice.
w-

• The sound is neither

wug or woo. Prolong
the w for several
seconds before finishing
the word: w……in
 v-, th-, and z-

• These are also

continuant sounds.

• Do give them voice

This
 th-
• We use this th in our speech.
• It is produced by putting
slightly your tongue between
your teeth and adding
voice.
THIS • If you pronounce it correctly
you should feel vibration on
the tongue and teeth
d-
• This sound is made like
the t sound, except
that the vocal cords
vibrate.
j-
• This explosive sound
comes when your teeth
come together.

• Do not drop your jaw.

g-
• Frog sound

• It is made like the k

sound, except that the
vocal cords vibrate.
THE THIRD COLUMN – NASAL SOUNDS

• These are continuant sounds.

m-
• When making this sound
the vibration goes to the
cheeks, the nose, the
forehead, and the neck.
• The quality of the sound
might de demosntrated by
saying “m” and then
pinching the nostrils
together.
n-
• This sound is made with
the tongue tip in the
same position as t and
d.
ng-
• Ending sound
• Difference between n (the
tongue is up) and ng (the
tongue is down)
• The sound is not ing
• Practice prolonging the
final sound until you feel
it in the back of your
throat.
THE FOURTH COLUMN – REMAINING
CONSONANT SOUNDS

qu-

• Wh+k

• Round your lips as

though you were
starting to say wh and
simultaneously put
the k throught it
l-

• Put the tip of your

tongue up to the
roof of your mouth
to avoid saying ul.
r-

• It is not er nor
ruh.
• Say the word run,
and pronlong the
first sound: r---un
until you can hear
it and feel it.
y-

• Because the initial

y is s voiced sound,
it is inevitable that
a bit of and ee
sound is heard.
• Think of the word
yeast: ---ye.
-x
• To produce the
sound of the final
x, combine the
explosive k and
the continuant s.
• Say the word kiss
and omit the
vowel.