If a child can/does not speak or has difficulty speaking (may be EAL), can they still learn phonics and read?

A child does not need to read aloud to be able to read. Many children with SPLD and other disabilities read in their heads, as they can't produce speech. The test for this child is if they can read the words and attach meaning to them.

You can use these methods to see if the child is retaining GPCs and reading words and can do oral blending:

• GPCs: Use the grapheme cards. Drop the cards and ask the child to help you put them away in order. Say each sound. Can they find the card? Or put the cards out on the table and ask the child to point to each one.
• Oral blending: Say the sounds and ask the child to point to the images or play the oral blending games where the child does an action/points to something.
• Words: Make the words with the cards and have matching pictures. Ask the child to point and blend the word then point to the matching picture. If they can do that they are blending and can start reading books.