Phonics instruction teaches children that written English is a code — that letters and letter combinations represent specific sounds, and that by learning these correspondences, a child can decode any word. This is empowering. A child armed with phonics can attempt an unfamiliar word independently. A child trained only in sight words is stuck when she encounters a word she has not memorized.
Classical schools favor phonics for the same reason they favor grammar: mastering the system gives students power over the material. Just as knowing the rules of grammar allows a student to construct any sentence, knowing phonics allows a reader to tackle any text. It is the difference between giving a child a fish and teaching her to fish.
At Saints Classical Academy, phonics instruction is systematic, explicit, and joyful. Students learn letter sounds through songs, chants, and multisensory activities. By the end of first grade, most students are reading fluently — and more importantly, they are reading with confidence, because they understand how reading works.
For more on our approach to early education, visit our parents page or apply today.