3301-33-01 Rule for phonics.

(A) The Ohio state board of education shall formulate and prescribe minimum standards requiring the use of phonics as a technique in the teaching of reading in grades kindergarten through three.

(B) As used in this rule, the term "phonics" means the relationship between letters, speech sounds, patterns, and meaning units (such as prefixes, suffixes, and root words) in written language.

(C) Phonics instruction shall be based on the child's understanding of essential concepts (such as print directionality, what a word is, letter knowledge, and that print carries the message).

(D) Phonics instruction shall occur in meaningful contexts and may consist of a combination of several of the following activities:

(1) Illustrating the relationships between letters of the alphabet and sounds utilizing words in the spoken language of the student; how vowels and consonants blend to form syllables; and how syllables form words.

(2) Reading aloud to children to heighten awareness of the link between written and spoken language.

(3) Providing frequent opportunities for student to read and to re-read books and materials to practice and apply their understanding of phonics.

(4) Developing the ability of students to approximate word pronunciation by applying phonic generalizations.

(5) Demonstrating letter-sound relationships using familiar words as concrete examples.

(6) Showing students how to compare unknown words with similarly spelled familiar words to help recognize unknown words.

(7) Utilizing knowledge of letter-sound relationships, meaning of text, and structure of words to help students to recognize unknown words.

(E) Phonics instruction functions as a technique to help students construct meaning from text and to develop independence in learning.

(F) The state board of education shall provide inservice training programs for teachers on the use of phonics as a technique in the teaching of reading in grades kindergarten through three.

Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 10/13/2016 and 10/13/2021
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 3301.07
Rule Amplifies: 3301.07
Prior Effective Dates: 04/27/1990