What is the initial focus of synthetic phonics?

The initial focus of synthetic phonics is on recognizing letters and blending words. This approach emphasizes teaching students the relationships between sounds and the letters that represent those sounds. In synthetic phonics, children learn to decode words by breaking them down into their constituent sounds (phonemes) and then blending those sounds together to form recognizable words.

This method is foundational because it provides students with essential skills for reading and writing. By mastering the blending of individual sounds, students can tackle unfamiliar words and improve their overall literacy abilities. The goal is to develop a strong phonemic awareness, which is critical for effective reading.

In contrast, understanding sentence structure, reading complicated texts, and teaching vocabulary are skills that tend to be developed later, after a student's foundational skills in phonics have been established. These advanced skills build on the ability to decode words effectively, making the initial focus on recognizing letters and blending words vital for successful literacy development.