1. Reading and Phonics

2. Reading for Life To understand the importance of phonics.
To get an idea of how phonics is taught in school.
To understand the progression through phonic phases and how to support and develop children’s learning.

3. A little reading goes a long way!
In school children are taught a range of strategies they can use to help them work out unknown words.
(Refer to booklet)
For example:
Phonics! If they can sound the word out using the phonics they know then encourage this as the first strategy
Uses the picture as a clue (this is not cheating!)
Uses picture clues along with the initial letter in the word
Predicts what the word could be from the context it is in.
Questioning (See sheet for examples)

4. Reading requires two skills
Phonics and Word Recognition
The ability to recognise words presented in and out of context.
The ability to blend letter sounds (phonemes) together to read words
Understanding
The ability to understand the meaning of the words and sentences in a text.
The ability to understand the ideas, information and themes in a text.
If a child understands what they hear, they will understand the same information when they read.

5. Expectations in School
Reading in school
Library
The Big Launch

6. Phonics- Letters and Sounds
To understand the importance of phonics.
To get an idea of how phonics is taught in school.
To understand the progression through phonic phases and how to support and develop children’s learning.

7. Why Phonics?
The aim is to secure essential phonics knowledge and skills so that children can progress quickly to independent reading and writing.
Reading and writing are like a code: phonics is teaching the child to crack the code.
Gives us the skills of blending for reading and segmenting for spelling.

8. Technical vocabulary
Oral Blending – hearing a series of spoken sounds and merging them together to make a spoken word (no text is used) for example, when a teacher calls out ‘b-u-s’, the children say bus.
Blending – recognising the letter sounds in a written word, for example c-u-p, and merging or synthesising them in the order in which they are written to pronounce the word ‘cup’.
Segmenting – identifying the individual sounds in a spoken word (e.g. h-i-m) and writing down or manipulating letters for each sound to form the word ‘him’.

9. Phase 1- Sounds in the Environment
To develop language and increase vocabulary through speaking and listening activities.
To develop phonological awareness.
To distinguish between sounds.
To speak clearly and audibly with confidence and control.
To become familiar with rhyme, rhythm and alliteration.
Use sound talk to segment words into phonemes.
Example activities - listening walks, dodgems, Silly Soup, rhyming chants/songs,

10. Phase 2 Watch Letter Progression Set 1: s a t p Set 2: i n m d
Say the sounds -Pure Sounds:
Letter Progression
Set 1: s a t p
Set 2: i n m d
Set 3: g o c k
Set 4: ck e u r
Set 5: h b f,ff l,ll s

11. How we teach: Demonstration to support at home
J-u-m-p   J-ump R-u-n   R-un S-i-t   S-it S-t-a-n-d   St-and M-i-l-k   M-ilk S-t-o-p   St-op

12. Tricky words / Sight words
Words they just need to learn by sight

13. More Ideas
Ask your child to find items around the house that represent particular sounds, i.e. ‘oo’ - ‘spoon’ ‘bedroom’
Play matching pairs – with key words or individual sounds/pictures.
Key words on the stairs
Play tricky word bingo
Flashcard letters and words – how quickly can they read them?
Notice words/letters in the environment.
Go on a listening walk around the house/when out and about.
Lots of activities online for children to practice their phonic knowledge.

14. Websites and Games http://www.letters-and-sounds.com
App: pocket phonics