What is Phonics (And Why It Matters More Than You Think)

If phonemic awareness is about hearing sounds, phonics is about seeing them. It’s where children learn that spoken sounds are represented by letters on a page—a crucial bridge between speech and print.

In this video, we’ll explore what phonics really is (and isn’t), why it’s one of the strongest predictors of reading success, and how parents can spot early warning signs that their child might need more support.

You’ll see what effective phonics instruction looks like in action:

Sound-symbol matching (“m” says /m/ as in map)

Blending sounds to read (s–a–t becomes sat)

Segmenting and spelling (flop → f-l-o-p)

Word chaining (cat → cap)

Phonics isn’t just “sounding it out,”it’s a structured, systematic way to teach how letters and letter combinations represent sounds.

Without it, reading becomes guessing instead of decoding. When taught explicitly and early, phonics builds confidence and fluency for life.

We use and recommend the Florida Center for Reading Research (FCRR) Student Center Activities for Kindergarten and 1st grade.

Check out their Phonics resources: https://fcrr.org/student-center-activities/kindergarten-and-first-grade#sca6

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