# How children learn to read, one level at a time Source: https://readborn.com/learn/ Children learn to read in a fixed order: letter sounds first, then blending those sounds into short real words, then the whole alphabet, then sound teams like sh and ch, vowel teams like ai and oa, longer stretchy words with consonant blends, magic e, and finally real books read aloud with expression. Skipping a step is where reading goes wrong, and guessing from pictures is not a step. The ladder below is the order ReadBorn actually teaches in, and each guide explains one skill in plain language, with the practice that moves it. ## The ten levels This is the whole journey, in order, exactly as the app teaches it. A child who is stuck is almost always stuck on one specific rung, not on reading in general. Find the rung, practise that one skill, and the ladder starts moving again. 1. [Level 0: First Sounds](https://readborn.com/blend/) The first six letter sounds, then blending them into words. Ages 3-4. Example: sat. 2. [Level 1: First Words](https://readborn.com/learn/cvc-words/) Six more letters, and lots of three letter words. Ages 3-5. Example: cat. 3. **Level 2: Word Builders** Seven more letters, and reading short phrases. Ages 4-5. Example: hen. 4. **Level 3: The Last Letters** The rest of the alphabet. Any simple word is now readable. Ages 4-5. Example: fox. 5. **Level 4: Sound Teams** Letter teams (digraphs) like sh, ch and th, and first full sentences. Ages 4-5. Example: fish. 6. **Level 5: Vowel Teams** Vowel teams: two letters that make one sound, like ee and oa. Ages 4-6. Example: boat. 7. **Level 6: Bossy R & Friends** Bossy r sounds like ar and or, plus first two syllable words. Ages 5-6. Example: coin. 8. [Level 7: Stretch Words](https://readborn.com/learn/consonant-blends/) Consonant blends like fr and st, and longer words with -ing and -ed. Ages 5-6. Example: frog. 9. **Level 8: Magic E & New Spellings** Magic e words like make, and new spellings of known sounds. Ages 5-7. Example: make. 10. **Level 9: Super Reader** Big words broken into chunks, silent letters, and real books read aloud. Ages 6-8. Example: dolphin. ## How to use these guides Each guide answers one question a parent actually asks: what is this skill, why does my child need it, and what do we do tonight. None of them need special materials, and the practice in each one is about ten minutes. If you are not sure which rung your child is on, work backwards. Can she read a word like make? A word like frog? A word like boat? A word like fish? A word like cat? The first one she cannot do is the rung to work on. Reading is only half of a class. 107 of the 108 classes also teach handwriting, the child tracing each letter stroke by stroke, and most classes end with a real book read out loud, starting from the very first level. THE PART A GUIDE CANNOT DO ## A guide tells you what to practise. It cannot listen while she does it. Every rung on the ladder is built by a child saying sounds and words out loud while someone catches the exact moment a sound goes wrong. That someone is usually you, and it is the tiring part. ReadBorn does the listening. The child sounds words out loud, the app hears her with Apple's speech recognition, confirms each sound, and helps the moment she is stuck. It never says the word first, because working the word out is the skill she is there to build; only after a second miss does it say the word once and move on. ## Questions parents ask ### What order should reading skills be taught in? Letter sounds first, then blending sounds into short real words, then the rest of the alphabet, sound teams like sh and ch, vowel teams like ai and oa, longer words with consonant blends, magic e spellings, and finally real books read aloud. Each skill leans on the one before it, which is why the order matters more than the pace. ### How long should we practise each day? About ten to fifteen minutes, and stop while it is still going well. Reading practice compounds with frequency, not with length. Five good minutes every day beats a long session at the weekend. ### When should a child start phonics? Most children are ready for letter sounds somewhere around age three to four, and there is no prize for starting earlier. The readiness signs are simple: she can notice sounds in spoken words, she can sit with one activity for a few minutes, and she is curious about letters. ### Should my child guess a word from the picture? No. Guessing from the picture, the context, or the first letter is a habit that works in picture books and collapses the moment the pictures stop. If a word is missed, go back to the sounds and work through the word itself. Decoding is slower for a week and stronger for life. ## Keep going - [Phonics words, explained](https://readborn.com/learn/glossary/) CVC, blending, digraphs, heart words and the rest, each in one or two plain sentences. - [How to choose a phonics app](https://readborn.com/learn/choosing-a-phonics-app/) The six questions that separate apps that teach reading from apps that keep children busy. - [How to teach blending](https://readborn.com/blend/) The three move blend, with a free printable card. The single most useful ten minutes on this site. ReadBorn is an iPhone and iPad app that teaches children to read by phonics for ages 3 to 8 and up. The child sounds words out loud, the app listens with Apple's speech recognition and helps only when they get stuck, and it hatches a baby animal for every class the child finishes.