Why Systematic Phonics and Phonemic Awareness Instruction Constitute an Educational Hazard

Abstract

Frank Smith argues that systematic phonics is destined to fail as a method of reading instruction and will make learning to read more difficult for many children. Phonics-focused instruction fails to understand or ignores how children actually learn to read; the time to learn phonics, if at all, is during reading; and phonemic awareness is spurious. Smith reveals the ideological and commercial focus of such methods.