In recent years, we’ve seen a welcome return to the teaching of phonics in schools. This is a positive move—scientific research clearly shows that children need to understand and use phonics when starting their reading journey.
However, the outcomes from phonics instruction can vary widely.
Why?
One major factor is that not all teacher training in phonics is consistent. Some teachers, particularly those who originally trained in whole-word approaches, may not have had the chance to upgrade their knowledge and skills in teaching phonics. And while it may seem simple—”teach students the letter sounds and they can read”—that’s far from the full picture.
A common misconception is that if we just show children phonics, they’ll automatically be able to decode words. But children don’t all learn the same way, and we must consider a range of factors that may impact a child’s success with phonics.
Key Factors to Consider
1. Pre-literacy skills:
Is the child developmentally ready to learn phonics? For example:
- Can they hear and isolate individual sounds in words (phonemic awareness)?
- Do they recognise letters and their corresponding sounds?
- Are there any speech difficulties affecting their ability to hear or produce sounds?
- Do they have the core strength, built through play, to support sitting, writing, and concentrating?
These foundational skills are essential for successful early reading.
2. Teacher knowledge and training:
- Does the teacher understand the developmental stages of phonics instruction?
- Do they realise that students, regardless of age, must build strong pre-literacy foundations?
- Can they identify signs of dyslexia, dysgraphia, or other learning challenges—and know how to support those students?
3. Blending difficulties:
A student might know their letter sounds but still struggle to blend them into words. Does the educator know how to help them develop this skill?
4. Phonics program limitations:
Many schools use well-known phonics programs, but these can be overly scripted and rigid. Some are delivered by teaching aides who may not have received full training. This can significantly reduce the effectiveness of the program.
Why Some Children Still Struggle
The shift from whole-word to phonics instruction aimed to support students who previously slipped through the cracks. While some children are thriving under new phonics-based approaches, others are still struggling—despite participating in school programs.
At Reading for Sure, we often hear from concerned parents: “My child is doing phonics at school, but they’re still not reading.”
So what’s going wrong?
Here are just a few possible reasons:
- Have the child’s pre-literacy needs been fully addressed?
- Are there speech and language issues at play?
- Is the educator well-trained in how children acquire reading skills?
- Does the program rely on memorising spelling rules, which can be especially challenging for students with dyslexia?
- Is the program moving too quickly, without sufficient revision or personalisation?
- Does the child have challenges such as slow processing speed, short-term memory issues, or auditory processing difficulties?
- Can the child sit still and focus on learning when it gets hard?
When these barriers aren’t identified and supported, children can quickly fall behind.
How Reading for Sure Makes the Difference
One of the key strengths of Reading for Sure is that it’s a systematic, synthetic phonics program—but with flexibility built in. It’s delivered one-on-one by trained tutors, and every lesson is tailored to the student’s individual needs.
✅ Whether your child is just starting to read or struggling at any age level, we meet them where they are.
✅ Our program works especially well for students with short-term memory difficulties or trouble remembering common spelling rules.
✅ With our tools and specially designed texts, students can quickly access more complex and meaningful reading materials—building confidence and motivation as they go.
We’ve seen time and again how Reading for Sure can transform the reading journey for students with diverse learning challenges.
In today’s world, literacy is more important than ever. And yet, so many students are still being left behind.
At Reading for Sure, we’re proud to be part of the solution. But we can’t do it alone.
We’re always looking for passionate, caring people to join us—whether as a tutor or a parent wanting to support a struggling reader.
Could that be you?
We’d love to hear from you. Reach out today to learn more about our program and the life-changing opportunities it can offer—for you or a student you care about.
If you have a beginner reader, why not start them out right with our Early Reading For Sure Package and then the Blending Buddies Package.
If you are interested in teaching children to read then check out our Struggling Readers Solution information page.
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