The Phonics Blog
Practical phonics articles for parents and teachers. Research-backed methods, age-by-age guides, free printables, and tried-at-home tips. 93 articles and counting.
Tricky Words List (Free PDF): Phase 2 to 5 Words
Complete phase-by-phase tricky word lists from Reception to Year 2, why rote memorization fails, and the see-say-sound-write method that makes irregular words stick.
7 min read
Dyslexia vs. Just a Slow Reader: How to Tell the Difference
A comparison checklist of the specific patterns (not just speed) that separate a slow-but-typical reader from a dyslexic profile.
8 min read
Child Reverses Letters When Writing: Normal or Warning Sign?
Letter reversal is developmentally normal until a specific age — the checklist for when it stops being normal.
6 min read
Child Reads a Word Correctly Then Forgets It the Next Line — Why?
This looks like a memory problem but is usually a decoding-automaticity problem — how to tell which one you're dealing with.
6 min read
Child Knows All the Sounds But Can't Blend Them — Why?
The most common gap between knowing letter sounds and reading words: a missing bridge skill, not a lack of knowledge.
7 min readFree Phonics Worksheets (Printable): CVC, Digraphs, Blends, Silent E
6 printable packs covering every major phonics stage — letter sounds, CVC, digraphs, consonant blends, magic-e, and vowel teams. Print at home, use daily.
5 min read
Back-to-School Phonics Checklist: Is Your Child Ready?
A quick age-by-age checklist, the real story on "summer slide," and a simple 2-week tune-up plan before term starts.
6 min read
Phonics for 2-Year-Olds: Is It Too Early?
Short answer: formal phonics is too early at 2, but the foundation isn't. What to focus on instead, plus 5 simple daily activities that help.
6 min readIs My Child Ready to Read? 10 Signs of Reading Readiness
The 10 signs that predict reading success — rhyme awareness, phoneme isolation, print concepts, blending — with what to do if signs are missing.
7 min read
How to Prepare for the Phonics Screening Check at Home
A simple 6-week lead-up plan, what to avoid, and exactly what to do the week of the check — without turning reading practice into exam stress.
7 min read
Pseudo-Words in the Phonics Screening Check: Full List
What alien words are, why they're built the way they are, 40+ practice pseudo-words sorted by pattern, and a 5-minute game to build confidence with them.
7 min readDiphthongs List (Free PDF): oi, oy, ou, ow Words
All 8 English diphthongs explained. Full word lists for oi/oy and ou/ow, the position rule kids need to spell them, and the most common mistakes to fix.
7 min read
Teach phonics online — one short lesson a day
Sign in free and follow a plan that remembers where you are. Right here in your browser, on phone, tablet or computer — nothing to download.
- 92 step-by-step lessons, SATPIN first
- Big flashcards to show your child
- Games, checkpoints and progress for every sound
For little ones (2–6) there’s also our sound-play game on iPhone & iPad and Android.