Your child brings home a reading book. The words are simple: "The cat sat on the mat." But your child looks at "cat" and says "car." They see "sat" and guess "sit."
You're confused. Why can't they just sound it out?
The answer is phonics. If that word makes you feel lost, you're not alone. Let's break down what phonics is, why it matters, and how you can help at home.
Phonics is the method of teaching children to read by linking sounds to letters.
Instead of memorising whole words, phonics teaches that letters represent sounds. When you put those sounds together, they make words.
Take "dog." Children learn: "d" makes "duh," "o" makes "oh," "g" makes "guh." Put them together: d-o-g = dog.
This is called decoding. It's the fundamental skill that turns non-readers into readers.
Research shows systematic phonics teaching is the most effective way to teach reading. UK schools must teach phonics from Reception onwards.
English is largely phonetic. About 84% of English words can be sounded out using phonics rules. Once children master these patterns, they can tackle unfamiliar words independently.
Children develop listening skills, learn to hear different sounds, and practice rhyming. No letters yet, just sound awareness.
Children learn 19 letters and their sounds in sets: s, a, t, p, then i, n, m, d, and so on. They can read simple words like "cat," "dog," "pin."
Digraphs (two letters, one sound like "sh") and long vowels ("ai," "ee," "igh"). Now they read "shop," "train," "moon."
No new sounds. Children practice words with adjacent consonants like "stop," "frog," "train." Fluency builds.
Alternative spellings and pronunciations. "ai," "ay," and "a-e" all make the same sound. Reading becomes smoother.
Focus shifts to spelling, prefixes, suffixes, and reading fluently without sounding everything out.
They guess based on first letters or pictures, not sounding out.
They can't blend. They say "c-a-t" but can't merge it into "cat."
Simple words aren't automatic. "The," "and," "said" should be instant by Year 1.
New words are impossible. Without phonics, unfamiliar words can't be tackled.
If your child shows these signs, they need targeted support. Our English Tuition Clubs provide systematic phonics teaching in small groups with UK qualified teachers.
Say sounds, not letter names. Say "buh" not "bee," "sss" not "ess."
Practice blending daily. Say three sounds slowly (c-a-t) and ask your child to blend them. Start simple.
Play sound games. "What sound does 'sun' start with?" Make it playful.
Read decodable books. Books using only learned phonics patterns build confidence.
Keep it short. Ten focused minutes beats thirty frustrating ones.
Free:
Paid:
Use apps for 10-15 minutes daily alongside reading with you. They're reinforcement, not replacement for human interaction.
Teaching letter names first. Names (ay, bee) confuse. Stick to sounds (ah, buh).
Adding unnecessary sounds. Say "mmm" not "muh."
Moving too fast. Master each sound before adding more.
Making it too serious. Phonics should feel like play.
Inconsistent practice. Five minutes daily beats an hour on Sunday.
Consider expert teaching if:
Our English Tuition clubs provide systematic phonics teaching with UK qualified teachers. Groups of maximum 5 children ensure individual attention. Weekly sessions give a full term to build foundations.
Phonics isn't complicated. It's teaching that letters represent sounds and showing how to put sounds together to read words.
Most struggling readers have phonics gaps. Fill those gaps and reading becomes possible.
Your child doesn't need to memorise every word. They need to learn the code. Once they crack it, reading unlocks everything: information, stories, independence, confidence.
If your child is struggling, start with phonics. Get them solid on sounds and blending. Everything builds from there.
