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

Learn how systematic phonics and spelling instruction work together to prevent common reading errors and build stronger literacy skills.

The Connection Between Phonics and Spelling: Building Both Skills Together

Learning to read and write are two sides of the same coin. While many...

Discover phonics rules by age to support children's literacy development with clear, age-specific milestones.

What Phonics Rules Should Children Know (By Age)?

Understanding phonics milestones by age helps parents and educators effectively support children’s literacy development....

Learn how to become a phonics tutor with this guide on training, effective instruction, and starting your practice.

How to Become a Phonics Tutor

Are you passionate about helping children learn to read? Whether you’re a parent who...

Discover effective strategies for teaching silent letters and tricky word patterns to young readers.

Silent Letters and Tricky Words

Picture this: Your young reader is confidently sounding out words when they encounter “knife”...

Discover how movement enhances phonics learning, building stronger neural connections for reading skills.

The Connection Between Movement and Phonics Learning

When young children learn letter sounds through movement – jumping as they say /j/,...

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...

Teaching Phonics to Students with Down Syndrome

Teaching Phonics to Students with Down Syndrome

Imagine it: a child with Down syndrome proudly reading their favorite book aloud, pointing to each word with growing confidence. This isn’t just a hopeful dream. It’s an achievable reality.…

Gamification in Phonics: What Motivates Students?

Gamification in Phonics: What Motivates Students?

Your kindergartener rushes to the tablet each morning, eager to earn more badges in their phonics app. Two months later, they barely glance at it. What happened? This scenario plays…

Morphophonemic Awareness: The Missing Link in Upper Elementary

Morphophonemic Awareness: The Missing Link in Upper Elementary

Your fourth grader breezes through simple stories but stumbles over science textbooks. She can decode “cat” and “jump” perfectly, but falls apart when facing “ecosystem” or “photosynthesis.” This may not…

Memory and Phonics: Why Some Kids Forget Letter Sounds

Memory and Phonics: Why Some Kids Forget Letter Sounds

Your child confidently identifies the letter M on Monday. By Wednesday, they stare at the same letter as if they’ve never seen it before. You wonder if you’re doing something…

Organizing Your Home Reading Space for the New Year

Organizing Your Home Reading Space for the New Year

January brings fresh energy and clean slates. You’ve organized closets, cleared out old toys, and maybe even tackled that junk drawer. But have you looked at your child’s reading materials…

Setting Realistic Phonics Milestones for Your Child

Setting Realistic Phonics Milestones for Your Child

New Year’s resolutions aren’t just for adults. January offers the perfect opportunity to set meaningful reading goals for your child. The key isn’t setting ambitious targets that lead to frustration.…

Christmas Books For Reading Practice

Christmas Books For Reading Practice

Your child snuggles beside you on a cold December evening, eyes bright with anticipation as you open a holiday book. The pages smell like fresh print and possibility. Outside, snowflakes…

Phonics Training Events and Conferences in 2026: Your Complete Guide

Phonics Training Events and Conferences in 2026: Your Complete Guide

2026 brings an exceptional lineup of professional learning opportunities for educators committed to evidence-based phonics instruction. Whether you’re a classroom teacher seeking to refine your skills, a reading specialist supporting…

Holiday Books With Good Phonics Practice: 10 Festive Reads for Emerging Readers

Holiday Books With Good Phonics Practice: 10 Festive Reads for Emerging Readers

The twinkling lights are up, cookies are baking, and your eager young reader wants to dive into every holiday book on the shelf. But here’s the wonderful secret many parents…

Twice-Exceptional Readers: Phonics for Gifted Students with Dyslexia

Twice-Exceptional Readers: Phonics for Gifted Students with Dyslexia

Picture a seven-year-old who can explain the water cycle in stunning detail, design elaborate engineering projects with building blocks, and engage in conversations that rival those of much older children.…