This toolkit helps teachers and families understand what the alphabetic principle and phonics are and how to support a child's development of these important reading skills.
You will learn:
- What the alphabetic principle and phonics are and why they are important.
- How teachers should teach the alphabetic principle and phonics.
- How families can support alphabetic principle and phonics development.
This toolkit includes:
- Definitions
- Online Tutorial
- Research Briefs & Infographics
- Expert Advice
- Instructional Video
- Resources for Teachers & Families
Get Started
Definitions
This is a short overview of what phonics is, why it's important, and a few tips on how to teach it.
Alphabetic Principle
The idea that letters and groups of letters match individual sounds in words.
Phonics
Reading instruction on understanding how letters and groups of letters link to sounds to form letter-sound relationships and spelling patterns.
Online Tutorial
Build your knowledge and advance your skills. Gain the strategies you need to teach this topic with confidence.
What is Phonics? Why is it important? How should it be taught? Learn the answer to these and other questions about Phonics.
Supporting Materials
Learn more about how to support a child's development of these important reading skills.
The alphabetic principle is a critical skill that involves connecting letters with their sounds to read and write. Learning and applying the alphabetic principle takes time and is difficult for most children. Explicit phonics instruction and extensive practice are important when teaching children to learn the alphabetic principle.
Learning to read is difficult and does not happen naturally. It requires explicit and systematic instruction, which is especially important for struggling readers. Learning to read involves many different skills that must be taught to your child. Instruction in phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension will help your child learn to read.
Spotlight on Instruction
Watch this video about how to teach students to decode words, analyze word parts, and write and recognize words.
Jeanne Wanzek, Ph.D., Associate Professor at Vanderbilt University and Carol Dissen, Expert Literacy Coach at the Center on Teaching and Learning at the University of Oregon, present on Recommendation 3: Teach students to decode words, analyze word parts, and write and recognize words, from the Foundational Skills to Support Reading for Understanding in Kindergarten Through 3rd Grade: Practice Guide (WWC).
Resources for Teachers
Explore these on-topic resources, tips, and tools for teaching the alphabetic principle and phonics. Find the materials that work best for your classroom.
Learn how to deliver activities that focus on alphabet letters and sounds; download related activities; and find supporting materials.
Topic: Phonics, Beginning Reading
Learn how to match books to readers based on phonics instruction.
Topic: Phonics
This lesson on phonics may be used to supplement reading instruction to meet student needs.
Topic: Phonics
A reading specialist demonstrates modeling, guided practice (i.e., I do, We do, You do), and error correction strategies during an intensive one-on-one lesson on letter sounds.
Topic: Phonics, Interventions
Resources for Parents and Families
Check out this collection of resources and activities that can help you support your child's development of the alphabetic principle and phonics at home.
Learn how to deliver activities that focus on alphabet letters and sounds; download related activities; and find supporting materials.
Topic: Phonics, Beginning Reading
Find easy ways to practice foundational reading skills with your child in grades K-3. It only takes a few minutes each day, but practice makes a big difference!
Topic: Phonemic Awareness, Phonics
Check out these evidence-based classroom practices that you might be able to adapt for home-use. (But please note that research has not investigated the efficacy of these practices in home contexts).
Topic: Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Fluency with Text
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The research reported here is funded by awards to the National Center on Improving Literacy from the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, in partnership with the Office of Special Education Programs (Award #: S283D160003). The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent views of OESE, OSEP, or the U.S. Department of Education. Copyright © 2024 National Center on Improving Literacy. https://www.improvingliteracy.org
