Final answer:
Phonics instruction is a critical foundation for reading development in students. It helps students understand letter-sound relationships and decode unfamiliar words.
Step-by-step explanation:
Phonics instruction is a foundational component of reading development in most students. It provides the building blocks for understanding how letters and sounds work together to form words. Phonics instruction helps students decode unfamiliar words, improve their reading fluency, and develop their overall reading comprehension skills.
For example, in phonics instruction, students learn about letter-sound relationships using explicit teaching methods, such as sounding out words and blending sounds together. They also learn phonics rules and patterns, such as the silent 'e' rule or the different ways to spell a particular sound. This knowledge allows them to read and spell words more accurately and confidently.
Overall, phonics instruction serves as a critical foundation for students' reading abilities, both in the regular classroom and in intervention programs designed to support struggling readers.