Editing Phonics (section)

===New Zealand===

As of 2018, the Ministry of Education in [[New Zealand]] has online information to help teachers to support their students in years 1–3 in relation to sounds, letters, and words. It has specific suggestions in the areas of oral language, phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, phonemes and phonics. There are also examples and recommended books concerning phonics instruction, hearing sounds in spoken words, syllables, phoneme blending, onset and rime, and sounds and letters (initial, ending and medial). In its introduction it states that phonics instruction "is not an end in itself" and it is ''not'' necessary to teach students "every combination of letters and sounds".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://literacyonline.tki.org.nz/content/download/40858/455998/file/Sound+Sense+–+Supporting+reading+and+writing+in+years+1–3.pdf|title=Sound Sense, Ministry of Education, New Zealand, 2018}}</ref>

On June 14, 2024, the Minister of Education announced the most significant changes to the national curriculum since 2007. The changes are designed to be evidence-based and grounded in the science of learning. Their website includes many resources to help teachers teach phonics, such as phonics checks – guidance for schools, assessment materials, 29 phonics Cards, video guides, and Phonics Plus Supporting Games.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://newzealandcurriculum.tahurangi.education.govt.nz/new-zealand-curriculum-online/new-zealand-curriculum/current-new-zealand-curriculum/5637144666.c|title=New Zealand National curriculum|year=2024}}</ref><ref> {{cite web|url=https://newzealandcurriculum.tahurangi.education.govt.nz/search?q=phonics|title=New Zealand curriculum, resources, phonics|year=2024}}</ref>

New Zealand's score (523) in the 2016 [[Progress in International Reading Literacy Study|PIRLS]] report on the reading achievement of students in their fourth year of school was above the average of 500 and below other English speaking countries such as Canada (543), United States (549), England (559), Northern Ireland (565) and Ireland (567).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://timssandpirls.bc.edu/pirls2016/international-results/pirls/student-achievement/pirls-achievement-results/|title=PIRLS student reading achievement, 2016}}</ref>