What is 'phonics'?
Phonics is an alternative approach to teaching pupils how to read and write. It helps children to hear, identify, and use sounds to differentiate one word from another in the English language. Phonics can also help children understand which letters are used when writing. It consists of matching English sounds with individual letters or groups of letters. For example, the sound k can be spelt c, k, ck and ch.
Why is teaching phonics so important?
The English language can be challenging and complex when you are starting. There are words with the same spelling but mean different things (homographs). For instance, the word bat can relate to an animal or sports equipment. A second example is the word wave, relates to a hand greeting or an action in the ocean.
On the other hand, some words have the same sound, which is spelt differently; these are called homophones. For example, buy, by and bye. Although there all pronounced the same, they have different meanings.
Phonics helps to break down these words into manageable chunks for a better understanding of the English language.
What are the benefits of teaching phonics?
Since 2012, the percentage of children achieving the expected standards in phonics has grown from 60% to 80% in 2019, raising the overall standard of literacy and reading. Phonics is known to be taught in a classroom to students aged between 4 and 7 years old, but it is perfect for all ages.
Being able to decode letters and sounds is an essential skill when learning new vocabulary when reading and writing. As mentioned previously, teaching phonics is all about breaking down more complex words into individual parts allowing children to develop their skills by decoding letters and sounds.
We have a wide variety of educational resources to help both introduce and enhance phonics within the curriculum - View our full range of products here.