Phonics is one of the most important fundamental concepts in learning to read.
By connecting the sounds of spoken language (phonemes) with the letters (graphemes) that represent those sounds, children learn how to decode words, recognise spelling patterns, and read with confidence.
Without even realising it, you’re probably already teaching your child phonics at home. This happens every time you sound out a word, point to letters, or read aloud together. Your involvement matters, and children who receive this extra support often progress better with their literacy skills.
But phonics can be trickier than it looks. Without the right strategies, parents can make some common mistakes that slow down their child’s progress and create confusion.
In this article, we’ll break down the common errors parents make when teaching phonics, and how you can prevent them in future to set your kids up for long-term reading success.
It’s common for parents to start by teaching the names of letters (like “bee” for B) rather than the sounds those letters make: /b/ or “buh”.
But when children are first learning to read, it’s the sounds that matter most. Phonics is all about connecting letters to their sounds so children can blend them together to read words.
When a child only knows letter names, they may struggle to decode words.
For example, if they see the word “bat” and try to read it by literally saying “bee-ay-tee,” it won’t naturally blend into a real word. However, if they know the sounds /b/ /a/ /t/, they can smoothly put them together to read “bat”.
Overemphasising letter names over sounds can slow down progress and make reading feel confusing.
It’s common for parents to spend time teaching letter sounds but stop short of showing how those sounds work together.
As a result, your child may know the sounds /c/, /a/, /t/, but be unable to recognise them as a complete word when put together.
Remember, phonics isn’t just about recognising sounds in isolation. It’s also about learning to blend them smoothly to form meaningful words.
Without blending practice, children get stuck at the “sound stage.” They may memorise words they see often, but struggle to decode new or unfamiliar words. This gap can make reading feel frustrating and discourage them from trying.
Parents assume phonics will eventually cover every word their child encounters but English is a language full of irregularities.
Words like “the,” “one,” or “said” don’t follow neat phonics rules. The word “lamb”, for instance, has a “b” sound that isn’t expressed the same way as the /b/ in “bag” or “ball”.
If words like these aren’t specifically taught, whether at home or in a phonics class, kids may feel confused when the rules they’re familiar with suddenly don’t work.
When children come across irregular words, they will try to “sound them out” and get stuck. This can lead to frustration, guessing, or even avoidance of reading altogether. Recognising that some words must be memorised differently helps children gain confidence and fluency.
Some parents spend lots of time reading aloud with their children, but skip writing practice altogether.
While reading builds recognition, writing is just as important for reinforcing phonics. Rather than individual skills to be learned, think of reading and writing as a team that will strengthen your child’s literacy foundations.
When children write, they actively think about how sounds link to letters. This process strengthens memory, improves spelling, and deepens their overall understanding of phonics.
Without writing practice, children may become good at recognising words in print, but struggle to spell or recall them independently.
Parents sometimes feel like they have to move fast to keep up, especially when they see how quickly children seem to progress in structured phonics classes. Perhaps you have tried to cover three, four, or even five new sounds at one time.
While it may feel like you’re being productive, children need time and repetition to truly digest and master what they’ve learned.
Phonics is a concept that builds upon itself, layer by layer. If children don’t fully grasp the basics, they may end up confusing similar sounds, like /b/ and /p/, and struggle to blend sounds smoothly into words. What’s more, they may simply forget what they just learned because it was so rushed.
Some parents assume that the longer a lesson is, the more their child will learn. This can lead to long, drill-like sessions that feel more like work than discovery. For a young child, a one-hour phonics session can be overwhelming, leaving them tired, restless, or even reluctant to learn more.
Young children learn best in short, engaging bursts. Their attention spans are much more limited than older kids, and if phonics feels heavy or stressful, they may begin to associate learning English with frustration rather than fun. This can damage their motivation and slow progress.
While learning phonics at home is valuable, a phonics class in Singapore can give your child the structured foundation they need to thrive.
At ICR, our phonics-based pre-reading classes are designed for children as young as 2.5 years old up to 5 years old, providing a nurturing environment where early literacy can take root.
We engage preschoolers in meaningful, hands-on experiences that build essential early literacy skills:Our phonics-based literacy classes are led by highly qualified instructors who specialise in early childhood education and literacy development. We help young children cultivate phonemic awareness, encourage language exploration, and build the confidence to engage with words and stories.
A strong foundation in phonics learning comes from balanced, consistent, and engaging practice. As a parent, you play a vital role in supporting your child’s literacy journey at home, and the tips we’ve shared can help you avoid common pitfalls.
At the same time, structured support from expert-led phonics classes in Singapore can make all the difference in your child’s literacy development.
Trust I Can Read to give your child the best possible start on the path to reading success. Book a free assessment with us today!