Systems and methods of teaching phonics represent words using ordinary spelling, and adjacently positioned clarifying symbols that consist primarily or entirely of the letters of a standard alphabet are used to assist in sounding out the words. Single ones of the vowel letters are preferably used to represent corresponding short vowel sounds, and combinations of the vowel letters are preferably used to represent long vowel sounds. The clarifying symbols preferably comprise an Initial Teaching Alphabet having 36 phonograms, which consists of standard letters of the English alphabet plus combinations of those letters. Various prompts are also contemplated, including underlining to highlight a plurality of the letters that form a blended sound, and coloration to show that certain letters are either silent or are sounded according to the adjacent phonetic symbol.