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[[Image:Phonics book.jpg|right|thumb|300px|''Jolly Phonics'' is a [[British]] synthetic phonics method of teaching literacy, developed by Sue Lloyd and Sara Wernham, primary school teachers at Woods Loke School in Lowestoft, England.]]

[[Image:Phonics book.jpg|right|thumb|300px|''Jolly Phonics'' is a [[British]] synthetic phonics method of teaching literacy, developed by Sue Lloyd and Sara Wernham, primary school teachers at Woods Loke School in Lowestoft, England.]]

'''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 (''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 (''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 knows.

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 because 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>

==Effectiveness==

==Effectiveness==