When it comes to teaching phonics, educators have concluded that a systematic and sequential approach is the most effective. One respected strategy is demonstrated by the educational resource ‘Playdough To Plato’, which recommends starting with letter sounds, blends, digraphs, and then moving on to more complex phonetic patterns.

The best order suggested by this resource to teach phonics begins with individual letter sounds, ensuring that children can recognize the sound each letter makes. This foundational knowledge is crucial for the progression that follows.

Next are consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words, where children apply their understanding of individual sounds to blend them and form simple words. This step is often where children experience the joy of reading for the first time as they start to decode words on their own.

After mastering CVC words, instruction moves toward consonant blends, where two or three consonants are blended together, but each sound may still be heard. Starting with beginning blends and then progressing to ending blends helps students understand how letters combine to produce different sounds within words.

The progression continues with digraphs, which are pairs of letters that create a single sound distinct from their component parts. Common examples include ‘ch’, ‘sh’, ‘th’, and ‘wh’. Teaching digraphs furthers a child’s ability to decode more complex words.

Once digraphs are established, vowel teams should be introduced. Vowel teams are pairs or groups of vowels that usually appear together in words and create a single vocal sound, like ‘ea’ in ‘tea’ or ‘oo’ in ‘book’.

Following vowel teams, teaching r-controlled vowels helps students understand how the presence of an ‘r’ can alter the sound a vowel makes. Examples include ‘ar’ in ‘car’, ‘er’ in ‘her’, and ‘ir’ in ‘bird’.

The sequence culminates with complex vowel patterns such as diphthongs like ‘oi’ in boil and ‘-eigh’ as in weigh, along with silent e’s which transform CVC words into CVCe words (such as “cap” into “cape”).

Educators at Playdough To Plato also emphasize the importance of incorporating plenty of practice with high-frequency sight words alongside phonics instruction. These are common words that do not fit regular phonetic patterns but are essential for fluent reading.

In summary, a recommended sequence for teaching phonics might look like this:

1. Letter Sounds
2. CVC Words
3. Consonant Blends
4. Digraphs
5. Vowel Teams
6. R-Controlled Vowels
7. Complex Vowel Patterns

Practical application through reading practice, engaging activities such as manipulating playdough letters and interactive games will reinforce what is learned at each stage of this sequence. Regular review and assessment help ensure mastery before progressing to more advanced concepts in phonics education.