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'''Phonics''' consists of reading based on phonetic building blocks of language, rather than trying to memorize full words and reading based on recognition of words. Having learned the various English sounds (''[[phonology|phonemes]]''), then the letters they correspond to, children are then able to read many English words. The term may be used to describe two methods of teaching, "synthetic" and "analytic" phonics. Synthetic phonics is the most widespread and produces the best results; analytic phonics is commonly called "phoney phonics", relying as it does on beginning with whole words learnt by global shape ("initial sight vocabulary") and the building of a "keyword sight vocabulary."  

'''Phonics''' consists of reading based on phonetic building blocks of language, rather than trying to memorize full words and reading based on recognition of words. Having learned the various English sounds (''[[phonology|phonemes]]''), then the letters they correspond to, children are then able to read many English words. The term may be used to describe two methods of teaching, "synthetic" and "analytic" phonics. Synthetic phonics is the most widespread and produces the best results; analytic phonics is commonly called "phoney phonics", relying as it does on beginning with whole words learnt by global shape ("initial sight vocabulary") and the building of a "keyword sight vocabulary."  

Under phonics, once a child learns the basic and simple phonetic building blocks, the child can read any word and any book.  [[Public schools]] have typically taught a "look and say" or word recognition approach to reading<ref>"Whole language reading instruction (also known as "look-say" or "sight" reading) is the most widely used method of teaching reading in the U.S. and many other countries." [http://www.halcyon.org/wholelan.html''Whole Language vs. Phonics'']</ref><ref>"The education establishment prefers whole language, while most parents and some teachers prefer a phonetic approach." [http://www.home-school.com/Articles/WholeLanguage.html ''Whole-Language Boondoggle'']</ref>which limits the child to reading only words that the child has previously seen.

Under phonics, once a child learns the basic and simple phonetic building blocks, the child can read any word and any book.  [[Public schools]] have typically taught a "look and say" or word recognition approach to reading<ref>"Whole language reading instruction (also known as "look-say" or "sight" reading) is the most widely used method of teaching reading in the U.S. and many other countries." [http://www.halcyon.org/wholelan.html''Whole Language vs. Phonics'']</ref><ref>"The education establishment prefers whole language, while most parents and some teachers prefer a phonetic approach." [http://www.home-school.com/Articles/WholeLanguage.html ''Whole-Language Boondoggle'']</ref> which limits the child to reading only words that the child has previously seen.

One reason [[homeschoolers]] perform better than [[public school]] students on tests<ref>http://www.hslda.org/docs/nche/000010/200410250.asp</ref> is that homeschoolers learn how to read with phonics in higher percentages than [[public school]] students do.<ref>Most homeschool curricula are phonics-based.  See, e.g., [http://www.pmschoolhouse.com/homeschool-curriculum/Saxon_Math.htm Saxon]</ref> In the [[United Kingdom]] it is sometimes described as a "back to basics" approach, which "despite being sneered at by the [[liberal]] tinkerers whose modern theories of teaching have caused so much damage to almost two generations, is turning the tide of illiteracy in some of the nation's most underprivileged areas."<ref>''Dispatches: Why Our Children Can't Read''. Channel 4 television. First aired 27 October 2007.</ref>

One reason [[homeschoolers]] perform better than [[public school]] students on tests<ref>http://www.hslda.org/docs/nche/000010/200410250.asp</ref> is that homeschoolers learn how to read with phonics in higher percentages than [[public school]] students do.<ref>Most homeschool curricula are phonics-based.  See, e.g., [http://www.pmschoolhouse.com/homeschool-curriculum/Saxon_Math.htm Saxon]</ref> In the [[United Kingdom]] it is sometimes described as a "back to basics" approach, which "despite being sneered at by the [[liberal]] tinkerers whose modern theories of teaching have caused so much damage to almost two generations, is turning the tide of illiteracy in some of the nation's most underprivileged areas."<ref>''Dispatches: Why Our Children Can't Read''. Channel 4 television. First aired 27 October 2007.</ref>

*the synthetic phonics group had the best levels of rhyme and phoneme awareness

*the synthetic phonics group had the best levels of rhyme and phoneme awareness

The British ''Jolly Phonics'' synthetic phonics method was found in independent studies to give children, after one year's study, an average reading age around 12 months ahead of their chronological age. The children's spelling age was found to be slightly further ahead, and boys typically did as well as girls. Synthetic phonics has a major and long-lasting effect on children's reading and spelling abilities, and gives children strategies for reading and writing that they wouldn't otherwise have had at the early stages using other methods.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/4255069.stm ''Sounds help pupils with reading'']. BBC news Channel. 11 February, 2005. 12 May 2008.</ref>  

The British ''Jolly Phonics'' synthetic phonics method was found in independent studies to give children, after one year's study, an average reading age around 12 months ahead of their chronological age. The children's spelling age was found to be slightly further ahead, and boys typically did as well as girls. Synthetic phonics has a major and long-lasting effect on children's reading and spelling abilities, and gives children strategies for reading and writing that they wouldn't otherwise have had at the early stages using other methods.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/4255069.stm ''Sounds help pupils with reading'']. BBC news Channel. 11 February 2005. 12 May 2008.</ref>  

In 2005, the U.K.'s Department for Children, Schools and Families appointed Jim Rose, former Deputy Chief Inspector of Schools, to lead an independent review to examine best practice in teaching reading, in order to implement a "renewal of the literacy framework."<ref>[http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/primary/features/literacy/1174785/ ''Rose Report'']. June 2005. DfES. 12 May 2008</ref> Rose concluded that synthetic phonics "offers the vast majority of beginners the best route to becoming skilled readers" and should be taught "first and fast."<ref>Rose, Jim. [http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/phonics/report.pdf ''Independent review of the teaching of early reading: Final Report''] March 2006. 12 May 2008.</ref>

In 2005, the U.K.'s Department for Children, Schools and Families appointed Jim Rose, former Deputy Chief Inspector of Schools, to lead an independent review to examine best practice in teaching reading, in order to implement a "renewal of the literacy framework."<ref>[http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/primary/features/literacy/1174785/ ''Rose Report'']. June 2005. DfES. 12 May 2008</ref> Rose concluded that synthetic phonics "offers the vast majority of beginners the best route to becoming skilled readers" and should be taught "first and fast."<ref>Rose, Jim. [http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/phonics/report.pdf ''Independent review of the teaching of early reading: Final Report''] March 2006. 12 May 2008.</ref>

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==See Also==

==See also==

*[[Mistakes Due to Lack of Phonics]]

*[[Mistakes Due to Lack of Phonics]]

==External links==

==External links==

*Jolly, Christopher. [http://www.spellingsociety.org/journals/j28/jollyphonics.php ''The Jolly Phonics story'']. "Journal of the Simplified Spelling Society" J28 2000/2 pp16-18. Online version at The Spelling Society. 12 May 2008.

*Jolly, Christopher. [http://www.spellingsociety.org/journals/j28/jollyphonics.php ''The Jolly Phonics story'']. "Journal of the Simplified Spelling Society" J28 2000/2 pp16–18. Online version at The Spelling Society. 12 May 2008.

*[http://www.rrf.org.uk/ Reading Reform Foundation] - [[United Kingdom|UK]] chapter of the organisation set up to tackle the high functional illiteracy rates among children and adults in the United Kingdom and in the English-speaking world. 12 May 2008.

*[http://www.rrf.org.uk/ Reading Reform Foundation] - [[United Kingdom|UK]] chapter of the organisation set up to tackle the high functional illiteracy rates among children and adults in the United Kingdom and in the English-speaking world. 12 May 2008.

*Shadwell, Jo. [http://www.syntheticphonics.com/articles/Sound%20Sense.pdf ''Sound Sense'']: "How learning to love Synthetic Phonics could revolutionise teachers' working lives...to say nothing of the children's!" Article at syntheticphonics.com. 12 May 2008.

*Shadwell, Jo. [http://www.syntheticphonics.com/articles/Sound%20Sense.pdf ''Sound Sense'']: "How learning to love Synthetic Phonics could revolutionise teachers' working lives...to say nothing of the children's!" Article at syntheticphonics.com. 12 May 2008.