Durham Catholic board uses phonics diagnostic to shore up reading skills in older students

Junior and intermediate students across the Durham Catholic District School Board, including at Catholic elementary schools in Ajax, are completing a board-wide phonics assessment this fall.

The DCDSB Phonics Diagnostic is a screening tool used by educators to identify foundational phonics skills that may still need support, according to the Durham Catholic District School Board.

Phonics — the relationship between letters and sounds — is most often taught in the primary grades. But the board says some students in the older junior and intermediate divisions continue to benefit from targeted instruction in specific word-reading and spelling patterns.

The purpose of the diagnostic is to find those gaps so they can be addressed directly, rather than leaving students to struggle with reading as their schoolwork grows more demanding.

Why it matters beyond English class

According to the board, identifying and addressing gaps in phonics helps students become more accurate, automatic and confident readers.

The board links those gains to improved fluency and comprehension, which in turn supports achievement across all subject areas — not just language classes.

Strong word-reading skills matter most as students move into grades where they are expected to learn increasingly complex material through reading itself, from textbooks to word problems to research assignments.

The board said students who read accurately and with less effort can focus their attention on understanding what they read, rather than on decoding individual words.

What happens with the results

The diagnostic is used by educators to determine which specific phonics skills still require support for each student, the board said.

That information allows teachers to provide targeted instruction in the particular word-reading and spelling patterns a student has not yet mastered, rather than a one-size-fits-all review.

Families with children in junior or intermediate grades at Durham Catholic elementary schools who have questions about the assessment can contact their school directly.