Learning guide
How to introduce phonics at home
Phonics teaches children that letters stand for sounds, and that sounds blend together to make words. You don't need to be a teacher to help at home. A few minutes of relaxed practice, little and often, is plenty.
Start with sounds, not letter names
When reading, children need the sound a letter makes rather than its name. The letter s says "sss", not "ess". Try to say each sound cleanly, without adding an "uh" on the end: "mmm" rather than "muh". This makes blending much easier later.
If your child is at school, ask which phonics programme they use. Following the same order of sounds at home avoids confusion.
Play with sounds out loud first
Before any worksheet, children benefit from simply hearing and playing with sounds.
- Play I spy with sounds: "I spy something beginning with sss".
- Clap the parts of a word, such as "di-no-saur".
- Notice rhyming words in songs and picture books.
Blending: putting sounds together
Once your child knows a handful of sounds, show them how to say the sounds in a short word one after another, then push them together: "c-a-t … cat". At first you might say the sounds and let your child hear the word. Over time, they take over.
Three-letter words with a consonant, a vowel and a consonant (CVC words) are a natural starting point.
Keep it short and positive
Five to ten minutes is enough for most young children. Stop while they are still enjoying it, and come back to the same sounds on another day. Mistakes are a normal part of learning: model the right sound calmly and move on.
Browse resources for Ages 4–5 and Ages 5–7.
This guide is general information for parents and educators. If you're concerned about your child's progress, their teacher is the best person to talk to.