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Teaching Phonics to Children

Harry Johal

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Teaching Phonics to Children

Teaching Phonics to Children

Phonics is a necessary part of any good method of teaching children to read. Teaching Children phonics and helping them develop phonemic awareness is the key to mastering words, which is the first key step toward successful reading. Children need to develop a knowledge of the letters, the sounds represented by the letters, and the connection between sounds created by combining the letters where words are formed. This is an essential part of mastering reading, and enabling children to become independent readers. By learning phonics and phonemic awareness, children gain the ability to pronounce new words, develop clear articulation, improve spelling, and develop self confidence.

When it comes to teaching your children to read, it must include three basic principles:

1) Reading for the child, whether it’s a word, sentence, or story, must appeal to your child’s interests.

2) Never pressure or force your child into reading, turning it into a negative “event” in their life. It should be a fun, enjoyable, and rewarding experience. This will take ample amounts of patience on the part of the parents, and some creativity.

3) Teaching your child to read must begin with the mastery of the phonemes – the individual sounds which makeup the words.

The basic process of teaching phonics and phonemic awareness to children includes teaching them the letters and letter sounds; then you teach the child to combine (or blend) various letter sounds together to form words; which is then followed by reading sentences and simple stories. This is a logical progression for children to learn reading, where they develop accuracy in decoding words and pronouncing words. This method of teaching also helps the child to spell correctly. Gradually, the different elements of phonics are combined to produce new words, and leads to the discovery of new words by the child using this process which becomes an “automatic reflex”.

Teaching phonics to children should take 10 to 15 minutes each day, and these “lessons” should take place in several small sessions each day – such as 4 or 5 session lasting 3 to 5 minutes each. For older pre-school children, lessons can be slightly longer; however, several minutes each session is all that’s needed.

One way to start teaching phonics to children with with ear training – by helping them develop the understanding that words are made up of smaller units of sounds, or known as phonemes, and when you combine these sounds, a word is formed. You can start this with very short sessions, as already mentioned. A few minutes a day is all that you need. The key, however, is consistency and patience.

During these short sessions, sound out words slowly and distinctly. You can do this without even making the child aware that you are trying to teach them. Simply take words from your everyday speaking to your child and include oral blending sounds into your sentences. For example, if you wanted to ask your child to drink his milk, you could say: “Joe, d-r-i-n-k your m-ilk.” The words drink and milk are sounded out slowly and distinctly. The level of sound separation can be set by you to increase or lower the difficulty. Thus, if Joe has a tough time figuring out that d-r-i-n-k means drink, you can lower the difficulty by blending the word as dr-ink instead.

Alternatively, you could simply pick different words and play blending sounds games with your child. You simply say the sounds of the word slowly, and ask the child try to guess what you are saying.

This concept of individual sounds forming words may take some time for your child to grasp. Some children will pick it up quickly, while other children may take longer, but one thing that’s certain is that if you keep it up, your child will catch on. Below are some sample words which you can use to play blending sounds activities with your child.

J-u-m-pΒ Β Β J-ump
R-u-nΒ Β  R-un
S-i-tΒ Β  S-it
S-t-a-n-dΒ Β  St-and
M-i-l-kΒ Β  M-ilk
S-t-o-pΒ Β  St-op

The first word is more segmented than the second word, and will be more difficult to sound out. Please note that hyphens are used to indicate the letter sounds instead of slashes.

ie: J-u-m-pΒ  /J/ /u/ /m/ /p/

This is done to make things easier to read; however, when you read it, you should not read the names of the letters, but instead say the sounds of the letters. This type of ear training for phonics and phonemic awareness should continue throughout the teaching process, even well after your child have grasped this concept. It can be applied to words with increasing difficulty. Again, please always keep in mind that not all children can readily blend the sounds to hear the word, so you must be patient, and drill this for days, weeks, or even months if needed. Consistency and frequency is the key to success here, and not sporadic binge sessions.

If you would like to learn about aΒ simple step-by-step program designed to easily teach your children how to read, please click here.

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Editor's Choice

Bajpayee Transforms Into Gandhi in Sudhir Mishra’s Next

H Johal

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Bajpayee Transforms Into Gandhi in Sudhir Mishra’s Next

Bajpayee Transforms Into Gandhi in Sudhir Mishra’s Next

Studio CarryOnHarry Entertainment Desk | 6 September 2026

A Historic Casting Decision for Bollywood

One of Hindi cinema’s most decorated actors, Manoj Bajpayee, is preparing to step into the shoes of the Father of the Nation. The acclaimed performer will portray Mahatma Gandhi on screen for the very first time in an upcoming directorial by veteran filmmaker Sudhir Mishra.

Lead instead with a specific observation about what the image shows β€” gesture, costume, expression β€” rather than restating that an image exists and people reacted. Ground it in a detail, not a summary.

The Story Behind the Film

What makes this project particularly compelling is its unique historical lens. Reframe around a question or tension rather than restating the fact: e.g., ‘Which 21 days? The production hasn’t said β€” and that silence is itself part of the intrigue around this project.’

Joining Bajpayee on screen is the celebrated Saurabh Shukla, who takes on a key role in the narrative. The pairing of two powerhouse performers promises an intense and layered cinematic experience.

Creative Team and Production Details

  • Director: Sudhir Mishra β€” known for acclaimed works including Dharavi (1992), Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi (2003), Chameli (2004), and Serious Men (2020)
  • Producer: Anubhav Sinha and Narendra Hirawat
  • Production Banner: Benaras Mediaworks
  • Presented By: NH Studioz

The reunion of Mishra and Sinha β€” two stalwarts who have individually shaped the landscape of meaningful Indian cinema β€” adds significant creative weight to the venture. For the latest on Bollywood’s top stories, stay tuned to our dedicated coverage hub.

Bajpayee’s Most Daring Role Yet?

Manoj Bajpayee has consistently pushed boundaries throughout his career, from Satya to The Family Man. Yet portraying Mahatma Gandhi β€” arguably one of the most recognised and revered figures in world history β€” represents an entirely new frontier for the National Award-winning actor.

The responsibility of embodying Gandhi’s physicality, philosophy, and presence on screen is immense. Early reactions to the first-look image suggest Bajpayee has already made a powerful impression, even before a single frame of footage has been officially released.

Gandhi on Screen: A Rich Legacy

The role of Mahatma Gandhi has previously been portrayed by Ben Kingsley in Richard Attenborough’s landmark 1982 film Gandhi, and by Naseeruddin Shah in Kamal Haasan’s Hey Ram. Bajpayee’s interpretation promises to bring a fresh and distinctly Indian perspective to one of history’s most complex and beloved figures.

As entertainment industry coverage continues to track this project, anticipation is building rapidly across the film fraternity and among audiences nationwide.

What to Expect Next

An official title, release timeline, and further production details are yet to be announced. Given the calibre of talent involved both in front of and behind the camera, this film is shaping up to be one of the most significant Bollywood releases in recent memory.

– Entertainment Desk, Studio Carry On Harry

Background & Timeline

Manoj Bajpayee has been a cornerstone of Indian parallel cinema since his breakthrough in Satya (1998). Director Sudhir Mishra, meanwhile, has built a distinguished career spanning over three decades with films like Dharavi (1992), Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi (2003), and Serious Men (2020). Producer Anubhav Sinha’s Benaras Mediaworks has backed several socially conscious films in recent years. This project marks the first time Bajpayee will portray Mahatma Gandhi, joining a select group of actors including Ben Kingsley and Naseeruddin Shah who have taken on the historic role.

Studio CarryOnHarry Perspective

At Studio Carry On Harry, we believe this casting is a watershed moment for Indian historical cinema. Manoj Bajpayee brings an unparalleled raw intensity to every role, and his portrayal of Mahatma Gandhi could redefine how Bollywood approaches biographical storytelling. Paired with Sudhir Mishra’s unflinching directorial vision and Anubhav Sinha’s commitment to meaningful narratives, this film has the potential to transcend entertainment and become genuine cultural documentation. We’ll be watching every development closely.

What’s Next?

Watch for the official title announcement and theatrical release date from the Benaras Mediaworks team. A full trailer reveal and further cast announcements are expected in the coming months. Given the historical subject matter and the creative powerhouse behind the camera, this film is likely to generate significant awards season conversation well ahead of its release.

Harry Johal’s Take β€” Studio CarryOnHarry

The 21-day framing is the most interesting editorial pressure point here, and the draft lets it slide past as atmosphere. Sudhir Mishra has spent thirty years making films about the India that official history edits out β€” so the real question isn’t whether this period is ‘untold,’ but why Mishra chose this particular window, and what that choice reveals about what he thinks the Gandhi mythology is still hiding. Until we know which 21 days, calling this a watershed moment is premature; the casting is bold, but the story is still a closed door.

Editor’s Verdict

Portraying Gandhi is not acting β€” it is accountability. Every gesture, every syllable, every frame will be measured against one of the most documented lives in human history, and audiences will not be forgiving of shortcuts. What makes this casting genuinely interesting is that Bajpayee brings no mythology to protect. Unlike stars who guard their image carefully, he has built a career on disappearing completely into characters β€” and that particular discipline may be exactly what this role demands. Sudhir Mishra’s decision to focus on an unexplored 21-day window is also shrewd; it sidesteps the shadow of Attenborough’s 1982 landmark rather than competing with it. The first-look reaction tells you something important: when a single image stops a scroll, the film has already done something right. Beyond the headlines, the real test will not be whether Bajpayee resembles Gandhi, but whether he makes audiences forget they are watching an actor at all.

Enjoyed this story? Follow Studio CarryOnHarry at carryonharry.com Β· Sources cross-checked via livenewsvault.com Β· πŸ‘ Facebook Β· X Β· πŸ“’ Share this story

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Editor's Choice

The Mismatch Problem: How Toxic Tried to Serve Too Many Masters at Once

H Johal

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The Mismatch Problem: How Toxic Tried to Serve Too Many Masters at Once

Balle Balle Radio™ Entertainment Desk

The most telling detail in this discussion isn’t a plot complaint. It’s a process confession. The director, Geetu Mohandas, is quoted describing her own working method: her process fragments across three stagesβ€”writing, shooting, editingβ€”each producing a different version of the film. For a boutique indie production, that kind of chaos-as-method can be a virtue. For a pan-India tentpole built around a superstar and a three-hour-plus runtime, it becomes the whole review.

What caught our attention is not that Toxic aimed high. Ambition is not the problem the discussion identifies, and it says so directly: the problem isn’t excess ambition itself, but multiple competing visions crowded into a single film without resolution. A large-scale gangster spectacle in the Prashanth Neel mould. A brooding father-son psychological drama. A love story leaning on the female gaze. A period-adjacent pan-India event film. Each of those is a legitimate film. Stacked on top of each other without a clear spine, according to the conversation, they blend into an incoherent mixtureβ€”what the speaker describes as khichdiβ€”that satisfies no single audience.

The more interesting tension here is between marketing promise and narrative delivery. Audiences reportedly went in expecting another towering Yash star vehicle, the kind built on scale and swagger. What they got, per this account, was a film quietly trying to be a darker psychological fairy tale wearing a gangster-movie costume. Neither audience β€” the one sold on spectacle, nor the one open to something stranger β€” walks out fully satisfied. That mismatch between what marketing promises and what the film actually is deserves more scrutiny than box-office numbers alone can offer, because it points to a structural decision made long before release, not just a reception problem after it.

The dialogue criticism is worth sitting with too, even allowing for how much is a matter of taste. The examples cited β€” lines straining for profundity about footsteps that can’t be erased, or a monologue insisting real betrayal is more honest than fake loyalty β€” are framed as performing depth rather than earning it. **Audiences are quick to detect whether dialogue leans toward genuine lyricism or hollow self-importance.** Whether that’s a fair reading of the actual script or a reaction to a handful of quotable lines taken out of a much longer film is harder to settle from a discussion alone.

Where this analysis is on firmer ground is process. If a director has openly said her writing, shooting and editing stages don’t reconcile with each other, that is a useful piece of context for anyone trying to understand why a film might feel structurally uneven β€” characters introduced, killed, and discarded without weight, scenes that seem to exist without clearly serving the whole. That is a specific, sourced claim about method, not just a viewer’s impression of confusion.

But here is the necessary caution: one filmmaker’s stated process, however candid, doesn’t automatically explain every editing or pacing complaint in a finished film. Big-budget productions involve producers, studios, and multiple creative hands; attributing every rough edge to a single director’s admitted process is a tempting shorthand, not a proven cause. Nor does citing Alpha’s similarly mixed reception nearby actually establish a pattern about pan-India cinema generally β€” two films is an observation, not a trend.

The genuinely useful question this raises for the industry sits somewhere else: how much creative unpredictability can a film absorb once it is carrying the commercial weight of a major star and a nationwide release? Indie cinema can survive a director discovering the story in the edit. **A film built on audience anticipation this large may not have that luxury.** That, more than any single scene or dialogue, seems to be the real subject underneath this conversation.

β€” Studio CarryOnHarry Editorial Desk

Read more People’s Choice stories on Studio CarryOnHarry. Reporting via Live News Vault.

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