Home » Articles »

What is Phonics, Anyway?

Many parents of beginning readers have heard about phonics, and many have questions--What does my child's teacher really mean when she talks about phonics? Does my child need to learn phonics to learn to read? Is phonics most effective if taught at a certain age? How can I tell if my child's teacher teaches phonics?

This Talking & Reading Together article will answer these questions and more. You will learn the facts about phonics, why learning phonics is important for your child, how to tell if your child's teacher includes phonics in his beginning reading program, and what the most recent research on phonics says. You can also test your own phonics knowledge with our phonics quiz and explore further resources on phonics.

Select a Topic

• Phonics Basics
• What the Research Says
• Is Phonics Taught in My Child's Classroom?
• Quiz: Test Your Own Phonics Knowledge
• For Further Reading