What defining characteristic is associated with intense systematic phonics instruction?

Intense systematic phonics instruction is defined by a structured approach to teaching reading that emphasizes the relationship between letters and sounds. By teaching letters before sounds, instructors provide students with a foundational understanding of how to decode words systematically. This method enables learners to understand the phonetic structure of words, which is essential for developing strong reading skills.

Systematic phonics involves explicit instruction where students are taught in a logical sequence, often starting with simple sounds associated with letters and gradually progressing to more complex phonics patterns. This sequential learning helps students build their decoding skills, leading to improved reading fluency and comprehension over time.

While other approaches, such as learning to read through storybooks or focusing on whole language comprehension skills, play a role in literacy development, they do not embody the core tenet of systematic phonics, which is grounded in the direct and methodical instruction of phonetic principles. Therefore, the emphasis on teaching letters before sounds captures the essence of intense systematic phonics instruction.