The four practices behind it

The What Works Clearinghouse practice guide for teaching foundational reading in kindergarten through 3rd grade, released in July 2016 and revised in December 2019, makes four recommendations (practice guide):

Recommendation Level of evidence
Develop awareness of the sounds in speech and how they link to letters Strong
Teach children to decode words, analyze word parts, and write and recognize words Strong
Make sure each child reads connected text every day, for accuracy, fluency and comprehension Moderate
Teach academic language: talk about stories and information, and build vocabulary Minimal

The guide says children practicing reading should get feedback from a more proficient reader, and names a parent as one of those readers (summary). The routines below come from the guide and its tip sheet for parents.

Five short routines

  1. Hear the sounds in speech. Say a sentence, such as "The boy ate two pieces of pizza," and have your child count the words. Clap or tap syllables (ba-nan-a), or put a hand under the chin to feel the jaw move on each one (IES tips). Then move to single sounds: what's the first sound in "map"? The last?
  2. Learn a few letter sounds at a time. Consonants and short vowels first, then blends and digraphs (sh, th, ch), then long vowels with a silent e, then vowel teams (ea, ou). Show each letter in uppercase and lowercase, with a picture of a familiar word for the sound, like a pig for /p/.
  3. Blend left to right. Your child says each letter's sound from left to right, then joins them into the word, stretching and connecting the sounds. Letter tiles or cards help. Then ask: does that make sense, and is it a real word?
  4. Build words. Once your child knows a few letter sounds, make words with tiles and change one letter at a time: cat, hat, hot, hop. The guide's word-building activities connect letter sounds with hearing sounds, so children start both spelling and decoding.
  5. Read connected text every day. Use word lists, decodable sentences and short decodable books for the patterns your child is learning. Take turns reading pages, read the same passage together, or read a passage aloud first and then have your child read it.

Some common words don't follow the rules, like "said." The guide suggests teaching these as "rule-breakers" and practicing them until your child recognizes them quickly.

When your child gets stuck on a word

  • Pause. Give your child a moment to notice and fix the mistake.
  • Have them reread the sentence rather than just telling them the word.
  • Model phrasing. Reading a sentence aloud in meaningful phrases, not word by word, helps children read with expression.
  • Keep the pace slow and steady. The tip sheet reminds parents that reading fluently doesn't necessarily mean reading quickly, and suggests familiar books at the child's level.

What to expect by grade

By the end of kindergarten, California's standards expect children to name every letter, give the main sound for each consonant and read common sight words such as the, of, to, you and she (RF.K). By the end of 1st grade, they decode regularly spelled one-syllable words and know final -e and common vowel teams (RF.1). The reading at grade level guide covers grades 2–5.

When to ask for more help

If the school's K–2 reading screening flags a risk, or regular practice at home isn't sticking after several weeks, talk with the teacher about what the school sees and what support it offers. Thousand Acorns Tutoring teaches K–5 reading and phonics; it doesn't offer dyslexia intervention programs.

Questions parents ask

What order should letter sounds be taught in?

The federal practice guide suggests a few at a time: consonants and short vowels first, then consonant blends and digraphs such as sh, th and ch, then long vowels with a silent e, and then vowel teams such as ea and ou.

What are decodable books?

Short books and sentences written mostly with the letter-sound patterns a child has already learned, so the child can sound out nearly every word. The practice guide recommends practicing new patterns with word lists, decodable sentences and short decodable texts.

Should I tell my child the word when they get stuck?

Not right away. The practice guide suggests pausing so the child can correct the mistake, then having them reread the sentence rather than just telling them the word.

How long should phonics practice at home be?

Short. A 2024 research brief on tutoring notes that young children can benefit from brief bursts of instruction, 5 to 10 minutes several times a week, and daily reading aloud adds practice in connected text.

Sources