Explicit Phonics (Phonetics) “Explicit Phonics” is the study of around 85 sound-symbol relationships (phonograms), which are used to represent all English sounds and spell all English words.  EXAMPLE:  the “phonogram name” of a is the three sounds it represents in written words, “a(at), a(ta  ble), a(so  fa).”  Other names for “explicit phonics” are “intensive phonics,” “intensive explicit phonics,” “systematic and intensive phonics” and “phonemic awareness.”  Look for these terms before you purchase a curriculum. These terms describe the historically reliable sound to symbol, knowledge-based, phonogram approach for teaching speaking, spelling, writing and reading. The student learns penmanship at the same time he learns the phonogram names of all single-letter phonograms.  Each English symbol’s shape is taught through a DESCRIBE & DRAW mapping approach.  The student learns eight checkpoints—like cities on a map—then verbally identifies the appropriate “cities” he must pass through as he draws each symbol.  EXAMPLE:  He calls a symbol by its “phonogram name” and directs his pencil as he says, “(Phonogram’s name) looks like this.  I begin on (checkpoint’s name); I pull a short line down to (checkpoint’s name); I lift my pencil; above (checkpoint’s name), I draw a dot; I stop.” English spelling contains 25 single-letter phonograms and at least 60 multi-letter phonograms.  The number of multi-letter phonograms is not exact, since some systems identify as phonograms rarely used symbol combinations from words no longer pronounced phonetically correct.  EXAMPLE: ouy(bouy) is identified as a multi-letter phonogram representing sound “oy(toy).” The shortest and more phonetically pure systems remain at near 85 phonograms.  But even more extensive systems, if taught by the “recite as you write” method, arrive, finally, at the goal which is producing students who possess knowledge of the sound-symbol relationships of English words, therefore are good spellers, writers and readers.