Scientific studies have repeatedly found that explicit systematic phonics instruction is the most effective way to teach children how to read. Without it, some children will end up having serious reading difficulties.

TAP & TALK teaches children the sounds made by individual letter or letter groups, and teaching children how to merge separate sounds together to make it one word.

TAP & TALK teaches children the specific associations between letters and sounds, rather than expecting them to gain this knowledge indirectly. As English has a complicated spelling system, TAP & TALK teaches children how to decode letters into their respective sounds, a skill that is essential for them to read unfamiliar words by themselves.

Most words are in fact unfamiliar to early readers in print, even if they have spoken knowledge of the word. Having letter-sound knowledge will allow children to make the link between the unfamiliar print words to their spoken knowledge.

Effective phonics instruction is important because letter-sound knowledge is the foundation needed to build up reading and writing abilities.