Why Phonics Doesn’t Stick: Unveiling the Secrets to Effective Literacy Teaching

Written by Dr June Siew, Head of DAS Academy

Despite its reputation as a research-backed method for teaching reading, phonics doesn’t always work for every student. Some children continue to struggle with linking sounds and symbols even after consistent intervention.

Consider a child who encounters the word “CRAB” but pronounces it as “CAB.” While there’s some correspondence between sounds and symbols, it’s not precise. This mismatch suggests that their sound-symbol decoding skills are not yet fully developed.

Making Phonics Stick

To address these challenges and enhance phonics retention, try these three core activities that are simpler than you might think:

1. Switch It
Have students spell a word like “RAT” using letter tiles, and then ask them to transform it to “RAN” by swapping just one letter. This exercise helps build flexibility in sound-symbol correspondence.

2. Chunk It
Teach children to break down and blend sounds in words. For example, when reading “MAT,” guide them through the sounds /M/, /A/, and /T/, then blend them together to form “MAT.”

3. Sort It
Use jumbled letter tiles to help students sort and arrange letters into words. For example, given the letters ‘a’, ‘l’, ‘i’, and ‘s’, students can identify the vowel team ‘ai’ and then sort the remaining letters to form the word.

These engaging activities can significantly improve a child’s phonics skills and foster a love for reading.

Ready to ignite a passion for reading in your students? Join our DAS Academy literacy courses and watch your students flourish.