Phonics and Reading

Phonics & Reading at St Michael’s
Name of Lead: Miss Gannon

“To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelled out is a spark.” - Victor Hugo

Intent

At St Michael's we believe that every child matter’s and that every child should be given the opportunity to be taught the skills to first ‘learn to read’ and then ‘read to learn.’ Here at St Michael's we are enthusiastic, passionate and dedicated in ensuring that all children become confident, motivated and enthusiastic readers. We aim to develop and enhance children’s confidence in their reading, so they can acquire the skills to decode words to be able to read fluently with understanding of what they have read. We consider phonics provides the foundations of learning to make the development into fluent reading and writing easier. We believe this is achievable through a combination of strong, high quality, discrete phonics teaching taught through Read Write Inc, combined with a whole language approach that promotes a ‘Reading for Pleasure’ culture.

Phonics Home Learning for Nursery Children

Children are taught phase 1 of phonics first which concentrates on developing children's speaking and listening skills and becoming familiar to environmental sounds around them. 

At home try some of these activities:

• listening and comparing the sounds of different toys or musical instruments
• making sounds a part of your storytelling
• singing songs and rhymes
• clapping along to words or songs
• introducing rhyming words

 Once they are confident with Phase 1 sounds they progress onto phase 2 (the teaching of initial sounds) when they are ready. 

Please find attached some Phase 1 activities for you to do with your child and when they are ready some Phase 2 pictures to match their sound.

Set 1 RWInc Sounds (Phase 2/3)

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, nk.

Phase 2 Phonics Activities:

Here are some activities for phase 2 (initial sounds)

You can access some set 1 RWInc Phonics lessons here on Ruth Miskin YouTube Channel. The videos for the lessons are only up for 24 hours. 

Home learning for phonics for KS1 & those who need it in KS2:

From Monday 23rd March there will be Read Write inc live lessons via YouTube and facebook for children to watch at home. There will be three short speed sound lessons with a Read Write Inc trainer every day for the next two weeks. The videos will only be available from:

• Set 1 Speed Sounds at 9:30am and again at 12:30pm (suitable for Nursery & Reception)
• (initial sounds - m, a, s, d, t, i, n, p, g, o, c, k, u, b, f, e, l, h, sh, ck, r, j, v, y, w, th, z, ch, qu, x, ng, nk).

• Set 2 Speed Sounds at 10:00am and again at 13:00pm. (Some Reception, Year 1 & 2)
• (ay, ee, igh, ow, oo, oo, ar, or, air, ir, ou, oy) 

• Set 3 Speed Sounds at 10:30am and again at 13:30pm (Year 1 & 2)
• (ea, oi, a_e, i_e, o_e, u_e, aw, are, ur, er, ow (brown cow), ai, oa, ew, ire, ear, ure, tion, tious/cious) (addtional sounds - (kn, ue, ie, au, ph & wh).

The films will be streamed live and will not be available at other times.

There will be a film of a poem for Reception and Year 1 children at 2pm everyday on YouTube (these will be available to watch again)

There is a parent and carer hotline available for those helping children learning to read at home with Read Write Inc. Phonics. Please email homereading@ruthmiskin.com with any queries.

Films for parents

Films for parents to help your child to learn to read at home with Read Write Inc Phonics are available on the Read Write Inc website and Read Write Inc YouTube Channel. There will also be a parent film added to Facebook every day too.

Click the links below to find the YouTube Channel and Read Write Inc Website.

Phonics on Oxford Owl for Home Learning from Oxford University Press

• 72 free eBooks matched to Read Write Inc. Phonics Storybooks
• 62 Speed Sounds practice sheets
• 28 Ditty practice sheets
• Parent information booklets
• 8 Speedy Green Words slideshows
• 3 Speed Sounds slideshows
• My Set 1 and My Sets 2 and 3 as free eBooks

For free Read Write Inc. Phonics eBooks, activities and advice, visit Oxford Owl for Home: https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/read-write-inc-home

Parents and carers will need to login to access eBooks.

How to say the sounds:

Please find links to phonics sites which include games you can play with your child at home.

Year 1 Phonics Screening Test information for parents.

The Year 1 Screening Check

The phonics screening test is a short assessment to see if children have learnt phonic decoding to an appropriate standard. It will identify the children who need extra help so they are given support by their school to improve their reading skills.

Remember, it is important to read with your child every day.