Connecticut Foundations of Reading Test (FORT) Practice

What is the primary focus of phonics instruction?

1. Developing comprehension skills

2. Identifying and manipulating sounds in spoken language

3. Recognizing the relationship between letters and sounds

4. Understanding literary elements in reading

The correct answer is: Recognizing the relationship between letters and sounds

The primary focus of phonics instruction is recognizing the relationship between letters and sounds. This approach teaches students how to decode words by understanding the systematic correspondence between written letters and their corresponding sounds. By mastering this relationship, students gain the essential skills needed for reading fluently and independently. Phonics instruction is crucial because it directly supports early reading development. When children understand how letters form sounds, they can apply this knowledge to read new words, which fosters overall literacy. In contrast, the other options address different components of reading and language development, such as comprehension skills and literary elements, but none specifically concentrate on the foundational understanding of how letters relate to sounds, which is at the core of phonics instruction.