What is a primary goal of phonics instruction?

The primary goal of phonics instruction is to help students associate sounds with letters. Phonics teaches children the relationships between letters and the sounds they represent, which is fundamental for decoding words. By understanding these relationships, students can sound out words when reading, which is a crucial skill for developing literacy. This foundational aspect of phonics enables learners to read new words independently and enhances their overall reading proficiency.

While building listening skills, promoting fluency in reading, and encouraging creative writing are valuable aspects of literacy development, they do not directly relate to the specific aim of phonics instruction. Building listening skills may contribute to comprehension and oral language development, fluency in reading focuses on reading speed and expression, and creative writing nurtures students’ ability to express ideas, but none of these is the central purpose of phonics. The emphasis in phonics is distinctly on the sound-letter correspondence that underpins the reading process.