Phonics and Early Reading
Please see the presentation below from our Reception & Year 1 Phonics and Early Reading Workshop.
We use the Read Write Inc. Phonics scheme to teach early reading at St Patrick’s. Read, Write Inc teaches children the sounds in the English language, the letters that represent these sounds, how to blend these sounds to read and spell words and how to form these letters when writing. Read Write Inc. Phonics includes a carefully sequenced series of reading books which are written using only the sounds children have learnt at each level and a small number of separately taught red (tricky) words.
Set 1 Speed Sounds
In Reception Class your child will be taught these sounds which are written with one letter:
m a s d t i n p g o c k u b f e l h r j v y w z x
And these sounds written with two or three letters (your child will call these ‘special friends’):
sh(shop) th(think) ch(chop) qu(quit) ng(ring) nk(sink) ck(duck)
You will find a useful phonics audio guide to all these sounds in the video below. It is really important to say the sounds clearly to help your child learn them. We say ‘mmmm’ not ‘muh’ and ‘lllll’ not ‘luh’ when teaching the sounds. This really helps children when they learn to blend sounds together to read words.
Children will also be taught how to blend these sounds to read words and how to use their letter sound knowledge to write simple words.
For example:
m-a-t mat
c-a-t cat
g-o-t got
f-i-sh fish
b-e-s-t best
When children know these sounds, they will be able to read these books:
Read, Write Inc Red Ditty Books, Green Books and Purple Books.
Set 2 Speed Sounds
When children are confident sound blending with the Set 1 Speed Sounds we teach them the Set 2 Speed Sounds.
These are the Set 2 Speed Sounds:
ay(play) ee(see) igh(high) ow(snow) oo (zoo) oo (book) ir(bird) ar(car) or(for) air(fair) ou(out) oy(toy)
When children know these sounds, they will be able to read these books:
Read, Write Inc Pink Books, Orange Books and Yellow Books.
Set 3 Speed Sounds
When children are confident sound blending with the Set 2 Speed Sounds, we teach them the Set 3 Speed Sounds. These are different ways in which the Set 2 Speed sounds can be written.
These are Set 3 Speed Sounds:
ai(rain) a-e(cake) ea(tea) i-e(bike) oa(boat) o-e(phone) ew(stew) u-e(tune) aw(jaw) are(care) ur(nurse) er(her) ow(cow) ire(fire) ear(hear) ure(pure) oi(spoil)
When children know these sounds, they will be able to read these books:
Read, Write Inc Blue Books and Grey Books.