Which approach emphasizes phonics as the primary means of developing reading skills?

The phonics approach is focused on teaching reading through the understanding and application of phonics, which involves the relationships between letters and sounds. This method emphasizes the systematic instruction of sound-letter correspondence, allowing students to decode words and improve their reading fluency. In this approach, students learn to identify phonemes and manipulate them to sound out unfamiliar words, laying a strong foundation for their reading skills.

This emphasis on phonics contrasts with other approaches. The skills or balanced approach seeks a more integrated method that may include phonics but also incorporates other literacy strategies. The whole language approach focuses on meaning and comprehension, promoting reading through exposure to whole texts rather than phonics drills. The developmental approach is centered on the natural progression of reading development, emphasizing students' readiness and interests rather than a prescribed phonics curriculum. Thus, the phonics approach is distinctly characterized by its targeted focus on phonetic skills as the core means of reading development.