[ noun ] teaching reading by training beginners to associate letters with their sound values <noun.act>
Phonics \Phon"ics\, n. 1. same as {Phonetics}.
2. a method of teaching reading and spelling to beginning students, emphasizing the sound values of individual letters and syllables, and the relationship between pronunciation and spelling. Contrasted to {whole language method} and {sentence method}. [PJC]
Other than that I had no identity." Manley said special education consisted of "more or less playing with blocks" with no instruction in phonics or other skills needed to read.
But Laubach teaches reading through a phonics-based system keyed on letter and word sound association, while Literacy Volunteers use a four-part method that incorporates phonics.