Thereâs a common misconception that phonics is just for younger children. Iâve heard it many times from both teachers and parents: ‘Arenât they too old for phonics?’ or ‘Surely they should know this by now?’ I used to wonder the same thing. When working with older students who were struggling with reading and spelling, I realised that many of them had missed key parts of phonics instruction.
Thatâs why in this blog post, weâre going to look at why phonics can still be incredibly useful for older students, by which I mean those starting from around Year 5 (about age 10) and up, how to spot signs that they might need extra support, and what steps you can take to help. Weâll also look at why synthetic phonics still works, even for older learners, and share some fun, age-appropriate activities you can try in your classroom.
One common reason is that they simply missed out on consistent phonics instruction in their early years. This could have happened due to moving between school settings, changing classes, or experiencing extended absences due to illness.
Inconsistencies can also arise when students change teachers or schools mid-year, especially if the phonics programme being used is different. A lack of regular practice can also contribute. If students aren’t frequently saying, reading, and writing sounds, they are more likely to forget them over time.
Learning differences or challenges such as dyslexia, or learning English as an additional language (EAL), can also impact phonics development. These students might struggle with things like confusing similar-looking letters (such as b, d, and p), linking the correct sound to each letter, or blending sounds to read words.
Another reason older learners may find phonics difficult is if they haven’t developed strong phonological awareness skills. Without the ability to rhyme, count syllables, blend, substitute, or segment sounds, it’s harder for them to make use of any phonics instruction they receive.
Phonological awareness; the building bricks to strong reading and spelling.
Some older students may feel embarrassed or self-conscious about learning phonics, especially if the materials donât feel age-appropriate. This emotional barrier can sometimes prevent them from engaging fully, even when theyâre capable of making progress.
You might notice that they:
All of these challenges can also lead to difficulties with reading comprehension.
In their written work you might notice:
Synthetic phonics is a systematic way of teaching reading and writing by teaching students to convert letters and letter combinations into sounds, which they can then blend to read whole words.
There are four key stages when teaching phonics to older students:
Breaking up a word.
Associating a heard sound with its written letter(s).
Making the leap from the individual sounds to the whole word.
“If I can read something, I can also spell it.”
If youâre looking for support in teaching these steps, Phonics Hero is a great resource. It guides students through each stage of synthetic phonics with clear, structured lessons and interactive games. Teachers can set up a free account to try it out in the classroom, and parents can access a 7-day free trial to use at home.
Even in secondary/high school settings, the same four stages still apply â and they work. Have a read of this article, where a high school teacher implemented explicit phonics intervention with Year 7â9 students and reported remarkable gains in engagement and decoding accuracy.
One of the biggest strengths of synthetic phonics is that it gives students a clear set of rules to follow, something that can be especially helpful for older students who may have relied on guessing or memorising words in the past. With synthetic phonics, they now have a strategy to decode and spell unfamiliar words, rather than feeling stuck.
Decoding: an easier path to read words.
The structured nature means students can continually build on what theyâve already learned. Once theyâve mastered individual letter sounds, they can move on to digraphs, trigraphs, and eventually more complex, multisyllabic words. This step-by-step approach helps them feel successful at every stage and builds their confidence.
The simple to complex logic of learning the sounds.
Another key benefit is that synthetic phonics supports both decoding (reading) and encoding (spelling). It helps students understand how sounds work in words and how to apply that knowledge in both directions.
Finally, research shows that synthetic phonics is effective for students of all ages and itâs particularly beneficial for students with learning differences, such as EAL learners or those with dyslexia. The most important thing is that it provides a toolkit students can use again and again, helping them become more confident and independent readers and writers.
Before diving into phonics instruction, identify exactly where the gaps are. This means carrying out an assessment to identify which phonics skills your students are missing. Most of the time, it wonât be everything; it might just be a specific stage or area where they need extra support. Once you know what they need, it becomes much easier to plan lessons and choose resources that target those specific skills, rather than going back over everything from the very beginning.
When it comes to teaching phonics to older students, it helps to use a multi-sensory approach. This keeps learning engaging by letting students see, hear, and do. You could use small objects like cubes or buttons to physically segment words into phonemes, or have students tap out syllables and sounds as part of developing their phonological awareness. Scrabble tiles are also great for building words, and you can take it a step further by using those words to explore word families, prefixes, and suffixes.
Technology can also be a big help; there are lots of phonics games and activities online that older students can use to practise. For example, Phonics Hero offers no-prep phonics lessons that are structured and include built-in scaffolding and differentiation, without looking too âyoungâ. We also have student games which, although aimed at younger learners, can be used to support older students with a bit of creativity. Pair older students with younger ones, encouraging the older students to take on a helpful, teaching role. Some older students really enjoy this responsibility, and it can build confidence while reinforcing their phonics skills.
A ‘Core’ /ai/ word in the Phonics Lessons.
An ‘Extension’ /ai/ word.
Another great area to focus on is word families and spelling patterns. These activities below are fun, age-appropriate, and easy to adapt to suit all learners:
How it works: Give students a list of 10â15 words from a few different word families (e.g., -ight, -ate, -ain). Without naming the families, ask them to sort the words.
Extension: Invent a nonsense word that could fit each family and give it a meaning!
How it works: Give a base word family (e.g., -ook). In small groups, students generate as many real words as they can by adding onsets (e.g., book, cook, shook).
Extension: Extra points for using the words in a sentence or illustrating them.
How it works: Provide common patterns (e.g., CVC, CVCC, CCVC) or a spelling pattern and challenge students to find matching words in books or around the classroom.
Phonics Hero has created Treasure Hunt cards for you to use.
Twist: Work in pairs and make it timed for extra fun!
Another key area to work on is sound-letter correspondences. Here are a few activity ideas to build this skill:
How it works: Read a silly sentence; students write what they hear. Then highlight tricky soundâletter correspondences (e.g., /ai/ as ay, ai, a-e).
Extension: Discuss how one sound can be spelled in different ways.
How it works: In teams, say a word (e.g., train); students race to:
Add-on: Award points for correct soundâletter matches, even if the whole word isnât perfect.
How it works: Show four words sharing a sound, but one is spelled differently or has a silent letter.
Example: play, stay, weigh, tray â weigh is the odd one out. Students explain which word doesnât fit and why.
All of these activities can be easily adapted based on your studentsâ needs, and theyâre perfect for older learners who might benefit from a fresh approach to phonics.
To wrap up, phonics isnât just for younger learners – older learners can make huge gains with targeted instruction, especially if theyâve missed key stages earlier on.
Start by identifying the gaps, then tailor your teaching to those specific needs. Synthetic phonics offers a clear, structured approach that boosts confidence and shows students exactly how sounds and words work.
Finish strong by using multi-sensory, age-appropriate activities that keep them engaged and give plenty of practice in reading, writing, blending, and segmenting. With the right approach, itâs never too late for students to build the phonics skills they need to succeed.
