Which of the following is NOT a focus of phonics?

Phonics primarily focuses on the relationship between sounds and their corresponding letters or letter combinations, which is crucial for reading and decoding words. The alphabetic principle is central to phonics, as it involves understanding that letters represent sounds, which is fundamental for reading skills.

Consonant sounds and sound-letter relationships are also integral parts of phonics instruction, as they help learners make connections between the sounds they hear and the written symbols that represent those sounds.

Meanings of words, while essential for building vocabulary and comprehension, do not fall under the phonics domain. Phonics is concerned with the mechanics of how sounds and letters interact rather than the meanings of those words, leading to the conclusion that this aspect is not a focus of phonics.