Question 1

At what age should a child start learning phonics?

Accepted Answer

Children usually begin phonics readiness between ages 4 and 5 by learning letter sounds. Formal phonics reading typically starts around ages 5 to 6 once sound awareness is strong.

Question 2

Is it normal if my 5-year-old cannot read yet?

Accepted Answer

Yes. At age 5, children are still developing blending and decoding skills. Fluent reading comes after these foundations are secure.

Question 3

Why does my child memorise words instead of sounding them out?

Accepted Answer

This often happens when phonics steps are skipped. Memorisation replaces decoding when children are pushed to read before mastering blending and segmenting.

Question 4

What phonics skills are most important for early readers?

Accepted Answer

Sound awareness, letter–sound knowledge, blending for reading, and segmenting for spelling are the most important early phonics skills.

Question 5

How can I tell if my child is guessing words while reading?

Accepted Answer

If a child relies on pictures, first letters, or context instead of sounding out words, they are likely guessing rather than decoding.

Question 6

Should children learn alphabet names or letter sounds first?

Accepted Answer

Children should learn letter sounds first. Letter sounds help children read words, while alphabet names do not support decoding.

Question 7

Is phonics still important after age 7?

Accepted Answer

Yes. After age 7, phonics supports reading longer words, spelling accuracy, and overall reading fluency.

Question 8

Can children with reading difficulties benefit from phonics?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Structured phonics is especially effective for children who struggle with reading because it teaches skills step by step and reduces guessing.

Question 9

What is the difference between blending and segmenting?

Accepted Answer

Blending is combining sounds to read words, while segmenting is breaking words into sounds to spell. Both are essential for reading success.

Question 10

Why do many schools recommend Jolly Phonics?

Accepted Answer

Jolly Phonics is recommended because it uses a structured, multi-sensory approach that builds strong decoding skills and confident readers.

Day: January 7, 2026

Why Guessing Words Is a Hidden Reading Problem

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