This study examined the effects of a phonics supplemental small group instructional approach for improving kindergartners' word reading skills. Six kindergarten students from one primary school were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Each group participated in a phonics condition as well as a control condition. Data were examined using visual analyses and comparison of mean outcomes, supplemented by qualitative observations. Results suggested the phonics instruction was effective at improving immediate word recognition compared to pre-test and control word performance. However, many gains were lost by the one-week recall assessment, and individual variation in instructional response emerged. Limitations of the study, directions for future research, and implications for early childhood educators are discussed.