What is the main focus of the synthesis technique in phonics?

The synthesis technique in phonics primarily involves building words out of sounds, which is an essential skill for developing reading and spelling abilities. This technique encourages students to blend individual sounds (phonemes) together to form a complete word. For example, when learners are taught the sounds represented by the letters 'c,' 'a,' and 't,' they synthesize these sounds to construct the word "cat." This process emphasizes not just the recognition of individual sounds but the functional application of those sounds in constructing coherent words, which is crucial for reading fluency and comprehension.

In contrast, breaking words down into sounds focuses on segmenting rather than synthesis. Understanding word meanings relates more to vocabulary development than to the phonics-focused synthesis technique. Recognizing word patterns is also important in phonics but is more aligned with specific word recognition strategies rather than the active process of synthesizing sounds into words. Thus, the focus on building words from sounds distinctly captures the essence of the synthesis technique.