Learning to read: Phonics

From the very beginning of Reception, all children are taught 'phonics' directly. Phonics is a highly successful approach to teaching reading, and we follow the Read, Write Inc scheme of work to teach all children.

The children are put into small groups with a trained adult and taught to recognise individual sounds, and eventually blend them into words. The video opposite explains this in more detail,

Reading at home:

Teaching children to read is done very much in partnership with parents and carers. Your support at home will have a huge impact on your child's speed and security with reading. We ask that you support your child every day to learn to read, but not to rush them any further than they have been taught.

What they will bring home from thier lessons changes as their reading develops:

What are the sounds and how do you say them?

Home reading progression:

Keyrings

Once the children have learnt the first few sounds, they will bring home a Speed Sound keyring. The name of each picture is written on the back of the cards. You can help them in the following ways:

Ask your child to say the name of the picture on the back of each card, e.g. a-a-a-apple, sssssnake, getting quicker each time.
Help your child to say the sound hidden behind each picture, e.g. ‘s’ is behind the snake. Repeat until your child can do this quickly.
Help your child to say the sounds on the letter side, getting quicker each time. If he or she forgets, turn back to the picture side. When your child can say the sounds without turning over to check, increase the speed.

Sound Blending Books

Once the children can blend sounds to read words, they will take home a Sound Blending Book. Ask your child to read each word in sounds (Fred Talk) and then say the word. Then, he or she can turn over and check if they’re right.

Ditty Sheets

Once the children can read all the set 1 single letter sounds speedily, they will take home a ‘Ditty’ sheet. These are very short and act as a bridge to reading short storybooks. With plenty of practise children should progress onto storybooks within 2 weeks.

Storybooks and Book Bag Books

Once they have started storybooks (when they can read all set 1 sounds speedily) they will take home a ‘Black and White Book’ which is a copy of the story they have read that day. The children will keep this book for multiple days so that they can read and re- read it with you at home. Please hear your child read the book at least 3 times over different days. This will help to increase their fluency and understanding of the text.

On the second day of their phonics group, they will receive a corresponding Book Bag Book.

Your child should be able to read both books well and with increasing fluency.

Reading for Pleasure

In addition to the phonic matched books mentioned above, the children will bring home a ‘Reading for Pleasure’ book from our lending library boxes. These are books that they may not necessarily be able to read for themselves but can be shared at home with a family member. They can be changed as frequently as needed but re-reading should be encouraged.

Reading with your child at home

Why reading to your child is important

Phonics Glossary:

‘Special Friends’

Special friends are a combination of two or three letters representing one sound, e.g. ck, ay, igh, oa.

'Fred Talk'

Fred the Frog helps children read and spell. He can say the sounds in words, but he can’t say the whole word, so children have to help him. To help children read, Fred (the teacher) says the sounds and then children say the word. For example, Fred says c-a-t, children say cat, Fred says l-igh-t, children say light.

Teachers are encouraged to use Fred Talk through the day, so children learn to blend sounds.

For example:

Play Simon Says: Put your hands on your h-ea-d/ f-oo-t/ kn-ee.
Put on your c-oa-t/ h-a-t/ s-c-ar-f.
Set the table with a b-ow-l/ f-or-k/ s-p-oo-n.

‘Fred in your head’

Once children can sound out a word, we teach them to say the sounds silently in their heads.

We show them how to do this by:

1. whispering the sounds and then saying the whole word;

2. mouthing the sounds silently and then saying the whole word;

3. saying the whole word straight away.

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