Phonics instruction is often aimed at helping students understand which of the following?

Phonics instruction is primarily focused on helping students grasp the relationship between letters and their sounds. This foundational understanding is crucial for developing reading skills, as it enables students to decode words by associating specific sounds with their corresponding letters or combinations of letters. Mastery of phonics allows learners to blend sounds together, ultimately facilitating fluent reading and spelling. Emphasizing this relationship is essential in early literacy instruction as it equips students with the tools to sound out unfamiliar words, thereby enhancing their overall literacy development.