Synthetic Phonics -How to help Sue Jackson – Class 2, phase 5 & 6 teacher

Why are you here? By the end of the session, I hope that you will: Understand what phonics is Understand what phonics is Have an overview of the government’s recommended teaching sequence Have an overview of the government’s recommended teaching sequence Be familiar with the vocabulary of phonics teaching Be familiar with the vocabulary of phonics teaching Be confident to support your child whether they are 4 and just starting out, or 11 and need to be equipped to be independent and confident language users Be confident to support your child whether they are 4 and just starting out, or 11 and need to be equipped to be independent and confident language users

How we will do this… We shall look at the principles of phonics We shall look at the principles of phonics Take a look at the government’s overview Take a look at the government’s overview Develop an idea of what this mean in practice Develop an idea of what this mean in practice Have a go Have a go

SYNTHETIC PHONICS Phonics is the primary tool for teaching children to read and write from the earliest age. Phonics is the primary tool for teaching children to read and write from the earliest age. Children with specific problems such as dyslexia need phonic reinforcement and strategies to aid them throughout their school career Children with specific problems such as dyslexia need phonic reinforcement and strategies to aid them throughout their school career Home support: –Correct pronunciation –Correct vocabulary –Remind children to ‘say it out loud’

Teaching Sequence The government’s phonics manual is called ‘Letters and Sounds’ and breaks down the teaching into 6 phases The government’s phonics manual is called ‘Letters and Sounds’ and breaks down the teaching into 6 phases

Teaching Sequence – Phase 1

Teaching Sequence – Phase 2

Teaching Sequence – Phase 3

Teaching Sequence – Phase 4

Teaching Sequence – Phase 5

Teaching Sequence – Phase 6

Teaching Sequence - Vocabulary Phoneme Phoneme Grapheme Grapheme Long vowels/Short vowels Long vowels/Short vowels Consonants Consonants Digraph Digraph Split vowel digraph Split vowel digraph Trigraph Trigraph Sound buttons Sound buttons Syllables Syllables ‘Chunking’ ‘Chunking’ High Frequency/Tricky Words High Frequency/Tricky Words Decoding Decoding Blending and Segmenting Blending and Segmenting

PHONEME The smallest unit of sound in a word The smallest unit of sound in a word There are 44 phonemes that we teach There are 44 phonemes that we teach

The 44 phonemes /b//d//f//g//h//j//k//l//m//n//ng/ /p//r//s//t//v//w//y//z//th//th//ch/ /sh//zh//a//e//i//o//u//ae//ee//ie//oe/ /ue / /oo / /ar//ur/ /au / /er/ /ow / /oi/ /air / /ear / /ure /

GRAPHEME Letters representing a phoneme Letters representing a phonemee.g. c ai igh c ai igh A phoneme may be represented by combining more than one letter A phoneme can have more than one grapheme (e.g. ae – ai/ay/eigh/ey) A phoneme may be represented by combining more than one letter A phoneme can have more than one grapheme (e.g. ae – ai/ay/eigh/ey) Graphemes can have more than one phoneme (e.g. c = k and s) Graphemes can have more than one phoneme (e.g. c = k and s)

BLENDING (reading) Recognising the letter sounds in a written word, for example Recognising the letter sounds in a written word, for examplec-u-p and ‘blending’ or synthesising them in the order in which they are written to pronounce the word ‘cup’ and ‘blending’ or synthesising them in the order in which they are written to pronounce the word ‘cup’ (This is where the term ‘synthetic’ comes from)

SEGMENTING (writing) ‘Chopping Up’ the word to spell it out Clear pronunciation Clear pronunciation Syllabification Syllabification - The opposite of blending!

Strategies for decoding: Sound out (individual phonemes, so you need to know what job the graphemes do!) Sound out (individual phonemes, so you need to know what job the graphemes do!) ‘Chunking’ (finding segments of words – syllables – which you can read easily, then rejoin them) ‘Chunking’ (finding segments of words – syllables – which you can read easily, then rejoin them) Skip and re-run (very sophisticated and involves using grammatical and vocabulary knowledge to make plausible guesses) Skip and re-run (very sophisticated and involves using grammatical and vocabulary knowledge to make plausible guesses)

How do we do it at ABC? The government recommends a discreet 20 minute phonics session each day for children in Foundation and Key Stage 1 The government recommends a discreet 20 minute phonics session each day for children in Foundation and Key Stage 1 We have a daily phonics session for which the children are setted by ability We have a daily phonics session for which the children are setted by ability The youngest children learn using Jolly Phonics – a kinaesthetic aid to teaching and learning The youngest children learn using Jolly Phonics – a kinaesthetic aid to teaching and learning Children in Year 3 who need further consolidation are included in those sessions Children in Year 3 who need further consolidation are included in those sessions

Lesson structure: Each 20 minute session consists of Each 20 minute session consists of –Revise –Teach –Practise –Apply Lessons are made up of games and interactive activities which are engaging, memorable and non-threatening Lessons are made up of games and interactive activities which are engaging, memorable and non-threatening

In brief – this is what we do… 1)Begin with listening to the world – singing, rhyming, clapping, making a noise Listening to stories Listening to stories Talking to adults 2) Begin with simple consonant sounds and the 5 short vowels sounds e.g. c-a-t (consonant/vowel/consonant words) 3) Continue to introduce consonants including digraphs (th, sh, ch) e.g. Ch-a-t (still a CVC word)

Next … 4 ) Introduce long vowels sounds and their alternative spellings e.g a/e, ai, ay e.g. C-a-m-e (still a CVC) Introduce initial blends/final blends Introduce initial blends/final blends e.g. C-l-a-m (CCVC word) C-l-a-m-p (CCVCC word) C-l-a-m-p (CCVCC word)

Once children are good with single phonemes… DIGRAPHS – 2 letters that make 1 sound DIGRAPHS – 2 letters that make 1 sound ll ss zz oa ai ch th (th) ng

Then … 5) Introduce trigraphs (e.g. tch, igh, dge) Introduce more complex alternative spellings and pronunciations (e.g. ough, igh, eigh,) Introduce silent letters (k, g, b, n etc.)

Spelling patterns In Key Stage 2 and beyond we are more likely to talk about spelling patterns, but what we are really doing is reinforcing the understanding and teaching of KS1 In Key Stage 2 and beyond we are more likely to talk about spelling patterns, but what we are really doing is reinforcing the understanding and teaching of KS1 If we use the same language children have already become accustomed to they are more likely to remember prior learning If we use the same language children have already become accustomed to they are more likely to remember prior learning

Examples of taught spelling patterns Doubling consonant after a short vowel sound when adding a suffix Doubling consonant after a short vowel sound when adding a suffix ck at end of word after a short vowel sound ck at end of word after a short vowel sound Doubling s, l, z, f, at end of word and after short vowel sound Doubling s, l, z, f, at end of word and after short vowel sound

Can you do it? Can you do it?

Segment and Blend these words… drep drep blom blom gris gris Nonsense games like this help to build up skills – and are fun!

Segmenting Activity Press your sound buttons or use your ‘robot arms’ to say how many phonemes in each word Press your sound buttons or use your ‘robot arms’ to say how many phonemes in each word shelf shelf dress dress sprint sprint string string flame flame

Did you get it right? shelf = sh – e – l – f = 4 phonemes shelf = sh – e – l – f = 4 phonemes dress = d - r - e – ss = 4 phonemes dress = d - r - e – ss = 4 phonemes sprint = s – p – r – i – n – t = 6 phonemes sprint = s – p – r – i – n – t = 6 phonemes string = s – t – r – i – ng = 5 phonemes string = s – t – r – i – ng = 5 phonemes

Phoneme spotting: Decide which of the following words are cvc/ccvc/cvcc/ccvcc words Decide which of the following words are cvc/ccvc/cvcc/ccvcc words CutBrightSlant FootFluff Sand SmoothCrumbBrand ThoughtCrackCrackle

Its not as easy as it looks: Though Though Through Through Bough Bough Rough Rough Thorough Thorough Trough Trough as in o/e as in oo as in ow as in uff as in o as in off

TRICKY WORDS Words that are not phonically decodeable Words that are not phonically decodeable e.g. was, the, I Some are ‘tricky’ to start with but will become decodeable once we have learned the harder phonemes Some are ‘tricky’ to start with but will become decodeable once we have learned the harder phonemes e.g. out, there, what

Here’s what they are:

Now you have the knowledge…. Play lots of sound and listening games with your child Play lots of sound and listening games with your child Read as much as possible to and with your child. Read as much as possible to and with your child. Encourage and praise – get them to have a ‘good guess’ Encourage and praise – get them to have a ‘good guess’ Ask your child’s teacher if you want to know more Ask your child’s teacher if you want to know more

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