What phonics approach has been found most effective for developing early readers' skills?

Focusing on grapheme-phoneme correspondences is recognized as one of the most effective phonics approaches for developing early readers' skills. This method emphasizes the direct relationship between written letters (graphemes) and their corresponding sounds (phonemes). By teaching children how to connect these letters to their sounds, they develop a foundational understanding of how to decode words, leading to improved reading abilities.

This approach allows children to apply their knowledge of phonics to unfamiliar words, enhancing their decoding skills and promoting the ability to read independently. The strong emphasis on systematic phonics instruction supports children in recognizing patterns and understanding the structure of language, which is critical in developing their literacy skills early on.

Other approaches may aim to create a broader context for reading or focus on familiar words, but without the foundational understanding of grapheme-phoneme correspondences, young readers may struggle to decode new, unfamiliar words, which is essential for fluent reading and comprehension.