Every child deserves rich literacy teaching. We want all children to achieve success in their reading and writing so that they can become able and confident literate learners, well-equipped for active participation in society.

The first year at school is vital. This is where the foundations are laid, and where children learn ‘how to learn’. At 5, children are at their keenest and most eager to learn. The learning experiences they have at this age influence whether they see themselves as ‘successful’ or ‘failing’ learners.

It is at word level that many children fail to grasp the skills necessary to sound out unknown words for reading and spelling. This is where the explicit teaching of phonic skills can quickly empower children to read and write unknown words.

If phonics is incorporated into an exciting and rich full literacy programme, children will have everything they need to help them become confident and independent readers and writers who love literacy.

Learning to read and write is not just about phonics. Children need to learn how to use meaning and structure and to recognise words so that everything they read and write looks right, sounds right and makes sense. They need to have the whole range of strategies. Phonics is just one small part of this package, but it is a strategy that is particularly vital for beginning readers and writers.

Teachers know this - yet few teachers in New Zealand have been trained to understand the stages of learning in phonics and how to explicitly teach it. Phonics training offers teachers and schools this opportunity.