Understanding its importance in reading.

By Anna Gregory

1 What is it?
● Phonics is the connection of individual
letters (as well as groups of letters) with 2. Why does it work?
the sounds that they make. ● When students have strong
● Letters and vowels can be manipulated decoding skills, they tend to read
and changed by other letters within every word.
words. ● Quick decoding can help students to
● Phonics can give students a reason why
become faster readers and also
words sound and are written certain
supports their understanding of a
ways.
● Knowing about phonics helps students text.
read and write words based on their ● By teaching these decoding
knowledge of letter patterns. strategies, students have the tools
and knowledge to read words.

3. What can you do?

● Encourage your student to sound out 4. Resources
chunks of letters, patterns or words ● Florida reading research center:
parts, instead of individual letters. literacy activities with provided
● Have them underline sounds they materials
find that are familiar. ● Reading Rockets: helps students,
● Look out for things in your student’s teachers, and parents with strategies
reading (you know them best) and to help build literacy skills
ask your teacher for resources on ● Reading A-Z: has leveled stories and
how to help a specific skill. materials to help students build
stronger reading skills