Phonics Skills
The strategies that build and reinforce decoding.
What Are Phonics Skills?
Phonics skills are the building blocks of decoding — connecting sounds to letters, blending them into words, and recognizing the patterns that make reading automatic.
These guides cover practical, classroom-tested strategies for building and reinforcing those skills, whether you're teaching them for the first time or shoring up gaps.
Reading Homework That Helps Decoding
A signed reading log can prove that twenty minutes passed on the clock. It cannot show whether a child sounded out a single word during those twenty…
Read articleWhat Administrators Should Look for During a Phonics Observation
A phonics observation may last only fifteen minutes, yet it can shape a teacher’s coaching goals, professional growth plan, and confidence for the…
Read articleShould Preschoolers Learn Uppercase or Lowercase Letters First?
Parents working on letters with a preschooler often hit the same fork in the road. Uppercase letters are bigger and seem simpler to form. Lowercase…
Read articleSweet Phonics Review: A Closer Look at This Phonics App for Ages 3-8
A Decoding-Focused Phonics App for Young Learners Looking for honest, research-grounded reviews of literacy programs? Browse the expert program…
Read articleHow Much Reading Practice Is Too Much for Young Children?
Most parents worried about their child’s reading ask one question: Are we doing enough? Fewer stop to ask the opposite. But researchers, classroom…
Read articleWhat Kindergarten Teachers Wish Parents Knew About Early Literacy
Kindergarten teachers hear a version of the same story every September. Parents spent the summer drilling letter names, practicing counting, and…
Read articleReading Readiness vs School Readiness: What’s the Difference?
Parents hear both phrases in the run-up to kindergarten, often used as if they mean the same thing. They do not. A child can be ready for school…
Read articleWhen Should You Switch Reading Programs?
Every parent using a reading program eventually hits the same worry. Progress feels slow, the child seems bored, and a shinier option is always one…
Read articleReading Motivation For Kids Who Are Still Learning To Decode
Learning to decode is slow, effortful work, and it can wear down a child’s enthusiasm for reading long before the skill itself is solid. A child who…
Read articleFrequently asked questions
Where should I start with phonics skills?
Start with the overview at the top, then use the topics list to jump to the area that matches your needs. Each topic links to a fuller guide.
Who are these phonics skills pages for?
Both parents and teachers. The guidance is practical and jargon-free, with classroom and at-home applications throughout.
How often is this guidance updated?
We review our phonics guidance regularly against current reading research, so recommendations stay evidence-based.
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Science of Reading
The research behind how children learn to read, and what it means for instruction.
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