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Phonics for kids
Phonics is the code that links letters to sounds. Once children know it, they can sound out words they have never seen before. At TLC for Kids, phonics is taught live online, in English only, in a clear research-based order.
What is phonics?
Every English letter, or group of letters, stands for a sound. Phonics teaches those links directly. A child who knows that c says /k/, a says /a/ and t says /t/ can blend them into cat — and then read words they have never seen before.
The National Reading Panel (2000), which reviewed the research on how children learn to read, found that systematic phonics instruction helps children learn to read. It is one of the core parts of the Science of Reading.
Reading needs sounds
a — name “ay”, sound /a/
c — name “see”, sound /k/
t — name “tee”, sound /t/
Read by name, cat is “see-ay-tee.” Read by sound, it is cat.
How we teach phonics
Four principles guide every phonics lesson at TLC for Kids.
Sounds first
Children first learn to hear the small sounds inside spoken words. Then each letter is linked to its sound.
English only
Lessons are taught entirely in English. The teacher points to a letter and says only its sound. Later, children say the name and the sound together: “A says /a/.”
Read in chunks
Short words are read in two chunks, not letter by letter: c + at. Once a child can read at, swapping the first sound unlocks hat, bat and mat. These are called word families.
In a set order
English has more sounds than letters. c sounds different in cat and city, and sh and ch use two letters for one sound. So we teach the code step by step, in order.
Where phonics fits in the five stages
Reading develops in stages, not by age. Phonics is the heart of stages 2 and 3.
- Hear the sounds (phonemic awareness)
- Link letters to sounds (phonics)
- Read words (phonics and sight words)
- Read sentences
- Read lots of easy books (fluency)
Phonics for children learning English as a second language
Many of our students do not speak English at home. Phonics gives them a reliable way into English text from day one, so they can start reading on their own instead of waiting until their spoken English catches up.
Even children who arrive with no English are taught in English only by our teachers, with reading and writing from the first lesson.
Frequently asked questions
At what age can my child start phonics?
Readiness matters more than age. When a child can hear the separate sounds in spoken words and is curious about letters, it is a good time to start. Many of our students begin around age 3–5, and older beginners start at the same first stage and move faster.
My child already knows the ABC song. Isn’t that enough?
The ABC song teaches letter names. Reading needs letter sounds. We connect the two with a simple routine: the child points to a letter and says “A says /a/.”
We don’t speak English at home. Can our child still learn phonics?
Yes. Classes are taught entirely in English by our teachers, and the curriculum starts from zero. Parents do not need to speak English; their job is to keep practice short and regular and to praise effort.
Is phonics enough to read books?
Not on its own. Children also need sight words — common words like the and was that don’t follow the usual rules — and lots of practice reading easy books to build fluency.
Are classes live or recorded?
Every class is a live, face-to-face lesson on Zoom in small groups of 2–4, or one-on-one. Families join from many countries.
Written by Toru Funatsu, founder of TLC for Kids. Teaching children to read with the Science of Reading since 2002; 25 years in Honolulu and more than 5,000 children taught. About the author
Source: National Reading Panel (2000). NICHD
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