What is the primary purpose of phonics in reading instruction?

The primary purpose of phonics in reading instruction is to teach letter-sound relationships. This foundational skill allows students to decode words by associating specific sounds with their corresponding letters or groups of letters. Understanding these relationships is crucial for children as they begin to read, enabling them to sound out unfamiliar words rather than relying solely on memorization of whole words. This skill is essential for building reading fluency and comprehension, as it provides the tools necessary for students to independently tackle new texts.

While enhancing vocabulary, improving writing skills, and developing critical thinking are important components of literacy education, they are not the direct focus of phonics instruction. Phonics specifically emphasizes the relationship between sounds and their written representations, which serves as a stepping stone to more advanced reading and literacy skills.