For Teachers

Empower early readers to become students for life.

As an educator, you play a crucial role in children’s literacy development! Effective phonics instruction lays the foundation kids need to become curious, lifelong learners in the classroom and the world beyond.

Whether you’re considering which phonics instruction methods work best or looking for ways to introduce difficult concepts to students, phonics.org is here to support you.  

Phonics Resources for Teachers

Explore the science behind the bionic reading method and why it may hinder genuine reading development.

Bionic Reading: Y/N?

Tech + nature – sounds like the future, right?  In recent years, a new...

Discover how systematic phonics instruction can solve America's literacy crisis and improve reading skills.

Phonics and the Literacy Crisis: America’s Reading Challenge

The statistics are sobering: 66% of American fourth graders are failing to meet proficiency...

English teacher going over words with the schwa sound

Words With the Schwa Sound & How to Teach It

The schwa sound is an essential concept in phonics instruction. However, it can be...

mom and her daughter having fun practicing handwriting with colored pencils

Phonics and Handwriting: Make It Fun!

Phonics and handwriting are closely intertwined. Because phonics is how children learn to read...

children sitting at a classroom table playing with English alphabet cards

Literacy Development & Phonics for English Language Learners

English Language Learners (ELLs) face unique challenges when developing literacy skills in a new...

Phonics.org: The Ultimate List of Phonics App Reviews 

The Phonics.org team is dedicated to helping parents and teachers navigate the many different...

young girl writing with a crayon

When Do Children Start Writing Sentences?

Learning how to write is a gradual process for children. If you’re a parent...

Basic Transcription Skills in Spelling and Writing

Transcription skills are a big part of a child’s journey into literacy, playing a...

child reading with headphones on a tablet

Top 5 Reading Apps for Kids

With so many educational apps available, it can be tricky to figure out which...

How Does Oral Language Support Children’s Writing? 

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

15-Minute Phonics: Maximum Impact Reading Practice for Busy Families

15-Minute Phonics: Maximum Impact Reading Practice for Busy Families

Between soccer practice, dinner prep, and bedtime routines, finding time for phonics practice can feel impossible. Busy families need realistic routines that stick. Fifteen-minute commitments feel manageable rather than overwhelming,…

8 Tips to Prevent Summer Reading Loss

8 Tips to Prevent Summer Reading Loss

The last day of school arrives with excitement and relief, but lurking beneath the summer fun is a concern that keeps many parents awake at night: Will my child forget…

ADHD and Phonics: How to Maintain Focus During Reading Instruction

ADHD and Phonics: How to Maintain Focus During Reading Instruction

Your energetic six-year-old sits down for phonics practice, excited to learn new letter sounds. Within minutes, they’re fidgeting, looking around the room, and asking about the dog next door. If…

Phonics Catch-Up: Helping Older Elementary Students Fill the Gaps

Phonics Catch-Up: Helping Older Elementary Students Fill the Gaps

When nine-year-old Marcus sits down with his fourth-grade chapter book, he looks confident and ready. But after just a few sentences, frustration creeps across his face. He’s stumbling over words…

Third Grade Reading Crisis: Why This Year Makes or Breaks Literacy

Third Grade Reading Crisis: Why This Year Makes or Breaks Literacy

A classroom full of third graders opens their science textbooks, ready to learn about butterflies and volcanoes. But for many eight-year-olds, the words might as well be written in a…

Phonics for Preschoolers: What’s Too Early vs. Just Right?

Phonics for Preschoolers: What’s Too Early vs. Just Right?

Your three-year-old walks up to you holding a book, points to the letter ‘M’, and declares, “That’s my letter!” Your heart swells with pride, but then doubt creeps in. Should…

Phonological Awareness vs. Phonics

Phonological Awareness vs. Phonics

Did you know that before children can successfully crack the reading code, they must first develop the ability to hear and manipulate the invisible sounds that make up spoken words?…

Phonics and Executive Function

Phonics and Executive Function

Here’s something that might surprise you: when your child sits down to sound out the word “cat,” their brain is performing an intricate dance that involves far more than just…

Systematic vs. Incidental Phonics: Which Approach Gets Kids Reading Faster?

Systematic vs. Incidental Phonics: Which Approach Gets Kids Reading Faster?

When it comes to teaching children how to read, not all approaches are created equal. Behind classroom doors across America, a quiet battle is taking place between two fundamentally different…

Common Phonics Teaching Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Common Phonics Teaching Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Sarah thought she was doing everything right. She bought colorful phonics workbooks, downloaded popular reading apps, and spent hours each evening helping her six-year-old son with letter sounds. Yet after…