Strong Phonics Base to Build Better Readers

The biggest problem educators are encountering with emergent readers is their lack of phonological awareness. For a child to become a successful reader, they must have a solid understanding of basic and higher phonological rules. The education system has become so focused on standardized testing in the upper elementary grades they have lost focus on the primary grades. There must be a balance between the primary grades (Kindergarten through 2nd) and the secondary grades (3rd-5th). In Kindergarten through second grade a student is learning to read, by third grade that student should have all the basic phonics skills they need to know read to learn. Unfortunately, this is not the case many students have not been taught the phonics skills necessary to begin learning to read in third grade. This action research paper will focus on the importance of a strong phonics base to help build better readers