When and how do children learn phonics at school?

Amelia Mehra

Mon, Aug 02, 21

2 minutes read

When and how do children learn phonics at school?

Phonics instruction is recommended for beginner readers. While different schools take varying approaches to teaching phonics for kids as they learn to read, in the UK phonics instruction follows a strict sequence of phases during Pre-K, Kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2.

Year	Phase	Goal
Pre-K	1	Build phonemic awareness (awareness of sounds) Learn and distinguish different kinds of sounds (e.g. environmental, instrumental) Develop listening, vocabulary, and speaking skills Learn oral segmenting and blending of CVC words (e.g. cat, mat, mop, pot)
Kindergarten	2	Learn the first 19 phonemes (single letter, most common) Read and spell some short VC and CVC words Begin learning high frequency sight words from Dolch and/or Fry lists (e.g. a, the, an, can, is, of, you, he, and I)
	3	Learn the remaining 25 phonemes Introduce digraphs and more complex graphemes Read and spell CVC words (e.g. cup, log) Continue learning grade-appropriate sight words Gain confidence with all 44 phonemes
	4	Read and spell CVCC words (e.g. back) Read and spell high frequency words Read and write sentences Confidently read and write alphabet letters Learn more sight words, including have, like, some, little
Grade 1	5	Master Fry 100/Dolch Pre-K, K, Grade 1 Learn alternative spellings for known phonemes Learn alternative pronunciations for known graphemes Gain comfort with reading unfamiliar words
Grade 2	6	Use phonics to read and spell with confidence Increased writing production

Deep Dive

Read our report on the Science of Reading. Research-based reading instruction must incorporate the 5 pillars of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. This report provides an easy to understand overview of each of these pillars and explains the important connection between how the brain learns to read (the Neuroscience of Reading) and how we teach children to read (The Science of Reading Instruction). It also explains why helping children build connections between letters and sounds, through phonics and phonemic awareness, is so crucial for the developing reading mind. This report is perfect for sharing with colleagues and friends!