Phonics can help a person recognize more words, improve spelling, increase reading speed and comprehension, improve written communication, help with pronunciation, and improve vocabulary. While a learner may still have to memorize the pronunciation and spelling of some words, he or she will be able to sound out many, many more on his/her own. Those learning phonics should begin by learning the vowels: a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y. They should work on the short vowel sounds before moving on to the long vowel sounds. These sounds are foundational for learning to read English words. Then students can move on to consonants and consonant blends. Learning to read can boost one’s self-confidence and help a learner to feel more comfortable when asked to read aloud. And phonics is not just for Kindergarten and first grade students! American students and ESL (English as a Second Language) students, both young and old, can benefit from learning phonics. Flash games are a great way for one to get started learning phonics!