Phonics

Phonics Statement of Intent

At South Hiendley Primary School, we teach phonics using the Read Write Inc programme. Read Write Inc is a structured, precise and research informed to teaching phonics that provides children with the best opportunities of learning the core skills and knowledge to form the basics of reading. Read Write Inc is taught in a specific sequence that has been carefully considered to help children develop from decoding and blending to becoming fluent readers. Where necessary, appropriate interventions are provided to children to ensure they are keeping up and not catching up.

Children are assessed and grouped frequently and according to their phonic ability and these groups are led by a teacher or teaching assistant with small numbers of children. Children are assessed and grouped based on their phonic knowledge and their reading fluency. The reading leader assesses children accurately and continuously to ensure children are making the appropriate progress through the programme, and can therefore then identify which children may need additional support. All teaching staff have received rigorous training days, continued development days where appropriate and consistent coaching support from the reading lead. There are practice sessions weekly for staff and an online portal full of support videos.

Children take home phonically decodable books they have read at school during a Read Write Inc lesson, that are appropriate to their reading ability, as well as a ‘book bag book’ and a book of their choice from our class reading corner that we encourage to be shared with parents/carers.

The elements of Read Write Inc

Reading

The children:

• Learn 44 sounds and the corresponding letters/letter groups using simple picture prompts
• Learn to read words using Fred talk and sound blending
• Read from a range of storybooks and non-fiction books matched to their phonic knowledge
• Work well with partners
• Develop comprehension skills in stories by answering ‘find it’ and ‘prove it’ discussion questions

Writing

The children:

• Learn to write and form the letters/letter groups which represent the 44 sounds with the help of fun phrases.
• Learn to write by using Fred Talk.
• Learn to build sentences by practicing sentences out loud before they write.

Talking

The Children work in pairs so that they:

• Answer every question.
• Practice every activity with their partner.
• Take turns in talking and reading to each other.
• Develop ambitious vocabulary.

Five key principles underpin the teaching in all Read Write Inc. sessions:

Purpose – know the purpose of every activity and share it with the children, so they know the one thing they should be thinking about.

Participation – ensure every child participates throughout the lesson. Partnership work is fundamental to learning.

Praise – ensure children are praised for effort and learning, not ability.

Pace – teach at an effective pace and devote every moment to teaching and learning.

Passion – to be passionate about teaching so children can be engaged emotionally.

Fred Talk

When we are decoding and blending sounds into words we ensure we speak in pure sounds (‘m’ not ‘muh’ and ‘s’ not ‘suh’) to help children blend sounds into words more easily and accurately.

At school we have a puppet called Fred who only talks in sounds. He helps the children to sound out words and blend them together. E.g. m-o-p – mop, sh-o-p – shop, b-l-a-ck – black. He also helps children spell using Fred fingers, helping children to identify the sounds in words in order for them to spell words correctly.