Why Some Children Struggle with Phonics and How to Help Them Succeed

A child can know the alphabet song, love stories, and still freeze when asked to read the word ship. Phonics asks children to do several things at once: hear sounds, link them to letters, blend them smoothly, and remember the pattern next time. For some, that clicks quickly. For others, it takes more time, more repetition, and a different kind of support.

Phonics difficulties do not mean a child is lazy, careless, or “not a reader”. They often show that a child has not yet built one of the small but vital skills that reading depends on. With the right approach, many children make steady progress and regain confidence.

Phonics often makes more sense when children can see, touch, and move letters.

Phonics is more than saying letter sounds

Phonics is the link between the sounds in spoken words and the letters that represent those sounds. In England, children usually meet systematic synthetic phonics in Reception and Year 1. They learn sounds such as `/s/`, `/a/`, and `/t/`, then blend them to read words like sat. Later, they learn digraphs such as sh, ch, ai, and igh.

That sounds simple, but reading a word draws on several skills:

• Phonemic awareness

The ability to hear and work with individual sounds in words.

• Sound-letter knowledge

Knowing that a sound can be shown by one letter or a group of letters.

• Blending

Pushing sounds together to read a whole word.

• Segmenting

Breaking a spoken word into sounds for spelling.

• Memory and attention

Holding the sounds in mind long enough to use them.

• Language understanding

Knowing what words mean, so reading feels purposeful.

A child might struggle with one part of this process but cope well with another. For example, they may know that sh says `/sh/`, but find it hard to blend sh-o-p into shop. Another child may blend well in lessons, then forget the same sound the next day.

When Children Struggle with Phonics, the most helpful question is not “Why aren’t they trying?” It is “Which part of the process is getting in the way?”

Common reasons phonics feels hard for some children

Phonics difficulties can come from many places. Sometimes there is one clear reason. More often, several small barriers build up.

Some children have weak phonological awareness

Before children can match sounds to letters, they need to hear the sounds inside spoken words. This is called phonological awareness. It includes noticing rhyme, clapping syllables, and hearing that cat starts with the same sound as cup.

A child with weak phonological awareness may:

• struggle to hear the first or last sound in a word

• mix up similar sounds, such as `/b/` and `/p/`

• find rhyming games difficult

• guess words from pictures rather than looking closely at letters

• find spelling much harder than expected

  
  

These children often need oral sound games before printed words make sense. Jumping straight to worksheets can leave them confused.

Dyslexia and other learning differences can affect decoding

Dyslexia is a common learning difference that often affects accurate and fluent word reading and spelling. A child with dyslexia may need many more exposures to a sound pattern before it becomes automatic. They may also read slowly, reverse letters, lose their place, or avoid reading aloud.

Dyslexia is not linked to intelligence. Many dyslexic children have strong reasoning, creativity, and verbal understanding. The difficulty lies in the mechanics of reading and spelling, not in their ability to think.

Other needs can also affect phonics, including developmental language disorder, speech sound difficulties, attention difficulties, working memory challenges, and hearing issues. If a child has frequent ear infections or often mishears instructions, it is worth raising this with a GP or school staff.

This article is for general education information. It cannot diagnose a child. If concerns continue, parents and carers can speak with the class teacher, SENCO, GP, or a qualified specialist assessor.

Digraphs can be tricky because one sound may be written with more than one letter.

Limited exposure to books and spoken language can slow progress

Children do not all arrive at school with the same language experiences. Some have had thousands of story times, nursery rhymes, conversations, and word games. Others have had fewer chances to hear rich language or practise book handling.

This is not about blame. Families have different routines, pressures, work patterns, and access to resources. What matters is that exposure can grow quickly when adults build small reading habits into everyday life.

Useful experiences include:

• hearing stories read aloud

• talking about pictures and characters

• singing rhymes and songs

• noticing environmental print, such as signs and labels

• playing with words, sounds, and silly rhymes

  
  

Children who speak English as an additional language may also need extra time to connect English sounds with English spelling patterns. They may already have strong language skills in another language, which is a strength. Clear modelling and vocabulary support can help them transfer those skills into English reading.

Some teaching moves too quickly

Phonics works best when it is clear, systematic, and cumulative. Children need to learn sounds in a planned order and apply them in decodable words and books. If teaching moves too fast, gaps appear.

A child may seem fine when reciting sounds as a class, but struggle when reading alone. Another may memorise a reading book rather than decode it. These signs can be missed unless adults check understanding carefully.

Good phonics support includes lots of review. Children often need to revisit earlier sounds while learning new ones. This is not going backwards. It is how learning becomes secure.

Confidence can become a barrier of its own

Reading struggles can quickly affect self-esteem. A child who has stumbled through reading in front of others may start to say, “I hate reading” or “I’m bad at this”. Avoidance can look like silliness, tiredness, distraction, or refusal.

Confidence grows when children feel safe enough to make mistakes. They need texts they can read with success, praise that focuses on effort and strategy, and adults who stay calm when progress is uneven.

Practical ways parents and educators can support phonics development

The best support is consistent, short, and matched to the child’s current level. Long sessions can create fatigue. Ten focused minutes can be far more useful than an hour of frustration.

Start with what the child already knows

Before adding new sounds, check which ones are secure. Can the child recognise them quickly? Can they use them in words? Can they read them in a book?

A simple check might include:

• single letter sounds

• common digraphs

• simple consonant-vowel-consonant words, such as pin and mat

• words with adjacent consonants, such as frog and stop

• tricky words that cannot be fully sounded out yet, such as said or one

  
  

Once the gap is clear, practice becomes more focused. If a child cannot blend three-sound words confidently, there is little benefit in pushing longer words.

Teach blending out loud and model the thinking

Some children are told to “sound it out”, but they have not been shown exactly how. Adults can model the process slowly:

“I can see rain. I know ai says `/ai/`. So this word is `/r/ /ai/ /n/`. I’ll blend it: rain.”

Then let the child try with a similar word, such as paint or tail, depending on their level.

Keep the language simple and repeatable:

• “Point to each sound.”

• “Say the sounds.”

• “Blend them together.”

• “Check if it sounds like a real word.”

  
  

Use decodable books, not just any easy-looking book

Decodable books contain words that match the phonics patterns a child has already learned. This matters because it gives children a real chance to use decoding, rather than guessing.

A book may look simple but still contain patterns the child has not learned. For example, the sentence “The goat went over the bridge” includes several spelling patterns that can trip up an early reader.

Decodable does not mean dull. The best decodable books have humour, warm illustrations, and enough story to keep children interested. The key is that the words match the child’s phonics stage.

Shared reading can protect confidence while a child builds decoding skill.

Make practice multisensory

Many children learn better when they can move, hear, see, and touch the sounds. This is especially helpful for children with memory or attention difficulties.

Try:

• building words with magnetic letters

• tracing sounds in sand, flour, or on a steamed-up mirror

• tapping one finger for each sound

• using sound buttons under letters

• jumping into hoops labelled with graphemes

• writing words with chalk outdoors

  
  

The aim is not to make every activity elaborate. It is to make the sound-letter link more memorable.

Keep adults on the same page

Children progress faster when home and school use similar language. If school says “phoneme”, “grapheme”, “blend”, and “segment”, parents can ask for a quick explanation and use the same terms at home when helpful.

A simple weekly note can make a big difference. It might say:

• sounds to practise this week

• tricky words to revisit

• the decodable book level

• one short activity to try at home

  
  

For children receiving extra support, the class teacher, teaching assistant, SENCO, tutor, and family should know the same targets. Mixed messages can confuse children who are already working hard.

Engaging activities that make phonics feel fun

Phonics practice should not feel like a punishment. Short games can give children the repetition they need without making reading feel heavy.

Go on a sound hunt

Pick one sound, such as `/m/`, and hunt for things that start with it. Children might find a mug, mat, mirror, or magnet. For older children, hunt for a spelling pattern, such as ee in tree, feet, and green.

This works well at home, in the classroom, or on a walk.

Play word-building swaps

Use letter tiles to make a word such as cat. Ask the child to change one sound:

• cat to cap

• cap to map

• map to mat

• mat to sat

  
  

This helps children see that words are made of movable parts. It also builds flexible decoding and spelling.

Try phoneme frames

Draw three boxes for a three-sound word. Say fish. The child pushes a counter into each box while saying the sounds: `/f/ /i/ /sh/`. Then they write the matching letters.

Phoneme frames are helpful because they show that sh is one sound, even though it has two letters.

Make silly sentences

Choose a focus sound and create a sentence with lots of examples:

“The sheep in the shop shut the shiny shell.”

Then read it together, spot the target spelling, and draw a funny picture. This makes pattern-spotting playful.

Use songs, rhymes, and rhythm

Nursery rhymes, clapping games, and chanting help children hear sound patterns. For younger children, rhyme is one of the most natural routes into phonological awareness.

Try pausing before a rhyming word:

“Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you…”

Let the child fill in are. Then talk about other words that rhyme with star.

Choose resources with care

There are many phonics apps, videos, and printable resources. Some are useful, but quality varies. Good resources should:

• match the phonics order used by the child’s school

• use clear pronunciation of sounds

• include blending and segmenting, not only letter naming

• avoid too many distractions

• give children chances to read real words and decodable sentences

  
  

Free resources from school, local libraries, and trusted education publishers can be a good starting point. Some families also choose extra support, such as english tuition for kids, when a child needs more individual practice than a busy classroom can offer.

When extra help may be needed

Many children have temporary bumps with phonics. A short period of targeted practice can help them catch up. Extra support may be needed if difficulties continue despite regular practice.

Signs to watch for include:

• forgetting sounds that have been taught many times

• extreme difficulty blending simple words

• slow, effortful reading that does not improve

• strong avoidance or distress around reading

• spelling that is far behind spoken ability

• trouble hearing or producing speech sounds

• family history of dyslexia or reading difficulties

  
  

In school, the first step is usually to speak with the class teacher. Ask what has been noticed, what support is already in place, and which exact skills need practice. If concerns remain, the SENCO can advise on further assessment or intervention.

Good support should be specific. “Read more at home” is rarely enough for a child with phonics gaps. A better plan might focus on five digraphs, daily blending practice, and matched decodable reading over several weeks.

Simple games can give children the repetition they need without pressure.

Frequently Asked Questions

What age should a child understand phonics?

In the UK, most children start formal phonics in Reception and build on it through Year 1 and Year 2. Children develop at different rates, but they should make steady progress with the sounds and books matched to their stage.

Should children memorise whole words instead of using phonics?

Some common words need to be recognised quickly, especially tricky words. Even so, phonics gives children a way to read unfamiliar words. Strong readers use both decoding and word recognition.

How long should phonics practice last at home?

Short and regular usually works best. Five to ten minutes of focused practice, several times a week, is often more helpful than a long session that ends in frustration.

Can audiobooks help with phonics?

Audiobooks do not teach decoding on their own, but they build vocabulary, comprehension, and love of stories. They work well alongside decodable reading practice.

What should I do if my child cries during reading?

Pause and reduce the pressure. Choose an easier decodable book, share the reading, or switch to a sound game. If distress happens often, speak with the teacher and ask whether the reading material is at the right level.

A steady path to reading success

Phonics struggles can feel worrying, but they are also workable. The key is to identify the barrier, teach in small steps, give plenty of calm practice, and protect the child’s confidence along the way.

Parents and educators do not need to make reading perfect overnight. They need to make it safe, clear, and consistent. A child who feels supported is far more likely to keep trying, and that persistence matters. Also Read our Blogs on:            

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For families who want structured one-to-one support, explore English tuition for children in the UK to see how tailored help can support reading, spelling, and confidence.

Every child deserves the chance to see themselves as a reader. With patient teaching, the right resources, and encouragement that focuses on progress, phonics can become less of a barrier and more of a bridge.