What does phonics instruction aim to establish?

Phonics instruction primarily aims to establish the Alphabetic Principle, which is the understanding that there are systematic relationships between letters (graphemes) and sounds (phonemes) in spoken language. This principle is foundational for decoding and encoding words, allowing young learners to make connections between written text and its spoken form. By mastering the Alphabetic Principle through phonics, children learn how to sound out words and develop early reading skills essential for overall literacy development. This process supports their ability to read independently and improves their fluency in reading.

The other options, while related to literacy and language development in different ways, do not specifically align with the direct purpose of phonics instruction. Comprehension of complex texts and mastery of grammar rules come later in the literacy development process and require prior skills established through phonics. Likewise, being able to recite the alphabet is more about memorization than about understanding the relationship between sounds and letters, which is critical to phonics instruction.