Explicit phonics instruction is vital to literacy development, especially when it’s time for kids to begin reading. With the variety of phonics instruction methods and opinions in education today, it’s important to understand what works and why.

Let’s start by acknowledging the reality that children learn at different rates. Some students quickly adopt the skills they need to become readers; others require thorough instruction, effort, and repetition to grasp basic concepts and skills. 

Explicit instruction has proven to help even the most struggling readers. Let’s look at why explicit instruction is so important for all learners!

The Most Effective Method of Phonics Instruction

According to the science of reading, effective phonics education must be two things: systematic and explicit.

Systematic

Whether a child grasps reading concepts earlier than the rest of their class or struggles with literacy development due to a specific learning disorder, systematic teaching serves a crucial purpose.

Systematic instruction works by guiding students through a step-by-step process. You begin with the simplest, most foundational concepts and build upon them sequentially up until the most complex. 

In the same way you wouldn’t build a bridge without a carefully planned blueprint, thorough site preparation, and solid foundation, you can’t expect a child to read without first teaching them the core principles one after the next. 

Explicit 

Effective phonics instruction must be explicit. This means that teachers provide direct, structured, consistent teaching through modeling and examples, ensuring students comprehend the material before moving forward. 

Also known as direct phonics instruction, explicit teaching follows a clear scope and sequence, meaning you have a framework of what to teach (scope) and when to teach it (sequence). 

Explicit instruction is intentional, evidence-based, and practical. For example, an explicit, systematic phonics approach teaches similar letters together, focuses on short vowel sounds first, and introduces consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words.

Imagine throwing a child into the deep end of a pool. You would first need to help them prepare so they don’t drown! First, are they comfortable entering the water? Have you distinguished the shallow side versus the deep areas of the pool? Can they float? Have you taught them how to swim? The same analogy applies to reading and phonics. Explicit, supportive, and demonstrative instruction prepares kids with the knowledge and skills they must practice with a teacher until they can do it on their own.

Explicit, Systematic Phonics Instruction Meets Individual Learning Needs

Children who have difficulty with learning certain concepts may need an adapted approach. For early readers, adaptive teaching still uses the systematic, explicit method but may require:

• A greater number of repetitions when learning a new skill (for example, some children learn a letter sound after only a few practices; others need hundreds of repetitions)
• A different setting, such as learning in a group of readers at a similar level instead of learning surrounded by more advanced classmates 
• Further one-on-one teaching with a specialist in addition to classroom instruction

Assessing a Reader’s Strengths and Weaknesses 

To teach phonics in a way that meets a child’s learning needs, you first need to know where they’re at in the developmental process. This not only identifies areas of weakness but also informs you of the child’s current capabilities and strengths.

Reading assessments provide information about a person’s reading skills and progress, as well as what instruction they need most. Assessments cover the core reading concepts including:

• Letter knowledge
• Phonemic awareness 
• Decoding
• Fluency
• Comprehension 

The Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) is a common reading assessment in education today. It’s reliable, research-based, and free to access.

A quality phonics assessment typically includes a child’s ability to read “nonwords.” These are simple words that aren’t in the English language but can still be sounded out at appropriate reading levels; for example: ‘noz,’ ‘taf,’ and ‘voth.’ Nonwords allow educators and specialists to differentiate between words a child has memorized and what the child does when trying to read a new, unfamiliar word. 

Once educators assess and understand a child’s reading abilities, they can facilitate progress through a direct phonics instruction approach.

Using the Response to Intervention Model in Reading Education 

When students are at risk of failing to learn crucial literacy skills, parents or teachers often arrange a reading intervention. Sometimes schools use a Response to Intervention (RTI) model to determine the intensity and duration of a child’s reading intervention. This RTI model has three tiers:

• Tier 1: A whole-class instruction that all students receive.
• Tier 2: Some students who aren’t making progress from whole-class instruction may need additional small group instruction to catch up to their peers. 
• Tier 3: Children in need of the most intensive reading instruction require ongoing one-on-one support with specific interventions to help them improve their literacy skills. 

In all instances of Response to Intervention, instructors and specialists use explicit, systematic teaching methods. By focusing on the most basic skills a child needs to learn and then building upon that structure, RTI programs can successfully help children learn to read. 

Explicit Phonics Instruction: The Key to Lifelong Literacy 

No matter a child’s current reading level, they deserve the literacy skills they need to become learners for life. These skills are set in stone thanks to direct phonics instruction.

At phonics.org, we provide teachers and parents with the resources they need to help kids become empowered, literate individuals. With nearly 67% of U.S. fourth graders currently reading below their grade level, explicit instruction must be adopted early to prevent this statistic from growing. 

We’re here to make sure every child has the phonics essentials they need to succeed. To join the effort in raising strong readers and writers, reach out to us today.

Additional Resources:

Explicit Instruction (Dr. Anita Archer): A book that informs teachers about effective instruction for special needs learners.

DIBELS Tests for K-3: Standardized individual assessments for early literacy students. 

At a Loss for Words (AMP Reports): A thorough exploration of effective vs. ineffective reading instruction, including examples of student outcomes and various observations from teachers.