Phonics is a method for teaching children to read and write by connecting the sounds of spoken language to letters or groups of letters. It helps children decode words by sounding them out, blend sounds to form words, and spell words by segmenting them into sounds. By teaching children the relationship between letters and their sounds, phonics builds a foundation for reading fluency and comprehension.

Core principles of phonics

Letter-sound correspondence: This involves teaching children that individual letters or combinations of letters represent specific sounds (e.g., the letter 'c' makes the /k/ sound).
Blending: Children learn to blend individual sounds together to read a word. For example, blending the sounds for t, a, and p to read "tap".
Segmenting: Children learn to break down a word into its individual sounds, which is essential for spelling. For example, segmenting "cat" into /k/ /a/ /t/.

Why phonics is important

Reading fluency: Phonics helps children become more fluent readers because they can decode unfamiliar words without having to memorize them individually.
Reading comprehension: By becoming more fluent, children can focus their energy on understanding the meaning of the text rather than on sounding out words.
Spelling: The ability to segment words into their sounds and blend them back together directly supports spelling and writing skills.
Confidence: As children become more successful at reading and writing, their confidence in their literacy abilities grows.