Articles

Inspire a love of learning through phonics.

Whether you’re a teacher, family member, tutor, or childcare professional, you can have a positive impact on a child’s life. One of the most extraordinary gifts a child ever receives is the ability to read and write.

Although literacy doesn’t come naturally to humans, it’s an essential part of our everyday lives. Explicit, effective, and encouraging phonics instruction is vital to creating a more literate world.  Explore the trusted resources, articles, and reviews from cms.phonics.org to instill a love of learning in someone you care about.

Phonics Resources for All

Not all phonics videos on YouTube are worth your child's time. Here is how to find the good ones and skip the rest.

Using YouTube for Phonics Practice: The Good, the Bad, and the Useless

YouTube has more than 500 hours of video uploaded every minute. Somewhere in that...

Most children build core phonics skills over two to three years. Here is what shapes that timeline.

How Long Does It Take a Child to Complete a Phonics Program?

Parents starting a phonics program often want to know one thing: how long is...

Structured literacy certification is more than a badge. Here is what the credential requires and why it matters for your child's reader.

What Structured Literacy Certification Means

The phrase “structured literacy certified” is showing up everywhere right now: on tutoring profiles,...

Not sure if your child's school phonics program is working? Here is what to look for and the right questions to ask.

How to Evaluate Your Child’s School Phonics Program

Most parents trust that their child’s school is using a good reading program. That...

Hands-on phonics tools that build real reading skills, from sound boxes to letter tiles.

Phonics Manipulatives That Beat Any Screen

A set of letter tiles. A tray of sand. A stack of index cards....

What makes a phonics app worth downloading? A parent's guide to evidence-based features.

What to Look for in a Phonics App Before You Download

There are thousands of phonics and reading apps available for kids right now, and...

Audiobooks build vocabulary and motivation, but can they teach phonics? What parents and teachers need to know.

Audiobooks and Phonics: Helpful Supplement or Decoding Shortcut?

Ask a room full of parents whether audiobooks “count” as reading, and you’ll get...

AI reading tutors are everywhere. What the research says about whether they help kids learn phonics.

AI Tutoring Apps and Phonics: Promising or Problematic?

AI-powered reading tools have moved from novelty to a common fixture in classrooms. By...

Over 40 states have passed science of reading laws. Here's what they require and what to ask your school.

Science of Reading Legislation: A State-by-State Overview

Over the past five years, 42 states and the District of Columbia have passed...

Six dyslexia myths still circulating in schools, and the research that proves them wrong.

Dyslexia Myths That Are Still Hurting Kids

If misinformation about dyslexia were harmless, this article wouldn’t need to exist. But the...

Reading.com App Review

Reading.com App Review

A Unique, Research-Based Approach to Teaching Children to Read At cms.phonics.org, we evaluate phonics programs designed for children—empowering you to make informed decisions about the most suitable apps for your…

Are AI Reading Tutors Safe for Children?

Are AI Reading Tutors Safe for Children?

When parents ask whether an AI reading tutor is safe, they usually mean two things at once. One is about data, whether a company is recording and sharing information about…

Can You Combine Multiple Phonics Programs?

Can You Combine Multiple Phonics Programs?

It happens in a lot of homes. The school sends one phonics program, you downloaded a reading app that everyone recommends, and a well-meaning relative gave your child a phonics…

How AI Listening Technology Works in Reading Apps

How AI Listening Technology Works in Reading Apps

Some reading apps do something that feels almost magical. Your child reads a sentence aloud, and the app instantly shows which words they nailed and which tripped them up. There…

The Skills Children Need Before Formal Phonics Instruction

The Skills Children Need Before Formal Phonics Instruction

By the time a child sounds out their first word, most of the groundwork is already in place. Reading does not begin with letters on a page. It begins years…

Parents’ Guide to AI-Powered Reading Programs

Parents’ Guide to AI-Powered Reading Programs

Your child’s tablet can now do something that sounded like science fiction a few years ago. It can listen to them read aloud, catch the words they miss, and adjust…

AI Reading Tutors vs Human Reading Tutors

AI Reading Tutors vs Human Reading Tutors

An AI reading tutor never sighs, never glances at the clock, and never loses patience at seven on a Tuesday night. For about the price of one coffee a month,…

Can AI Teach Phonics Better Than Apps?

Can AI Teach Phonics Better Than Apps?

Search “learn to read” in the App Store right now and you will get hundreds of results, most of them describing themselves as “AI-powered.” Jolly Phonics, Hooked on Phonics, Duolingo…

Heggerty Phonemic Awareness Program Review

Heggerty Phonemic Awareness Program Review

A Widely Used Program With an Important Caveat Every Educator Needs to Know Looking for honest, research-grounded reviews of literacy programs? Browse the expert program reviews at Phonics.org to make…

Best AI Reading Tutors for Kids: A Parent and Teacher Guide

Best AI Reading Tutors for Kids: A Parent and Teacher Guide

What if every child had access to a patient, one-on-one reading tutor who never lost their place, never got tired, and adjusted instruction within seconds based on what a child…

UFLI Foundations Review: Is This Phonics Program Right for Classrooms?

UFLI Foundations Review: Is This Phonics Program Right for Classrooms?

A Research-Backed Phonics Program That Delivers Measurable Results Looking for honest reviews of phonics programs and apps? Browse the comprehensive program reviews at Phonics.org to find the right fit for…