Phonics

Phonics teaching develops students’ knowledge of sound–letter relationships; that is, their knowledge of the letters and letter groups (graphemes) used to represent sounds (phonemes) in words. This knowledge is also referred to as graphophonic knowledge. Phonics teaching also develops students’ ability to use sound–letter knowledge to spell (and read) words. Phonics establishes a solid foundation for spelling, and in the early years of school, significant time should be dedicated to its teaching.