To the editor: English is a phonetic language, so as soon as children learn letters and sounds, they can start to write simple messages. Most people go on to write well enough for practical purposes, ...

To the editor: “English is a phonetic language,” states a letter writer who taught reading — but, I must add, only to a point. Just a brief look at the previous sentence will show numerous exceptions ...

Re: “Far too many California children can’t read” (Page A7, June 17). Denise Amos says that California districts encourage students to memorize words, and believes they should instead be using phonics ...