Phonics
At Chase Terrace Primary School we use the Read Write Inc. (RWI). RWI programme to teach phonics. Reading opens the door to learning. A child who reads a lot will become a good reader.
What is Read Write Inc. Phonics?
Read Write Inc. (RWI) is a comprehensive literacy programme which is a validated systematic synthetic phonics programmes recognised by Ofsted. Reception and KS1 teach RWI every day. In Year 1 and 2 phonics is taught for 60 minutes. In Reception children participate in shorter lessons that grow longer throughout the year. Children are in groups appropriate to their phonic level and children are re-assessed and re-grouped each term to maximise progress. Each lesson includes phonics, reading and comprehension.
What does the programme look like in each year group?
Children are introduced to phonics and single-letter sounds in Nursery. We start formally teaching Phonics to the children in Reception. Children learn the sounds that individual letters make and also how to blend these sounds into words. They also learn how these sounds are written with proper letter formation. In this way, children are also learning to spell. When they are ready, they also begin to learn digraphs and trigraphs, which are two or three letters that together make one sound, such as ch, qu, th, ee, ay, and igh.
Children continue learning phonic sounds in Years 1 and 2. By the end of Year 1, children should know all the Set 1 and 2 sounds, as well as almost all the Set 3 sounds. They should also be able to read a story at 60 words per minute. The children will practise reading these sounds in engaging books that match their levels, and they will practise various types of writing linked to these stories. Phonics will continue in Year 2 if the children are not secure in all 40 sounds.
Once children move up through the school, if they do not know all their Set 1, 2 and 3 sounds they will have additional support. Children also have regular whole class phonics in KS2.
What other literacy lessons will children have?
All classes read to the children daily during story time, so the children get to know a variety of stories, poetry and information books. These story times are engaging and continue to develop a love of reading for the children. Children also learn many more words this way and it also helps their writing.
In Years 1 and 2 children have additional English lessons throughout the day to ensure they develop all of their literacy skills, including writing composition and handwriting.
What will children read at home?
In Reception, Years 1 and 2 children bring home reading books that are matched to their phonic knowledge and include RWI Book Bag Books. These are similar to the books the children read in their Phonics sessions. These should be read multiple times as children improve their decoding, fluency, and comprehension every time they read the same story.
What will happen if children struggle with phonics?
Children who struggle to learn to read or who make slower progress in their reading development may receive one-to-one phonics tutoring at school.
What are some key ideas and phrases parents and carers should understand?
Special Friends | Two or more letters that make one sound, rather than individual sounds. These begin at the end of Set 1 and make up all sounds in Sets 2 and 3. Examples include: th, qu, ee, igh, ou, oi, a-e, air, ure. Children are taught to spot the special friends in a word before they work through each sound. |
Fred Talk | The process of saying each sound in a word before blending the sounds together. After children spot any special friends (or say that there are none for simpler words), they say each sound either aloud or in their heads (Fred in your head). The children then blend the sounds together into the full word. |
Red Words | The children also practise reading (and spelling) what are called ‘red words,’ such as ‘once,’ ‘call,’ ‘said’ and ‘where.’ These words do not follow phonics rules and must be remembered as they cannot be sounded out phonetically. |
Decoding | The process of breaking a word down into its sounds, then blending the sounds together to say the whole word. Children first look for and say any special friends, they then Fred Talk each sound and finally read the word. |
Fluency | The skill of reading smoothly and quickly, which children develop after they learn phonics sounds and can decode words quickly. |
Comprehension | The skill of understanding a story after reading it one or more times. Children can comprehend a story when they can talk about it and answer questions about what happened, what characters might be feeling, and what might happen next.
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Where can I learn more?
You can learn more about RWInc Phonics and how to support your child’s reading at home at this link: https://www.ruthmiskin.com/en/find-out-more/parents/