October 2017

Phonics at St Andrew’s Primary

School Information for Reception parents and carers

Why is Phonics so important?

Access to all areas of the curriculum

Confidence and independence in reading

and writing

Year 1 Phonics screening

Year 2 grammar test

What is Phonics? Phonics is:

Knowledge of the alphabetic code (sounds and letters)

+

Understanding of the skills of segmenting (to spell) and blending (to read)

+

Sight recognition of tricky words (TWs) and high frequency words (HFWs)

All taught discretely but embedded in real and relevant contexts across

all areas of the curriculum.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqhXUW_v-1s&safe=active (Google search: Articulation of phonemes - Youtube (Dec 2009)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BELlZKpi1Zs (Google search: Youtube Phonics Song 2

Pronouncing Phonemes (sounds)

s,ss m ck f,ff y ng ar air

a d e l,ll z,zz ai or (ure)

t g u j qu ee ur er

p o r v ch igh ow

i c h w sh oa oi

n k b x th oo, oo ear

Pronouncing Phonemes (sounds)

Bouncy Stretchy

Vowels a e i o u er oo

ai ee igh oa oo ure air ear ow or ur oi

Consonants b c d g h j k p q t w y

f l m n r s v x z sh th ch ng

Sounds need to be clearly separated in order to spell (though blending sounds when reading is good!) Be careful of consonants close together which make two sounds….. For example slip dripping damp play

Does your mouth change shape?

Blending: Sound buttons

Sound buttons can help children with sounding out (blending) when they are reading.

run eight chips ill toast frighten

The more your child can read from sight

the better! Hint: Praising ‘sensible

guessing’ or remembering a word after the first reading

builds confidence to do this. Making a word list of difficult words to look at it

before reading can also promote fluency.

Segmenting: phoneme frames

slip

s l i p

Segmenting: phoneme frames

shopping

sh o i ng pp

How do we teach Phonics at St Andrew’s?

• Letters and Sounds curriculum: Phase 1 (Reception) to Phase 6 (Year 2/3)

• Fast, fun, daily Phonics sessions • Sounds taught in a ‘useful’ order • Tricky words introduced weekly • Opportunities to practice in a ‘real’

environment • Activities to meet the needs of

different learners (songs, Jolly Phonics actions, using all senses)

Writing Challenge: Can you write the alphabet backwards….. ….using your wrong hand… ….in 1 minute? Letters must be lower case and correctly formed!

Writing Providing relevant opportunities for writing,

such as lists, role play, captions or cards, gives children a purpose for writing.

Opportunities for writing that can be easily erased help to build confidence when children

worry about putting pen to paper and being ‘wrong’. Successes can always be celebrated by

taking a photo!

Phonetically plausible attempts can be

considered ‘right’ (i.e. can you read it?)

As they develop more complex phonic

awareness, mistakes can be sensitively corrected.

Writing and letter formation Gross motor and fine motor control (GMC/FMC)

Exploring letter shapes in different media

Handwriting

• Good handwriting aids writing fluency (what to write not how to write)

• Starting with correct letter formation leads into joining

• Gives children pride in their work

• Presentation IS important! • There is NO quick fix… • Watching, copying and

practise, practise, practise!

Reading: What IS good reading?

Word recognition strategies – reading for meaning

(using phonics, context, grammar, pictures)

Reading for information

Reading aloud and silently

Response to texts – listening and reading comprehension

Read a book three times: 1. Word level (decoding)

2. For meaning 3. With a ‘storytelling voice’

yehT .srehto eht fo ngis on llits saw erehT woN .pmac eht dehcaorppa yeht sa deppots

was yeht ,nehT .nees eb ot eno on saw ereht etihw taerg a sexob eht fo eno fo pot eht no

!derbhguoroht on saw it ,god

Reading Early reading is hard…. Have a go at reading this passage, reading from right to left.

What strategies did you use?

(sounding out, using context, following with a finger, recognising letter

groups, HFWs/TWs)

Remember the reading rule of 3: Word level, comprehension, ‘storytelling voice’

Real reading opportunities – understanding the purpose

of reading

Reading for enjoyment: sharing

stories and discussing them

Reading comprehension and incentive for reluctant readers.

Providing opportunities for reading, sharing, retelling and discussing stories helps children

understand the purpose of reading and captures their imagination and enjoyment!

Phonics ‘Stay and Play’ mornings

Come in and see what we do, talk to the

adults working with your child and get

some ideas for activities you can

make and do at home!

‘Phonics Stay and Play’ Spring 2018:

TBC

Thank you for coming!

Any questions?

Some useful games and websites

www.phonicsplay.co.uk www.twinkl.co.uk www.ictgames.com

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks1/literacy/