How to tell if a program is using synthetic phonics

Phonics is an essential part of learning to read, and systematic and explicit phonics instruction is the most effective way to teach it. Phonics must be part of a comprehensive literacy program containing all five keys to reading.

There are a wide variety of programs that follow a systematic synthetic approach to phonics instruction, so how do you know which programs are truly synthetic phonics? Typical features of a synthetic phonics program are:

Source: Wheldall et al. (2023). Effective Instruction in Reading and Spelling.

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