I have always included 'handwriting' in my description of phonics skills as learning to form the letter shapes can be very helpfully linked with learning the sounds. Even though we don't need to be able to write letters for learning to read, there is a very close link between reading, spelling and handwriting - all reinforcing one another - indeed, in England, phonics for reading and phonics for spelling are taught within the same sequence of phonics lessons as reversible aspects of the alphabetic code.
It is also important that we distinguish between the notion and purpose of 'the alphabet' and the notion and purpose of 'the alphabetic code' - and to this end, you will see that there is a lot of very careful teaching to be considered - especially when you think that the English alphabetic code is the most complex alphabetic code in the world and we teach children as young as three, four, five and six in alphabet letters and the alphabetic code. Of course children's brains are like 'sponges' at this age - but we do know that at least some of them will have a propensity to 'muddlement' and it is essential, therefore, that our teaching is fully understood by we the 'teachers' and that we present a lot of information in carefully structured ways and with consistent terminology and phonics routines between all teaching and supporting adults.
Anyway, this is one of the diagrams I came up with to outline the 'three core phonics skills and their sub-skills' - and I hope you might find it useful.
You can use it for your professional understanding and to consider the balance of your planning - but you can also use it, per pupil, to note where there might be some difficulties with learning any of the core skills or their sub-skills:
http://www.phonicsinternational.com/Tri ... skills.pdf
If you do find this diagram helpful, please don't hesitate to share it with others and do let us know!
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