From Memorising Words to Understanding Sounds

The way children learn to read and spell English has changed over the years. Children who relied mainly on memorisation often struggled to read unfamiliar words or spell them accurately.

What Phonics Helps Children Do

Phonics instruction addresses this by helping children understand the relationship between letters and sounds. Instead of memorising each word,  children learn that words are made up of sounds that can be blended together. For example, a child who sees m-a-t can say each sound and blend them into ‘mat’. They also learn to segment words, breaking a word such as “sun” into /s/ /u/ /n/. These skills support both reading and spelling because children begin to understand how “spoken sounds are represented in print.

Why a Planned Approach Matters

A key point to learning phonics is that it is systematic, explicit, and taught in a planned sequence. Research supports this approach because it gives children a clear method for decoding unfamiliar words. However, phonics should not stand alone. It works best when combined with phonological awareness, rich oral language exposure, vocabulary development, reading, and meaningful writing opportunities. Before children connect letters to sounds, they first need to hear and play with sounds in spoken language through rhymes, syllable clapping, sound matching, and beginning-sound games.

Using Phonics in the Preschool Classroom

For preschool teachers, phonics is most helpful when it is taught through short, lively, multi-sensory activities rather than long periods of desk work. Children can trace letters in sand, use magnetic letters, sing sound songs, jump on letter mats, sort objects by beginning sound, and build simple consonant-vowel-consonant words such as cat, pig, and map. These playful routines make learning active while helping children remember sound-letter links.

Using Technology Purposefully

Technology can also support phonics practice when used carefully. Interactive apps and digital games can provide extra practice with sounds, blending, and word building, especially when they give immediate feedback. However, digital tools should complement, not replace, adult interaction, shared reading, and hands-on play opportunities. The most effective use of technology is purposeful, brief, and connected to what children are learning in class.

Simple Support at Home

At home, parents can apply the same principles in simple daily routines. Reading aloud, talking about stories, pointing out letters on signs, asking what sound a word begins with, and encouraging children to stretch or clap words can strengthen early literacy without turning home life into formal lessons. Even a few minutes of consistent practice can reinforce what children learn in preschool.

Overall, phonics gives young children practical tools for becoming independent readers. Its value today is not only in helping children decode words, but also in giving teachers and parents a clear, research-supported way to build early confidence, spelling ability, and a lasting interest in reading.

References and Further Reading

Education Endowment Foundation. (n.d.). Phonics: Teaching and Learning Toolkit.

Rose, J. (2006). Independent Review of the Teaching of Early Reading: Final Report. Department for Education and Skills.