Phonics

Learning to Read Through Phonics

At Longlands Primary School, we teach phonics through Read Write Inc., developed by Ruth Miskin.

Read Write Inc. provides children with the essential building blocks for reading and writing. Through daily phonics lessons, children learn the relationship between sounds and letters, enabling them to decode unfamiliar words and become confident readers.

The Read Write Inc. Journey

·       Set 1 Sounds

Children begin by learning initial letter sounds and simple digraphs: m, a, s, d, t, i, n, p, g, o, c, k, u, b, f, e, l, h, sh, r, j, v, y, w, th, z, ch, qu, x, ng and nk.

·       Set 2 Sounds

Children then learn vowel sounds including: ay, ee, igh, ow, oo, ar, or, air, ir, ou and oy.

·       Set 3 Sounds

Finally, children learn alternative spellings for sounds they already know, enabling them to tackle increasingly complex words and texts.

Fred Talk

A key feature of Read Write Inc. is Fred Talk.

Fred the Frog can only speak in sounds, so children learn to blend sounds together to read words, for example: c-a-t becomes cat; m-a-t becomes mat; and sh-i-p becomes ship. This approach develops strong decoding skills and supports children to become confident, independent readers.

Reading Books Matched to Learning

Children read books that are carefully matched to the sounds they have been taught.

This ensures that they experience success, develop confidence and improve fluency through repeated reading. Children read each Read Write Inc. book several times in school before taking it home to share with their family.

Year 1 Phonics Screening Check

At the end of Year 1, pupils complete the national Phonics Screening Check.

The check contains 40 words, including real words and alien or nonsense words, and assesses children’s ability to use their phonics knowledge to decode accurately. Children who require further support receive additional teaching and retake the check in Year 2 if required.

Supporting Reading at Home

We value strong partnerships with families and encourage parents and carers to:

• Read with their child every day.
• Practise Fred Talk and blending.
• Listen to their child read Read Write Inc. books.
• Share stories together regularly.
• Use Read Write Inc. online resources and videos.

Useful Links

Read Write Inc. Parent Guide on Oxford Owl

Ruth Miskin Parents and Carers

Together, we aim to ensure that every child becomes a confident, fluent reader who develops a lifelong love of books.