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Is Phonics Necessary?

Sat, 24 Jan 2026 02:39:42 GMT

Is Phonics Necessary?

Why Phonics Still Matters—Even If Your Child Is Reading at Grade Level

Many parents wonder why phonics seems to disappear after the early elementary years—or why it’s barely mentioned at all in late elementary and middle school. Others assume that once a child is reading at grade level, phonics is no longer necessary.

There’s also a common belief that students will naturally continue to master letter sounds just by reading more.

For some children, that may be true. But for many, it’s not.

And that’s where confusion, frustration, and reading struggles quietly begin.

Phonics Teaches How Written Language Actually Works

Phonics isn’t just about recognizing words—it teaches children how written language functions. It shows them the relationship between letters and sounds so they can decode words they’ve never seen before.

Without phonics, students rely heavily on memorization. That can work in the early years, when words are short and familiar. But as texts become longer and more complex, memorization breaks down. Suddenly, students aren’t just expected to read words—they’re expected to understand, analyze, and respond in writing. When decoding is shaky, comprehension suffers, and frustration builds for both students and parents. Phonics gives students a strategy—not a guessing habit.

Phonics Builds Independent Readers

When students truly understand phonics, they don’t need to depend on pictures, context clues, or an adult to tell them the word. They can break it down and figure it out on their own.That independence is the difference between: Reading with help and actually being able to read .Independent readers gain confidence, stamina, and a willingness to tackle challenging texts—skills that matter far beyond the classroom.

Phonics Supports Struggling Readers—and Prevents Reading Failure

Decades of research show that explicit, systematic phonics instruction is especially critical for: Struggling readers, Students with dyslexia, and English language learners. But phonics isn’t only for these groups. Even students who are on grade level—or enrolled in advanced or AP classes—benefit from strong phonics skills. As vocabulary becomes more academic and unfamiliar, phonics helps students confidently approach words they might otherwise avoid or misread. For many children, phonics isn’t optional.
It’s the key that unlocks reading.Phonics Improves Spelling and Writing

Reading and spelling are two sides of the same coin.

When students understand sound–letter patterns, they spell more logically and write with greater confidence. Students who rely on guessing when they read almost always struggle with spelling and written expression later on.

When Phonics Is the Missing Piece

Sometimes, phonics is the reason a child appears to be “doing fine” in reading—but is secretly struggling underneath the surface. Gaps often don’t show up until texts get harder and expectations increase.

A phonics-based assessment can quickly determine whether this missing piece is affecting your child’s reading progress.

If you’re unsure, a free assessment can provide clarity and direction. Click the link to schedule one and take the first step toward building stronger, more confident reading skills for your child.

How Do I Know When My Child Needs English Tutoring?

Sun, 18 Jan 2026 21:08:17 GMT

How Do I Know When My Child Needs English Tutoring?

First, let me say, you are on the right path! Researching is a great place to start on your journey to providing your child with the best tools to succeed. Let's differentiate between a child needing to just be redirected, not paying attention, or rushing as opposed to requiring moderate to intensive intervention. I notice most students who struggle with reading will often avoid reading altogether, say they "hate it" which is code for I don't understand what I'm reading or/and it is difficult and mentally exhausting. Does it mean that non struggling readers love reading? Of course not, but they usually don't hate it, especially when topics are catered to their interest, but you will notice with struggling readers that the content is not a factor in their disdain for reading. Struggling to retell what they just read or answer basic comprehension questions is another factor that warrants a deeper look. One of the most common signs are reading slowly, skipping words, or guessing instead of sounding them out. Naturally, students will infrequently skip words or guess due to rushing or disinterest, but if this is a frequent habit and other factors have been ruled out, there should be a deeper look into why.

Last, not not least, discussing with their teacher assessments, classwork and their input on what should be the next steps. Usually the teacher will mention the child is below grade level, needs extra support, or isn’t participating much. Sometimes grades are “okay,” but effort is unusually high just to keep up (this often gets missed so keep an eye out for it,)Ultimately you, as the parent, have the final say in your child's education. I hope this post helped to clarify any questions you may have. Feel free to sign up for a free assessment!

Reading Tutoring for 1st Grade

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 16:58:09 GMT

Here Comes 1st Grade!

Congratulations! You are the proud parent of a recently graduated kindergartener. After the celebration, dinners and happy tears-what can you and your child expect in 1st grade? Well, for one thing, the fun continues but it will be more concentrated into academics. For example, your child will actually start writing opinion pieces and narratives. Of course, the writing will be limited, but they will learn the structure. They will learn to write complete sentences. Phonics will also be a major player in their learning as they learn blends, silent e, vowel teams, etc. First grade is a pivotal step in their academic journey.

Does My Child Need Summer Tutoring?

Wed, 03 May 2023 15:38:32 GMT

Summer Tutoring Keeps Your Child Ahead of the Game

Think about youth sports teams. Do they practice in the summer? Of course, they do. Sometimes those summer practices can make the difference between hitting a home run and almost making one. Making that 3 pointer or having the ball graze the rim. Why should academics be any different? Summer tutoring is a one size fits all model because it benefits all students no matter what level they are. If your child is doing great in school, summer tutoring will just sharpen their skills and even give them a leg up when school resumes. Honor classes may even be the pay off. Did your child meet his academic goals by the end of the school year after struggling for most of the year? If so, congratulations! Summer tutoring will ensure they do not fall back and maintain the progress they have achieved. Why let that hard work all go down the drain? The summer may seem to fly by but in the reading world two months is more than enough time to either digress or excel. The first time I signed my daughter up for summer tutoring she was appalled to say the least. She was 10 and had no intention of investing any energy towards anything remotely related to school. She stuck it out for 6 weeks with an awesome tutor. By the time she entered 5th grade, her confidence was through the roof. She even asked me the next summer if we were doing tutoring again. I was amazed and, instantly, realized summer tutoring is a game changer.

Why My Child Can't Spell?

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 16:36:47 GMT

Spelling and Reading go hand in hand, but it can be frustrating when you have a child that can read but has trouble spelling? I can assure you that you are not alone. But how does that happen? There are several reasons for this, but I will only focus on one for now. Spelling is actually an auditory exercise that uses the skill of being able to isolate sounds and accuratley identify the letter that makes it. There may not even seem like a process to those of us who can spell, but that is because it is automatic. We are at the stage where where we have mastered identifying sounds in a word at a rapid pace. For children who struggle in this area, they may have issues isolating sounds in words. Being able to isolate sounds mean you have the ability to break apart a word orally. Phonics devoted to this particular skill can definitely help a child grow in this area. Take a tour of the rest of my site and see how you can receive a free assessment to find out why your child is not growing in this area.

Helping Your Child Read

Mon, 02 Jan 2023 21:39:31 GMT

Reading Aloud/Echoing

Reading aloud is a perfect tool you can use to increase your child's reading fluency, introduce new vocabulary and build reading comprehension skills. Even before your child's starts reading, this will help them transition into the world of books. When you are reading aloud, your child is hearing the fluctuation of your tone through pitch and volume, expression and pacing. These are all factors that contribute to creating a great reader, and are actually taken into consideration when deciding if a child needs intervention in this area. Children love to mimic, and they will naturally do this when applying what they hear to their own reading experience. You can test this out by having them read the exact same passage they just heard a few times. Watch out for their tone, pacing and expressiveness as they read. Not only will this build their reading muscles, but also confidence. So make sure you set aside at least 15 minutes of read aloud sessions daily. Don't forget to make it fun by choosing a book or passage of interest for them. Remember, if your not having fun, they won't either. You got this!

Online Tutoring Actually Works and Has Many Benefits

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 19:03:16 GMT

Many parents, understandably, are skeptical of the effectiveness of online tutoring. Will my child be able to maintain their focus? If online schooling during the pandemic hindered their progress, how will it work now?

I believe some parents, including myself, do not give their child enough credit. Children as young as 5 have acclimated to engaging socially and academically online. It has become second nature. Also, there is an abundance of fun, educational online resources that, not only keep students engaged, but help them learn. There are even virtual classrooms like Orton-Gillingham, a phonics program, that provide all the components of an in-class experience.

Another factor to consider is an online classroom with 15-25 students, has a totally different dynamic from an on individual or small group online session. With the latter, students are able to receive much more attention which increases their attentiveness, you are able to learn more about each other creating a bond, and lessons can be individualized to fit the child's specific needs. On a practical level, no matter the weather or if your a hundred miles away, the opportunity to learn is always there.

Online tutoring sometimes gets a bad wrap, but it is slowly becoming a hidden gem in the educational work. Before you shoot it down, take into considerations the wonderful possibilities that can come from it.

Teaching is More Than Academics

artgrowcorp@gmail.com (Samantha Finely) — Mon, 22 Apr 2019 07:15:11 GMT

Emotional needs vs. Academic needs

In education, there is no academic vs. emotional needs because they are, essentially, one in the same. It a child's emotional needs are not addressed, it will inherently affects his academic needs, and vice versa. As educators, we have all come across students whose emotional needs have impeded their academic progress. We do a disservice when we address one need and not the other.

Don’t forget to add images

Using Glows and Grow to Build Confidence in Struggling Readers

Mon, 22 Apr 2019 07:09:39 GMT

It doesn't take much to acknowledge when someone does something right or put their best effort. Just as adults love to be complimented, so do children. Have you ever heard the term "glows and grows?" When you see your child learn a new phonic sound, read that sentence with little to no errors, spell a word correctly that had been giving them trouble-give them a "glow", tell them how awesome they are, how impressed you are, and how they are growing as reader or writer. Giving them that "glow" will have them glowing. They will remember how they felt when they received that positive reinforcement. Another way to give a glow is ask them to do it again. If they read a sentence with no errors, show how excited you are by wanting them to repeat it. If it is a writing assignment, have them read it aloud, almost like a performance. Then you can show them their grows, weak areas, and let them know how excited you are when it turns into a glow. As long as they know you are proud and they are improving, they will continue to progress and gain more confidence every step of the way.