Articles

Inspire a love of learning through phonics.

Whether you’re a teacher, family member, tutor, or childcare professional, you can have a positive impact on a child’s life. One of the most extraordinary gifts a child ever receives is the ability to read and write.

Although literacy doesn’t come naturally to humans, it’s an essential part of our everyday lives. Explicit, effective, and encouraging phonics instruction is vital to creating a more literate world.  Explore the trusted resources, articles, and reviews from phonics.org to instill a love of learning in someone you care about.

Phonics Resources for All

How Does Oral Language Support Children’s Writing? 

How Does Oral Language Support Children’s Writing?  KW: how does oral language support children’s...

How to Help Preschoolers Develop Pre-Writing Skills 

How to Help Preschoolers Develop Pre-Writing Skills  KW: how can you help preschool children...

Wonster Words App Review

Worn-Out Word Instruction That’s Not Worthwhile Wonster Words is an educational app designed for...

Top 3 Reading Apps to Avoid

Curious about how today’s most popular literacy apps compare? Check out the thorough reviews...

Simple 10-Minute Phonics Lessons for Busy Parents

If your child is learning phonics, you might be wondering how to help them...

Sesame Street Alphabet Kitchen App Review

Cookie-Cutter Phonics Fun with Elmo and Cookie Monster Are you looking for quality literacy...

phonics for teaching English language learners

Phonics for EAL: Instruction Methods

As one of the most widely-spoken languages in the world, English continues to be...

readiculous app

Mrs. Wordsmith: Readiculous App Review

Looking for effective ways to boost literacy skills? Exploring reviews on phonics.org can provide...

When Should Kids Learn Phonics?

Every parent and educator wants the best outcome for their students. At the beginning...

Literacy Review of the Jolly Phonics Program 

Logical Literacy for New Readers Curious about how the Jolly Phonics program compares to...

Reading.com App Review

Reading.com App Review

A Unique, Research-Based Approach to Teaching Children to Read At phonics.org, we evaluate phonics programs designed for children—empowering you to make informed decisions about the most suitable apps for your…

Teaching Phonics to Students with Hearing Loss

Teaching Phonics to Students with Hearing Loss

Most people assume phonics and hearing loss don’t belong in the same sentence. After all, phonics is about sounds, and hearing loss means limited access to sound, right? It’s a…

Phonics for Late Talkers: When Speech Delays Affect Reading Readiness

Phonics for Late Talkers: When Speech Delays Affect Reading Readiness

Your toddler points at the dog, lights up with excitement, but stays silent. Meanwhile, the child next door is already stringing sentences together. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone.…

First Grade Phonics: When to Move Beyond Basics

First Grade Phonics: When to Move Beyond Basics

There’s a moment that many first-grade parents describe with the same kind of wonder, the moment their child picks up a book and just… reads it. Not perfectly, not without…

Phonics Catch-Up for Third Graders: Intensive Intervention Strategies

Phonics Catch-Up for Third Graders: Intensive Intervention Strategies

There is a well-documented shift that occurs around third grade, which literacy researchers have studied for decades. In the early grades, children are learning to read. By third grade, they…

Preschool Phonics: What’s Developmentally Appropriate?

Preschool Phonics: What’s Developmentally Appropriate?

Here’s something that surprises many parents: phonics learning doesn’t begin in kindergarten. It begins in the bathtub. It begins in the car. It begins every time your toddler claps along…

Kindergarten Phonics Pacing: Month-by-Month Expectations

Kindergarten Phonics Pacing: Month-by-Month Expectations

If you’ve ever sat at a kindergarten pickup wondering whether your child is keeping pace with their classmates, you’re not alone. Phonics progress in kindergarten can feel mysterious from the…

Administrative Support for Phonics Programs: What Leaders Need to Know

Administrative Support for Phonics Programs: What Leaders Need to Know

School administrators face an enormous challenge. Reading scores have declined, the achievement gap persists, and teachers are stretched thin as they try to meet diverse student needs. At the same…

Parent Pushback: Addressing Concerns About Phonics Instruction

Parent Pushback: Addressing Concerns About Phonics Instruction

You’ve just announced that your school is implementing a new systematic phonics program. You expect relief. After all, reading scores have been declining, and this approach is backed by decades…

When Phonics Rules Don’t Work: Teaching Exception Words Systematically

When Phonics Rules Don’t Work: Teaching Exception Words Systematically

You’ve been working hard with your child on phonics. They’re blending sounds beautifully, sounding out “cat” and “ship” with confidence. Then they encounter the word “said” and try to pronounce…

Why Most Teachers Weren’t Taught to Teach Phonics

Why Most Teachers Weren’t Taught to Teach Phonics

If you’re a parent whose child is struggling to read, you might wonder why their teacher seems uncertain about phonics instruction. It’s a fair question, and the answer might surprise…