Phonics & Early Reading
Subject Leader - Miss E Morris
What is phonics?
Watch this short video which explains exactly what phonics is so that you have a better understanding of how we teach your child to read and spell:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXOJUPNVnLc&list=PLDe74j1F52zSCiOMSn3zQDSzgu9TrbQ1c&index=7
At St. Andrew’s Benn, we use Read Write Inc. Phonics (RWI) to give your child the best possible start with their reading and spelling. We have put together a guide to how the RWI programme works, together with some useful links.
Mrs Wells (Deputy Head) is our Phonics lead, so if you have questions about phonics, please contact her. Please take the time to read this information as it will provide invaluable information as to how you can help and support your child in reading.
What is Read Write Inc?
Read Write Inc. (RWI) is a phonics programme which helps all children learn to read fluently and at speed so they can focus on developing their skills in comprehension, vocabulary and spelling. The main programme is designed for children aged 4-7 and at St. Andrew’s Benn, we also follow the specialist programme for Nursery.
Watch this short video which will explain more about RWI:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjlPILhk7bQ&list=PLDe74j1F52zSCiOMSn3zQDSzgu9TrbQ1c&index=6
How will RWI be taught?
All children are assessed every 6 weeks by our RWI lead teacher so that lessons are targeted to meet their individual needs.
Reading
The children:
learn 44 sounds and the corresponding letters/letter groups using simple picture prompts – see below
learn to read words using ‘Fred Talk’ and sound blending
read from a range of storybooks and non-fictions books matched to their phonic knowledge
work well with partners
develop comprehension skills in stories by answering 'Find It' and 'Prove It' discussion questions
Writing
The children:
learn to write and form the letters/letter groups which represent the 44 sounds with the help of fun phrases
learn to write words by using ‘Fred Talk’
learn to build sentences by practising sentences out loud before they write
Talking
The children work in pairs so that they:
answer every question
practise every activity with their partner
take turns in talking and reading to each other
develop ambitious vocabulary
Nursery
Children will start identifying rhyming words and when appropriate, they will be introduced to the initial sounds in short phonics sessions.
Reception
In Reception all children will learn how to ‘read’ the sounds in words and how those sounds can be written down. Children have a daily phonics lesson and a reading lesson 4 times per week.
Year One & Year Two
Children follow the same format as Reception but will start to learn complex sounds and read books which are matched to the sounds they know. Children have a daily phonics lesson and a reading lesson 4 times per week.
Five key principles underpin the teaching in all Read Write Inc. sessions:
Purpose – know the purpose of every activity and share it with the children, so they know the one thing they should be thinking about
Participation – ensure every child participates throughout the lesson. Partnership work is fundamental to learning
Praise – ensure children are praised for effort and learning, not ability
Pace – teach at an effective pace and devote every moment to teaching and learning
Passion – be passionate about teaching so children can be engaged emotionally.
Please do not use letter names at this early stage.
Watch the video below for guidance on how to say the Set 1 sounds:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkXcabDUg7Q&list=PLDe74j1F52zSCiOMSn3zQDSzgu9TrbQ1c&index=4
How children are taught to read:
The children are taught the sounds in 3 sets.
Step 1:
Set 1 Sounds are taught in the following order together with rhymes to help children form the letters correctly and instantly recognise sounds ready for blending.
Step 2:
The children are then taught Set 2 Sounds - the long vowels. When they are very confident with all of set 1 and 2 they are taught Set 3 Sounds.
Fred Talk
We use pure sounds (‘m’ not’ muh’,’s’ not ‘suh’, etc.) so that your child will be able to accurately blend the sounds into words.
At school we use a puppet called Fred who is an expert on sounding out words! We call this sounding out ‘Fred Talk’. E.g. m-o-p, c-a-t, m-a-n, sh-o-p, b-l-a-ck. When children start learning to read, you will hear them ‘Fred Talk’, however as they become more confident, they will start to use ‘Fred in their Head’.
Alien words (Made up words)
As well as learning to read and blend real words, children will have plenty of opportunities to apply their sound recognition skills to reading ‘alien words’. These words will also feature heavily in the Year One Phonics Screening check in the summer term. The purpose of these alien words is to give children the opportunity to apply their skills to read any unknown word, a skill which every reader needs.
More information about the Phonics Screening Check can be found in the video below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbKGLJPp6ww&list=PLDe74j1F52zSCiOMSn3zQDSzgu9TrbQ1c&index=10
Reading Books
Once children know all of their Set 1 sounds and can blend, they will begin reading Ditties (short texts) and then reading whole books. These books are matched to the sounds the children know. Each week, children will bring home a reading book which they will have already read in school.
Please watch the video below where Mrs Wells explains everything you need to know about home reading:
Please click the document below to view all of the Storybook Words that are taught in each colour level. It would be helpful for parents to reinforce this learning at home.