1. THRASS Teaching Handwriting, Reading And Spelling Skills
September 21st 2017

2. What is Thrass?
Thrass is the phonics scheme we use which supports the teaching of reading, writing and handwriting.
Why Thrass?
Thrass easily caters for multi-level classrooms and caters well for EAL children as well as children with a specific need. It is also one of the few schemes which are effective up to Year 6. It is also encourages a language enriched curriculum.

3. How does it work?
English words are used using a combination of 44 phonemes (speech sounds). These phonemes can be represented in writing using the 26 letters of the English alphabet, either individually or a combination of letters, there are numerous spelling choices (graphemes) for each sound (phoneme), the chart only includes the most common.

4. For example…
In English the letter ‘c’ does not always represent the sound at the beginning of ‘cat’ it can also represent the sound in ‘city’ or ‘celebrate’.
The sound (f) to be found in fish, coffee, dolphin can be represented as ‘f’, ‘ff’ or ‘ph’.
The letter ‘y’ doesn’t always represent the sound at the beginning of ‘yawn’ more often it represents the sound in ‘city’, ‘pony’, ‘fly’ or ‘by’.

5. Choreographers and coaches…
We have 26 letters of the alphabet and we use them in different combinations to spell words.
Cat
City
Chair
Chloe
The letter ‘c’ works in a different way each time

6. The Thrass chart
The chart is a map of where phonemes (sounds) and their corresponding graphemes (letter choices) live.
The children ‘learn’ the chart and then use it to support their reading and writing.
If they make a spelling mistake they usually have the right phoneme but wrong grapheme
e.g. kat instead of cat
nyt instead of night
If they make a reading mistake they have the right grapheme but wrong phoneme, they might read machine pronouncing the ‘ch’ as in ‘school’ or ‘chair’.

7. ‘I just do…’
When spelling we ask children to ‘Thrass it out’, split the word into phonemes.
How do you spell cot?
Cot?
Kot?
Ckot?
Chot?
Qot?
‘Cot’ ‘How do you know?’ ‘I just do.’
By being immersed in a language rich environment, reading a range of books, looking at labels/captions, road names, shops the children are able to identify the correct spelling.

8. How can you help?
Read, read, read to your child and then read a bit more! Read for pleasure! Your child will be given a carefully chosen book matched to specific objectives. This is a guided reading book which we ask you to read with your child. They will also choose books from the book corner, sometimes these will appear too ‘easy’ sometimes too ‘difficult’, share and enjoy this book even if you have read it 5 times already this week!
Show your child you value writing as much. Write shopping lists, write cards/thank you letters, write stories together. When you tell them how to spell a word use the letter name not the sound.
And please use the letter formation we use and do not encourage them to use capital letters!