Phonics

Read Write Inc. Phonics is the programme we use to teach our youngest, new to English or developing readers to confidently and fluently read and write. At the heart of Read Write Inc. is the systematic teaching of all the common sounds in the English language (RWI calls these the Speed Sounds). Children are taught to recognise the sounds and to put them together (‘sound blend’ them) into words for reading and writing. Using Read Write Inc. Phonics, the children learn to read effortlessly so that they can put all their energy into comprehending what they read. This has a rapid impact upon children’s reading fluency. The principles of RWI Inc. are rooted in the New Curriculum (2014).

Children in EYFS and KS1, and those developing as readers and writers in KS2, are put into small groups appropriate to their level. These groups may change often as children progress through the levels and they will often be taught by teachers and staff who are not their class teachers. Additionally, throughout the day your child will be exposed to a rich variety of quality texts and stories to develop their love of stories and storytelling.

When using Read Write Inc. to read, children will:

• Learn 44 sounds and the corresponding letter/letter groups using simple picture prompts.
• Learn to read words using Fred Talk.
• Read lively stories featuring words they have learned to sound out.
• Show that they comprehend the stories by answering questions.

When using Read Write Inc. to write, children will:

• Learn to write the letters/letter groups which represent 44 sounds.
• Learn to write words by saying the sounds in Fred Talk.
• Write simple sentences.
• Compose stories based on picture strips.
• Compose a range of stories based on writing frames.

Read Write Inc. introduces the simple Speed Sounds (one sound, one grapheme) with Speed Sounds Set 1 and Set 2. Children then learn more ways of writing the same sounds with the complex Speed Sounds Set 3. Children are taught letter names before moving on to Speed Sounds Set 3.

Below is the list of sounds your child should know by around the end of the first term in Year 2. You can practice them at home with your child.

Speed Sounds Set 1

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

Speed Sounds Set 2

ay – ee – igh – ow – oo – oo – ar – or – air – ir – ou – oy

Speed Sounds Set 3

a-e – ea – i-e – o-e – u-e – aw – are – ur – er – ow – ai – oa – ew – ire – ear – ure – tious – tion

How you can support your child with their reading and writing at home:

Read with your child and to your child every day.

Take them to the library and expose them to a rich variety of quality books.

Tell them stories and help them make up stories.

Practice their Speed Sounds with them and tell them to ‘Fred Talk’ new words that they find hard to read.

Here is a RWI Inc. link to help you learn the correct pronunciation of the sounds to support your child at home: