Plain-English guides to how reading is actually learned, in two parts: phonics, the link between sounds and letters, and reading, where those skills turn into books.
Where to start
If your child is just beginning, these four guides, read in this order, cover the whole path from first sounds to first books:
How to teach a 5-year-old to read — the full sequence, and how long each step usually takes.
Blending — the one skill every later step depends on.
CVC words — the first words to practise blending on.
Decodable stories — what to read once those words click.
Phonics
Phonics is how a child learns which letters stand for which sounds, and how to put those sounds together into words. Read the phonics guides.
What Is Blending in Phonics? — Blending is turning separate sounds into a word — here's exactly how to teach it, with practice words by difficulty.
CVC Words List for Kids — The full CVC word list, grouped by vowel sound, with audio for every word — tap to hear it, then try reading it yourself.
Phonics Activities for 5 Year Olds — Ten phonics activities you can do with a 5-year-old today, using things you already have at home — no worksheets, no prep.
The English Reading Rule Bank — A structured knowledge base of English decoding: letter sounds, digraphs, vowel teams, syllable types, silent letters, suffixes and schwa — every rule labelled by how reliable it actually is, with its exceptions listed.
Reading
Reading is where decoding turns into books: what to read at each stage, and how practice becomes fluency. Read the reading guides.
How to Teach a 5-Year-Old to Read — A step-by-step, no-jargon guide to teaching a 5-year-old to read at home — what order to teach things in, how long it takes, and common mistakes to avoid.
What Are Decodable Stories? — Decodable stories only use sounds a child has already learned — no guessing from pictures. Here's what makes one good, plus examples.
How these guides relate to Wiggler Jr
Every guide here follows the same order the Wiggler Jr curriculum teaches in: sounds first, then blending, then words, then stories built only from the sounds a child already knows. You can use the guides on their own, with any books you have at home.