Welcome to Phonics for Parents

? ? ? ? ? Don’t be afraid! Please feel free to ask any questions as we go along. ? ?

What is phonics? Phonics is a method of teaching reading and writing where children are systematically taught the relationships between the sounds (phonemes) in our language and the letters (graphemes) used to represent those sounds. Once children have been taught which sounds are linked to which letters they are able ‘crack the code’ and can confidently have a go at reading and writing anything.

At St Joseph’s we use a systematic phonics programme called Letters and Sounds. Letters and Sounds is divided into six phases, with each phase building on the skills and knowledge of previous learning. There are no big leaps in learning. Children have time to practise and rapidly expand their ability to read and spell words. They are also taught to read and spell ‘tricky words’, which are words with spellings that are unusual or that children have not yet been taught.

Reading together Playing with sounds Nursery Rhymes “I spy” Phase 1 Nursery/Reception Activities are divided into seven aspects, including environmental sounds, instrumental sounds, body sounds, rhythm and rhyme, alliteration, voice sounds and finally oral blending and segmenting. Reading together Playing with sounds Nursery Rhymes “I spy”

Phase 2 Reception Learning 19 letters of the alphabet and one sound for each. Blending sounds together to make words. Segmenting words into their separate sounds to spell them. Beginning to read simple captions.

Phase 3 Reception The remaining 7 letters of the alphabet, one sound for each. Graphemes such as ch, oo, th representing the remaining phonemes not covered by single letters. On completion of this phase, children will have learnt one grapheme for each phoneme in the English language.

By the end of their first year in school, most children are able to read and write most phase 2 and 3 graphemes and words containing them.

SEGMENTING and BLENDING Blending is saying the phonemes in a word one after another to read. Segmenting is breaking a word down into individual phonemes in order to spell. in sat dog h u ff d u ck

w ai t h igh m ar k e t sh ear s i ng er wait high market shear singer HOW MANY PHONEMES? wait high market shear singer w ai t h igh m ar k e t sh ear s i ng er

chip shop moon barn scarf coin night train queen flower form ring chair cow this curl

Phase 2 Phase 3 Some words are decodable and can be segmented and blended. Some are ‘tricky’ words that can’t be sounded out. They just have to be learnt by sight.

Phase 4 Children entering Phase Four should be able to read most Phase 2 and 3 graphemes. They should also be able to blend phonemes to read CVC words and segment CVC words for spelling. They should also know letter names and be able to read and spell some tricky words. Phase 4 is usually started in Reception and completed in Year 1.

Words using Phase 3 graphemes CVCC words Words using Phase 3 graphemes Polysyllabic words went gift fund camp gust hand next milk chick boast fish turn spoon paint joint theft softest shelter giftbox shampoo chimpanzee helper melting seventh

said so have like some come were there little one do when out what High Frequency Words Children learn to read: said so have like some come were there little one do when out what Children learn to spell: he she we me be was you they all are my her

Alternative graphemes Some phonemes can be written in more than one way. For example, ee (bee), ea (tea), y (mummy), ey (key), eigh (Kayleigh), i (Mischa) and e_e (theme) are all different ways of writing (graphemes for) the ‘ee’ sound.

Alternative Pronunciations of Known Graphemes i fin, find ow cow, blow y yes, by, very o hot, cold ie tie, field ch chin, school, chef c cat, cent ea eat, bread ou out, shoulder, could, you g got, giant u but, put a hat, what

Pronunciation Support Year 1 Phonics Check http://www.oxfordphonicschecksupport.co.uk Pronunciation Support http://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/home/reading-owl/expert-help/phonics-made-easy

How do we teach phonics? • Daily for twenty minutes. • Revisit/Review – Teach – Practise – Apply • fast paced, engaging lessons.

How can I support my child at home? Make time for school reading – feel free to help children with words they are stuck on but always give them time to have a go! Practise Phase 2, 3 or 5 sounds briefly every night (see booklet). As soon as your child has learnt a phoneme, they should be encouraged to practise using it in reading, writing and spelling words. www.phonicsplay.co.uk www.bugclub.co.uk

Quick write against the clock Ideas Word making Sound talking Shopping lists/ notes Digraph spotter Mummy says… Quick write against the clock How many phonemes/ words can you read in minute? Word hunts

Most importantly… Let your child see you enjoying reading and writing. Little and often is best. You don’t have to spend lots of money on things. Ask your child’s teacher how you can help at home. Use lots of praise and encouragement. Make a special time and place for reading together. Have fun and enjoy it!

My child doesn’t want to read or write! Don’t panic, get cross or try to force your child to do work outside of school. Try to get into a routine where work is done at a certain time each day. Try asking ‘when would you like to practise your sounds?’ or ‘would you like to do your reading before or after tea?’ Even a minute is better than nothing! Try using a timer so your child knows that they are only working for a limited time. Bribery isn’t effective in the long term but lots of praise or a sticker in their reading record can go a long way. If you are still having trouble, speak to your child’s teacher who will be able to support you and discuss the matter with your child.

Thank you for coming. Any questions?