Aims To inform parents of how we teach phonics in Key

Stage 1.To enable parents to try out some of the activities

we use.To suggest ways parents may help their children at

home.To inform parents about the Year 1 Phonics

Screening Test.

Phonics is used in Literacy and throughout the curriculumSpeaking and ListeningShared , guided, paired and independent reading and

writingRange of Fiction/ Non-Fiction/ Poetry

Phonics underpins all this work

What do we do?

Follow ‘Letters and Sounds’5 x 20 minutes discrete phonics learning weeklyAbility groupedPhonic ReadersLearning is reinforced throughout the curriculum.Progress closely monitored/ tracked

What do we do in a Phonics Lesson?

Review (something the children have already learnt)

Teach (something new)

Practise (reading/writing new sound/word)

Apply (use new sound knowledge in context e.g. read/ write a sentence containing that sound)

Phonics in the Foundation StagePhase 1 – tuning into sounds (ongoing)

Phase 2 – Initial phonemes and tricky words

Blending: c-a-t = cat

Segmenting: pet = p-e-t

Phase 3 – digraphs/ trigraphsStarted in Foundation Stage.Focus on CVC words.Learn one way to represent every sound.

Digraph = 2 letters that make one sound e.g. ‘oa’ in boat.

Trigraph = 3 letters that make one sound e.g. ‘igh’ in night.

Tricky words

(Activities – pronunciation of phonemes + phoneme frame + buried treasure)

Phase 4

Adjacent consonants (e.g. help, went, sport, green.

Tricky words e.g. said, like, some, come.

Phase 5Alternative representations of phonemese.g. ai/ ay/ a_e, or/ aw/ au, ee/ea/e_e

Alternative pronunciations for vowels and consonants e.g. i – fin/ find,

g – got/ giant,ow – cow/ blow

(Activities =Split Digraphs + Phoneme Spotter)

Year 1 Phonics CheckW.C. 18th June 20121:1 with teacherApprox 10 mins each40 words (at least 50% ‘non’ words)Decoding – not a ‘reading’ check.High expectations

NB - We already monitor progress systematically.

How can you help at home?Frequent reading with your child – school book +

widerPink Sounds/ Words bookEnvironmental printOral blending/ segmentingTalk with your child about the things that interest

them!www.mrthorne.comwww.phonicsplay.co.uk