Final answer:
The statement that students should blend all sounds in a word before adjusting pronunciation is false. Understanding the complexities of English phonetics is important for correct pronunciation, recognizing when letters function in unusual ways, and for awareness of phonetic patterns and exceptions.
Step-by-step explanation:
It is false that students should establish a habit of trying to blend all the sounds in a word before they "adjust" or "flex" the pronunciation to make a real word. This approach does not consider the complexities of English phonetics or phonology, which include the presence of silent letters and letters that produce different sounds depending on their context in a word. Effective reading instruction often includes strategies that guide students in recognizing phonetic patterns as well as exceptions to the rules. For example, in English, the letter y can function as both a vowel and a consonant, and the letter u can sometimes produce a sound as in the word 'language.' Teaching these subtleties allows students to pronounce words correctly more quickly and with greater understanding of English spelling conventions.
During reading practice, students should indeed be aware of the letters and sounds, the role of consonants and vowels, and the various sounds that a single letter can represent. Additionally, it is important to teach about consonant sounds and spellings, and how to decode words by recognizing the phonic rules and patterns. Sorting words based on the sounds produced by certain letters or combinations, like noting whether the letter i makes a short or long sound, is a step towards proper pronunciation and reading fluency. Students need to be attentive to the number of vowel sounds in a word as well — a key step in this learning process.