Document Type
Article
Publication Date
Spring 2026
Publication Title
The Journal of Reading Recovery
Volume
25
Issue
2
Publisher
Literary Council of North America
Abstract
In 2022, we published an article in The Journal of Reading Recovery entitled, “Why phonics (in English) is so difficult to teach, learn, and apply: What caregivers and teach- ers need to know” (Reinking & Reinking, 2022) The article outlined the unique challenges of mastering the diverse, irregular correspon- dences between letters and sounds (phonics) in English compared to the regularity of many other alphabetic languages We provided examples and explained how the complexity of English spelling creates and amplifies difficulties in teaching, learning, and applying phonics Our purpose was not to question the importance and viabil- ity of teaching children phonics, but to help teachers and caregivers fully appreciate its difficulty and, more importantly, to become aware of how that difficulty might inform instruction.
Recommended Citation
Reinking, David and Reinking, Sharon L., "A Compendium of Sound-Symbol Correspondences in English: More Revelations About the Challenge of Teaching, Learning, and Applying Phonics" (2026). Publications. 116.
https://open.clemson.edu/eugene_pubs/116