phonics

noun, plural in form but singular in construction

pho·nics | \ ˈfä-niks

How to pronounce phonics (audio)

, sense 1 is also ˈfō-\

Definition of phonics

1 : the science of sound : acoustics

2 : a method of teaching beginners to read and pronounce words by learning the phonetic value of letters, letter groups, and especially syllables

How Do You Teach phonics?

In the field of beginning reading, there are two basic schools of thought in the U.S. today. One emphasizes "whole language" teaching, which relies on teaching a lot of reading; the other emphasizes phonics, teaching how letters and syllables correspond to sounds. Phonics instruction may be especially difficult in English, since English has the most difficult spelling of any Western language. Consider the various ways we create the f *sound in *cough, photo, *and *giraffe, or the sh sound in special, issue, vicious, *and *portion, or the k sound in tack, quite, and shellac, and how we pronounce the o in do, core, lock, *and *bone, or the ea in lead, ocean, idea, and early. Teaching phonics obviously isn't an easy job, but it's probably an important one.

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about phonics

Dictionary Entries near phonics

Statistics for phonics

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for phonics

The first known use of phonics was circa 1684

See more words from the same year

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for phonics

phonics

noun

English Language Learners Definition of phonics

: a method of teaching people to read and pronounce words by learning the sounds of letters, letter groups, and syllables

phonics

noun

pho·nics | \ ˈfä-niks

\

Kids Definition of phonics

: a method of teaching beginners to read and pronounce words by learning the usual sound of letters, letter groups, and syllables

phonics

noun plural but singular in construction

pho·nics | \ ˈfän-iks, 1 is also ˈfō-niks\

Medical Definition of phonics

1 : the science of sound : acoustics

2 : a method of teaching beginners to read and pronounce words by learning the phonetic value of letters, letter groups, and especially syllables

Keep scrolling for more

WORD OF THE DAY

magniloquent

grandiloquent, ostentatious, or bombastic

Test Your Vocabulary

Original Meanings Quiz

Which of the following is the earliest known sense of the word awe?

Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

TAKE THE QUIZ

SCRABBLE® Sprint

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games