Phonics is a method of teaching reading and writing that focuses on the relationship between letters (graphemes) and the sounds (phonemes) they represent. It involves teaching children the sounds that individual letters and letter combinations make, and how these sounds can be blended together to form words.

Phonics is based on the idea that learning to read and write is a process of decoding and encoding written language. In order to become proficient readers and writers, children need to learn how to identify and manipulate the individual sounds in words, and then how to match these sounds to the letters and letter combinations that represent them.

Phonics is commonly used in early childhood education and is often a part of a balanced literacy approach to teaching reading and writing. It is considered to be an effective way to help children develop strong foundational skills in reading and writing, and to build their vocabulary and comprehension.