Beginning with its definition, 'Phonetics' is one of the important elements of Linguistics which deals with the study of sounds of speech, their production, combination, representation and description with the help of written symbols. These symbols which are used to represent sounds of the language are described as the IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) symbols.
Phonetics is further classified in to the three main categories:
i. Articulatory phonetics
ii. Acoustic phonetics
iii. Auditory phonetics
As these names stand the Articulatory phonetics deals with the way in which sounds are produced, Acoustic phonetics deals with the physical properties of speech sounds while the Auditory phonetics deals with the way the sounds are heard.
a. Teaching phonics
Phonics is defined as the study of teaching 'reading' that deals with the sounds of the letters, group of letters and syllables.
Teaching Phonics emphasizes learning whole words in meaningful contexts. The study of phonics too gets divided in to four different parts.
They are:
* Analytic phonics
* Linguistic phonics
* Synthetic phonics
* Embedded phonics
b. Reading phonics
Phonics reading is an important part of helping the learner to read. The individual learns to relate the sounds of the spoken English language with that of the letters of the alphabet and forms of words. By reading phonics in this way it builds an excellent foundation for learners learning to read and spell correctly English words.
c. Learning phonics
The learners are made to understand the relationship between the letters and the sounds that each letters produces thus forming new words. They are also primarily made to comprehend the alphabets in the first case. As gradually the learner develops the assimilated sounds and its correlation with the words created he improvises to form new larger lettered words, difference between consonants and vowels and understands letter combinations faster especially in the form of blends and digraphs. By involving audio visual methods such as 'telephonic conversations', 'movies' and also reading a particular text involve learning phonics in a practically efficient way. Of course the presence of an expert phonic master acts as a catalyst in the quicker improvement of phonic skills of a learner.
d. Phonics for kids and adults
Various online programs and books on phonics learning are available for both adult as well as kid learners. Such programs come in a package with comprehensive curriculum and suitable designed practice lessons and worksheets for learners depending upon their age. The web-based teaching system suits both the learners in a way that according to their age groups different kinds of course materials are designed. Where kid's curriculum is very colourful with pictorial concepts, adult's syllabus is equally interesting with classroom based teaching methodologies.
e. Accent
Accent is basically a characteristic pronunciation defined by the phonetic habits of the native language of a speaker that further gets carried over to his other language.
Usually our environs in which we stay influence our language in a way that our manner of our speech becomes socially affected and easily differentiated from the rest especially the native or original one for that matter. This forms the base of reason why in India the accent of English drastically differs as we move from one state to the other.