S3 E22 - How to Choose a Phonics Program

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In this episode of the Structured Literacy Podcast, Jocelyn provides practical guidance for educators choosing phonics programs for their schools. She distinguishes between truly "evidence-based" programs (which have undergone rigorous third-party testing) and "evidence-informed" programs (which draw on research-backed instructional practices), noting that most available programs fall into the latter category. Jocelyn presents 10 key criteria for evaluation, including ensuring instruction focuses on word structure rather than whole words, using decodable texts aligned with student knowledge, progressing from simple to complex concepts, incorporating direct explicit instruction with guided practice, and meeting students at their point of need through data-informed decisions. 

She emphasises moving beyond social media recommendations to systematic evaluation using evidence-informed criteria, while also considering practical factors like cost and ongoing training sustainability. The episode includes a downloadable evaluation checklist to help school leaders make confident, research-aligned decisions about phonics instruction resources. 

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