How to Evaluate Your Child’s School Phonics Program
Most parents trust that their child’s school is using a good reading program. That trust is reasonable, but it is not always warranted. According to the 2024 Nation’s Report Card,…
As an educator, you play a crucial role in children’s literacy development! Effective phonics instruction lays the foundation kids need to become curious, lifelong learners in the classroom and the world beyond.
Whether you’re considering which phonics instruction methods work best or looking for ways to introduce difficult concepts to students, cms.phonics.org is here to support you.
Have you ever watched your child struggle with an unfamiliar word, sounding it out...
Ever watched your child perfectly sound out every word in a story, only to...
Ever watched a child’s face light up when they finally understand a story that...
Ever watched a child laboriously sound out each letter as they attempt to spell...
David Shannon’s vibrant picture book “A Bad Case of Stripes,” tells the whimsical story...
Teaching sound segmentation doesn’t require expensive materials or formal training—just enthusiasm and consistency! The...
Does learning to read in one language help children learn to read in another?...
Every classroom contains a unique tapestry of learners, each bringing their own strengths, challenges,...
Teaching phonics effectively means reaching every student in your classroom, regardless of their reading...
If you’ve ever heard someone say, “I’m a visual learner” or “My child learns...
Most parents trust that their child’s school is using a good reading program. That trust is reasonable, but it is not always warranted. According to the 2024 Nation’s Report Card,…
A set of letter tiles. A tray of sand. A stack of index cards. None of these cost much, and none of them require charging. Yet when used with intention…
There are thousands of phonics and reading apps available for kids right now, and most of them look convincing. Bright colors, animated characters, cheerful sound effects. It all signals “educational.”…
Ask a room full of parents whether audiobooks “count” as reading, and you’ll get a sharply divided answer. Some swear by them as the thing that finally got their reluctant…
AI-powered reading tools have moved from novelty to a common fixture in classrooms. By 2026, adaptive phonics apps and AI reading tutors are in widespread use across elementary schools, and…
Over the past five years, 42 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws or adopted policies requiring schools to teach reading using evidence-based, Science of Reading-aligned methods. That’s…
If misinformation about dyslexia were harmless, this article wouldn’t need to exist. But the myths still circulating in schools, pediatric offices, and even some special education programs are actively delaying…
If you’re reading this because something feels off with your child’s reading, trust that instinct. Roughly one in five kids in any classroom shows signs of dyslexia, and most won’t…
If you’ve already sat through an IEP meeting and walked out feeling like the reading goals were soft, vague, or weirdly disconnected from what your child actually needs, you’re not…
If you’ve spent any time in early literacy circles, you’ve probably noticed something strange: people argue about sight words. One camp says memorizing sight words is essential. Another says it’s…
