Which fills the blank: ________ helps children learn the relationships between the letters of written language and sounds of spoken language.

• A. Phonics instruction
• B. Phonemic awareness
• C. Fluency
• D. Vocabulary

Answer: (A)

Phonics instruction focuses on teaching the relationships between letters of written language and the sounds of spoken language. By learning which sounds different letters and letter patterns make, children can decode unfamiliar words by blending sounds and then blend to read and segment to spell. This is distinct from phonemic awareness, which deals with sounds in spoken words without referring to letters, and from fluency or vocabulary, which pertain to reading speed/accuracy and word meanings, respectively. So the blank is best filled by phonics instruction, since it directly links letter patterns to sounds to support reading.