Phonics and Decoding
Phonics is the understanding that there is a predictable relationship between the sounds of spoken language, and the letters and spellings that represent those sounds in written language. Successful decoding occurs when a student uses his or her knowledge of letter-sound relationships to accurately read a word. This section provides information about how to teach children to sound out words, and what to do if a child is having difficulty linking letters and sounds.
Top articles
Basics
- What Is Reading? Decoding and the Jabberwocky’s Song
- The Phive Phones of Reading
- The Alphabetic Principle
- Phonics Instruction
For teachers
- Meet the Word Families
- English Language Learners and the Five Essential Components of Reading Instruction
- The Alphabetic Principle
By skill
Download and print
- Emergent Readers: Look! That's My Letter!
- Beginning Readers: Look I Can Read This!
- Talking Counts!
- Recognizing Reading Problems
- Writing and Spelling: Practical Ideas for Parents
FAQs
- Dyslexia
- Learning Disabilities
- Early Literacy
- Parent Tips
- Phonics & Decoding
- Struggling Readers
- Teaching
- Writing & Spelling
Reading roundtable
Professional development webcasts
- Establishing an Effective Reading Program
- Make Reading Count: Effective Strategies for Teaching Comprehension
Research
- Beginning Reading
- Why Johnny Can't Read: And What You Can Do About It
- Matthew Effects in Reading: Some Consequences of Individual Differences in the Acquisition of Literacy





