Children here learn to read, write and spell. Without memorising.
Vicky's Phonics is an individualised, play-based phonics programme for preschoolers in Singapore. Classes are capped at two children and placed by ability, after a one-to-one assessment.
Current classes are full. Placement is offered through the waitlist, first come first served, and the typical wait is three years. Families join from the day their child is born.
Families wait three years.
This is why.
Reading arrives in weeks
"Shocked at how you managed to get him to pick up reading and spelling in just four lessons."
Still ahead, a year on
"Some questions were so difficult and she could still do them. She told me: Teacher Vicky taught this long ago."
Remembered for years
"More than one year, never see, also still keep talking about her."
"Mastering the building blocks of language can transform literacy skills."
More reviews: the Reviews highlight on Instagram
Structured phonics.
Delivered through play.
The programme teaches the rules and patterns of English, so that children can decode words they have never seen. Ten sounds are enough to read over 21,000 five-sound words. Word-list memorisation is not used.
Assessment
Every child is assessed one-to-one on current ability and learning style before placement. Classes are formed by ability, not by age.
Play-based lessons
Lessons are built around structured play. A lemonade stand practises target sound patterns, and a pizza kitchen practises blending. Materials include Fitzroy Readers and decodable books.
Measured progress
Progress is tracked and shared with parents regularly. Children are tested on words they have not seen before, so results reflect understanding rather than recall.
Lessons that look like play,
because they are.
A glimpse of recent lessons. Each child's eyes are softly blurred to protect their identity. The smiles are all theirs.
Has your child started?
Tick what your child can already do. The result gives you an early picture of where they would begin, and it is attached to your waitlist application. Every child still completes a one-to-one assessment with Ms Vicky before placement.
Letter Knowledge
Reading Skills
Spelling & Writing
Tick the skills above to see where your child would likely begin in the programme.
Frequently asked.
How many students are in each class?
How are students grouped into classes?
Can friends be placed in the same class?
Can I pay more, or in advance, for an earlier slot?
I'm currently expecting. Can I join the waitlist in advance?
How do I know if my child is suitable?
What happens after I apply?
The waitlist is open.
Places are offered in order of application, to children whose level fits an opening class. The earliest a child can join is the day they are born.
The materials used in class.
Coming soon.
The Reading Shelf is being prepared. The reading series and materials used in the programme, in the order they are taught, will be available here for families to purchase.
Stay tuned.
The shelf opens soon. New arrivals are announced on Instagram first, so follow along to be the first to know.
Small-group training
for parents.
The Parent Training series on Instagram covers sounds, blending and spelling practice at home. These in-person sessions cover the same ground in depth, with time for individual questions. Seats are limited and allocated in order of registration.
All current seminars are fully taken.
New dates are announced on Instagram first. Stay tuned, and message us to be notified when the next run opens.
Requests for future topics
Topic requests for future seminars are welcome by direct message to @vickys.phonics.
How placement works.
Current classes are full, and places are offered through the waitlist in order of application, to children whose level fits an opening class. All classes are held at Ms Vicky's studio.
Places are offered in order of application. Children whose ability fits an existing group class may begin sooner.
All classes are held at Ms Vicky's studio, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Not sure where your child stands?
Take the two-minute suitability check first. Your ticks are attached to the application automatically.
Waitlist application.
The form below prepares your application message. Send it by WhatsApp or Instagram direct message, whichever you prefer. Your place in the queue is recorded from your message.
The educator.
Vicky's Phonics was founded in 2020 by Ms Vicky Guna, a specialist in linguistics and literacy, ranked among the top tutors in Singapore by HoneyKids Asia. The programme provides individualised, play-based phonics instruction to preschool-age children.
The approach comes from a specific position: English runs on patterns, and children should be taught those patterns rather than made to memorise word lists. Ms Vicky's own schooling relied on rote spelling drills. Her first tutoring assignment, a K2 student whose parents could not support English at home, showed her how quickly the gap widens for children taught to memorise rather than understand.
Classes are capped at two children and formed by ability after a one-to-one assessment. Lessons are delivered through structured play designed around each group's current phonics targets. Fees are fixed and paid after each lesson. No family can pay to move up the queue.
In 2024, HoneyKids Asia featured the programme's approach as the standard parents should look for in phonics education. Demand is managed through a waitlist measured in years.
"Learning just 10 sounds can unlock a child's ability to read up to 21,650 five-sound words. That's why the right approach to phonics makes all the difference."