Discuss phonics instruction and activities used to improve phonics skills.

 Answer should include phonics refers to providing instruction in the sound-symbol associations among letter and symbols. Explicit phonics instruction should: build on students' knowledge about how print works; builds on a phonemic awareness foundation; is explicit, clear, and direct; is integrated within a reading and language arts program; emphasizes development of independent words rather than memorizing rules; includes learning onset and rimes; emphasizes development of independent word recognition strategies; emphasizes development of fluency building word recognition skills. Some phonics activities include: making alphabet books, magnetic letter boards, structural analysis, the DISSECT strategy, and computer software programs.