What is the best way for Maria's teacher to help with her phonetics?

• A. Memorize lists of phonemes
• B. Rely on speaking practice without reading
• C. Provide model reading activities, specifically readings containing high-frequency words.
• D. Use only spelling drills

Answer: (C)

Focusing phonetic development on how sounds appear in real words within connected text helps Maria connect what she hears with what she reads. Providing model reading activities means the teacher demonstrates fluent reading aloud—clear pronunciation, appropriate pace, and natural intonation—while Maria follows along. She can observe how letters and sounds come together to form words in context, which strengthens decoding skills. Including readings with high-frequency words is especially powerful because these words appear often, so Maria can recognize them quickly and apply phonetic knowledge to other words more smoothly. This approach builds both accurate pronunciation and reading fluency, tying phonetics directly to meaningful reading.

Memorizing lists of phonemes, practicing speaking without reading, or doing spelling drills alone miss that crucial link between sounds and real words in context, and don’t support fluent, automatic word recognition in everyday reading.