Phonics
The development of phonics knowledge and skills is an integral part of learning to read, write and spell. When Year 1 students understand the alphabetic principle they can recognise that letters represent the sounds in spoken words. They can then use their knowledge of letter–sound relationships to decode and spell words accurately. Assessing students' phonics knowledge is important so that teachers can review their teaching programs or select interventions to improve literacy outcomes.


Before the Year 1 Phonics Check
Find information about conducting the Check including step-by-step guidance for teachers.

The Year 1 Phonics Check
This quick check can be done in class time and provides a snapshot of each student's phonics knowledge.

After the Year 1 Phonics Check: for school leaders
Find school planning and resourcing information, including professional and family involvement ideas.

After the Year 1 Phonics Check: for teachers
What next? Tips for analysing and responding to students' results.

After the Year 1 Phonics Check: working with individual students
Find case studies, advice and interventions for working with fluent, developing and struggling decoders.
Featured resources
Search all resourcesThe structure of the Phonics Check
This document describes how the Phonics Check is organised in two sections.
Show moreA suggested sequence for a Foundation synthetic phonics program
A suggested sequence for a Foundation synthetic phonics program.
Show morePhonics and the Australian Curriculum
Role of phonic knowledge and word recognition in reading and viewing.
Show more13 important aspects of a systemic synthetic phonics program
The key aspects of a systematic synthetic phonics program.
Show moreCommercial programs and digital resources
Describes a number of commercial products being used in Australia.
Show moreRationale for using pseudo words
Explains what pseudo words are and the rationale for using them.
Show morePhonics Check: the most common student errors
Describes the most common errors students make.
Show more