Phonics Around The World

Many English-speaking education systems include systematic phonics as part of early reading instruction. While programmes and terminology vary between countries, the aim is similar: to help children learn how spoken sounds relate to written letters so they can decode words and build reading fluency.

United States

In the United States, many states align early reading expectations with the Common Core State Standards. These standards include specific foundational reading skills for Kindergarten through Grade 2, including phonological awareness and phonics and word recognition. Children are expected to learn letter-sound correspondences, apply phonics patterns to decode words, and gradually develop accuracy and fluency as the texts they read become more complex.

Nigeria

Nigeria is linguistically diverse, and English is widely used in education alongside many local languages. Research and classroom initiatives in Nigeria have shown that structured phonics approaches can support early reading progress, including for children learning to read in English as an additional language. Some studies have reported stronger reading outcomes for pupils taught using synthetic phonics compared with more traditional approaches.

Australia

In Australia, phonics is supported through national guidance such as the National Literacy Learning Progression. Phonic knowledge and word recognition (PKW) is described as a progression of skills rather than being tied to a single year group. For example, at PKW4 a child may be able to identify the most common phoneme for single-letter graphemes and blend them to read VC and CVC words. At higher PKW levels, children learn alternative spellings for the same sounds, read longer words, and apply increasingly complex phonics patterns.

New Zealand

In New Zealand, there has been a strong shift towards structured approaches to teaching reading in the early years. Schools use systematic instruction that includes phonics as part of early reading, supported by resources and assessment materials such as phonics checks. These tools help teachers understand how children are progressing with letter-sound knowledge and early decoding, alongside wider reading skills.

Ireland

In Ireland, the Primary Language Curriculum includes a specific focus on phonics, word recognition and word study within reading. Children are supported to use a growing range of word identification strategies, including grapheme-phoneme correspondences, spelling patterns, and connections between words, as they develop reading accuracy and confidence.

Singapore

Singapore places a high value on literacy and language learning. The Singapore English Language syllabus for primary schools emphasises explicit instruction in phonemic awareness and phonics for beginning readers, alongside the development of reading fluency and comprehension. Early instruction focuses on helping children recognise and blend sounds and build decoding skills as a foundation for wider reading.

Bahamas

Phonics is integrated into primary language arts guidance in The Bahamas. In the early primary years, pupils are expected to develop knowledge of letter-sound relationships, including identifying sounds in blends and digraphs, and recognising long and short vowel patterns as part of building reading and spelling skills.

Malta

Malta has two official languages, Maltese and English, and many pupils speak Maltese at home. This bilingual context can create unique challenges when children are learning to read and write in English. Phonics has been discussed as part of national literacy improvement efforts, but it may need careful implementation and support for pupils who are still developing confidence in English.

St Kitts and Nevis

In St Kitts and Nevis, early reading guidance includes phonics-related skills such as phonological and phonemic awareness, letter-sound knowledge, and decoding strategies. These support children as they learn to sound out unfamiliar words and develop fluency.

Across these countries, phonics is most effective when it is taught systematically and supported by wider reading instruction, including vocabulary development, oral language, and comprehension. Different education systems organise phonics teaching in different ways, but the underlying goal is the same: to help children become confident readers.