Phonics is the relationship between letters and sounds. It involves the recognition of sounds of individual letters and letter groups, as well as the skills of blending and segmenting letter sounds and sound clusters. It is important for English learners to study phonics from a young age since it serves as a fundamental building block that enhances their all-round abilities in English.

One key way phonics helps in the long term is with spelling and dictation. With solid phonetic knowledge, children can match letters to their sounds, and vice versa, and thus be able to spell the words they hear. With segmenting and blending skills, not only can children break longer words down into discrete sounds, but also merge short, separate sounds into more complex words. This saves children from writing or reciting the same words a thousand times in order to memorise their spellings, as well as help them overcome the fear of unseen dictation, in which words and passages are unpredictable.

Phonics also enhances reading proficiency. As mentioned, phonics helps children decode words, which includes converting printed words into spoken language by sounding them out. If children can associate a specific spelling with a specific sound, they will be able to sound out unfamiliar or even unseen words in reading passages. Children can then check them against their oral vocabulary so as to understand the words and comprehend the texts accurately. This is especially helpful during tests and exams, when it is impossible to know every single word that will be included

i-Learner offers both Phonics and Reading Aloud and Phonics and Dictation courses. In these courses, children acquire phonetic knowledge and consolidate their skills through fun, interactive classroom activities. Contact us today to learn more on 3113 8815.