Beyond Labels and Agendas: Research Teachers need to Know about Phonics and Phonological Awareness

Mesmer, H. A., & Kambach, A. (2022). Beyond Labels and Agendas: Research Teachers need to Know about Phonics and Phonological Awareness. The Reading Teacher, 76, 62– 72. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.2102

This article describes the current findings on phonics and phonological awareness instruction. It uses a question & answer format to explore 10 common questions that teachers ask about teaching phonics and phonemic awareness. Here are a few key questions addressed in the article: What are phonics and phonemic awareness? Should phonemic awareness be paired with print and taught together? Should phonological awareness be coordinated with phonics instruction? What is the best sequence for teaching phonics?

"Oh, magic hour, when a child first knows she can read printed words!" — A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, 1943