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Phonics guides for parents
Practical, free guides to teaching English sounds at home, written for Malayali families, with Malayalam all the way through.
Start with the first guide if you are new to phonics. Each guide stands on its own, with word lists and charts you can use straight away.
Start herePhonics in Malayalam: a guide for Kerala parentsWhat phonics is, why it suits Malayali children so well, the order to teach English sounds in, and a simple ten-minute routine you can follow at home, explained with Malayalam.6 min read
English letter sounds A to Z, with MalayalamA printable A to Z chart of English letter sounds for Malayali children: the sound each letter makes, the nearest Malayalam sound, and a picture word with its Malayalam meaning.2 min read
The English sounds Malayali children mix upThe English sounds that Malayalam does not have or says differently: i and ee, f and p, v and w, z and s, th, short a and short o. What the mouth does for each, word pairs to practise, and games that help.5 min read
Say s, not suh: pure letter soundsWhy phonics teachers say letter sounds short and clean (s, not suh), why it makes blending easy, and how the Malayalam chandrakkala shows Kerala parents exactly how to say each sound.3 min read
Why phonics starts with s, a, t, p, i, nWhy most phonics courses teach s, a, t, p, i and n first, the real words a child can read with just these six sounds, with Malayalam meanings, and games to practise them.2 min read
How to teach blending, step by stepA step-by-step way to teach a young child to blend letter sounds into words: stretchy sounds first, robot talk, sound buttons, the mistakes that slow children down, and a five-minute daily routine.3 min read
CVC words with Malayalam meaningsOver 100 three-letter CVC words (cat, pen, sit, dog, sun) grouped by vowel, each with its Malayalam meaning, for children learning to blend. Printable, with tips for reading them at home.2 min read
Digraphs: two letters, one soundTwo letters, one sound: how to teach the consonant digraphs sh, ch, th, ng, ck and qu to Malayali children, with the nearest Malayalam sound for each and picture words with meanings.2 min read
Vowel teams, the Kerala wayThe long vowel sounds of English spelt with two or three letters (ai, ee, igh, oa, oo, ar, or, ur, ow, oi, er), each with its nearest Malayalam sound and picture words with Malayalam meanings.2 min read
Magic e: the silent letter that changes the vowelHow to teach magic e (split digraphs a_e, i_e, o_e, u_e) to Malayali children: why the silent e changes the vowel, word pairs like cap and cape, the Malayalam twin of each long sound, and practice ideas.2 min read
Letter names or letter sounds: which first?Should children learn letter names (ay, bee, see) or letter sounds (/a/, /b/, /k/) first? What the difference is, why sounds come first for reading, and how to handle the ABCD song most Kerala children already know.3 min read
When should my child start phonics?The right age to start English phonics, the signs a child is ready, what to do at 3, 4, 5 and 6, and how home practice can fit alongside LKG and UKG in Kerala.3 min read
12 phonics games to play at homeTwelve easy phonics games for young children using things already in a Kerala home: rice-tray letters, I spy in the kitchen, a sound basket, bus-ride letter hunts and more. No printing or shopping needed.3 min read
How to choose a phonics app: 10 checks for parentsTen things to check before giving a young child a phonics app: a planned order, pure sounds, no ads, no chat, no data collection, offline use, a parental gate, short sessions, real feedback and your home language.3 min read
Will English phonics confuse my child's Malayalam?Can learning English letter sounds confuse a Malayalam-speaking child? What bilingual reading research says, how sound skills carry across languages, and how to keep both languages strong at home.3 min read