Phonics 101: Preparing Teachers to Provide Effective Intervention in Word Reading Skills.

This article focuses on the preparation of teachers to provide effective phonics instruction and intervention for students with learning disabilities (LD) in word-level reading. It emphasizes that such students require explicit, systematic, and intensive phonics teaching, which depends on teachers' deep understanding of language structures and evidence-based instructional methods. The article outlines essential content knowledge, instructional strategies, and practice-based approaches—including modeling, microteaching, and supervised field experiences with performance feedback—that teacher educators can use to develop candidates' expertise. It also presents a structured lesson framework and highlights the importance of aligning coursework with practical application to support teacher candidates in delivering individualized, data-driven reading interventions.