What phonics instruction method is a teacher using when introducing multi-syllable words by sounding them out?

When introducing multi-syllable words by sounding them out, the method being used is synthetic phonics. This approach emphasizes the systematic teaching of the relationships between letters and sounds, allowing students to blend sounds together to read words. In synthetic phonics, learners are taught to decode words by sounding them out and then blending those sounds to form a complete word, which is especially beneficial when dealing with more complex, multi-syllable words.

This method contrasts with analytic phonics, where students learn to recognize whole words and analyze the sounds within them, rather than focusing primarily on blending sounds. The whole language approach involves understanding language through exposure to literature and context rather than a strict focus on phonics. Contextual phonics would involve using the context of sentences or phrases to gauge meaning rather than solely emphasizing sound-letter correspondence. Therefore, the use of sounding out words aligns distinctly with the principles of synthetic phonics, confirming it as the correct choice.