Phonics

At Ryhill J, I & N School, we use the highly successful Read Write Inc. Phonics programme to teach our children to read, write and spell. As a school, we strive to raise standards in both reading and writing for our children. We are extremely passionate about enabling all children to develop their literacy skills to reach their full potential.

All staff are expertly trained by Ruth Miskin Training to confidently deliver the programme, gaining advice, support and updates from our Read Write Inc consultant.

What is Read Write Inc.?

Read Write Inc. Phonics teaches children to read accurately and fluently with good comprehension. They learn to form each letter, spell correctly, and compose their ideas step-by-step. Read Write Inc Phonics is aligned to the English National Curriculum.

Reading – First, children learn one way to read 44 sounds and blend these sounds into words. They then learn to read the same sounds with alternative graphemes. Reading books are closely matched to their increasing knowledge of phonics and ‘tricky’ words. Children are encouraged to re-read the stories which develops their confidence and fluency. Please trust your child’s teacher to choose the book/s that will help your children the most.

Writing – Children write every day in Read Write Inc lessons. They are encouraged to rehearse aloud what they want to say, spelling the words using graphemes and ‘tricky’ words they know. Children also practise their handwriting every day. They comfortably sit at a table and learn correct letter formation.

FAQ’s for Parents:

What does … mean?

Here are some terms you may hear children use:

‘Special Friends’ – Special friends are a combination of two or three letters representing one sound, e.g. ck, ee, igh

Fred Talk – Fred the Frog helps children read and spell. He can say the sounds in words, but he can’t say the whole word, so children must help him. For example, Fred says c-a-t, children say cat, Fred says l-igh-t, children say light.

Fred in your head – Once children can sound out a word, they are taught to say the sounds silently in their heads.

We show them how to do this by:

1. whispering the sounds and then saying the whole word;
2. mouthing the sounds silently and then saying the whole word;
3. saying the whole word straight away

Fred Fingers – children are encouraged to segment sounds they can hear, pinching their fingers e.g. d-o-g which has 3 sounds

Where can I find more information?

Watch video tutorials on http://www.ruthmiskin.com to help you to understand more about Read Write Inc. Phonics and how to help your child read and write at home.

Other useful websites:

Ruth Miskin Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/miskin.education

Free e-books for home reading:

http://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/Reading/

YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/ruthmiskintrainingedu?mc_cid=63bfb74b56&mc_eid=4ec2ad9cea

How can I support my child’s reading and writing?

You could:

• read and share stories with your child every day
• ask your child to read the speed sounds correctly
• use Fred Talk to help your child read and spell words
• listen to your child read their storybook and book bag book every day
• practise speedily reading the green and red words in the storybook

How do I listen to my child read?

Your child has a Storybook matched to the sounds and words they know – a decodable book – so they should be able to read all the words.

‘Special Friends’, ‘Fred Talk’– Remind your child to read words using ‘Special Friends, Fred Talk. For example, ‘ship’: spot the ‘sh’, then Fred Talk and blend to read the word e.g. sh, sh-i-p, ship.

Red Words – Red Words are also known as tricky words. They have unusual letter combinations within the word, for example, ‘ai’ in the word ‘said’ makes the sound ‘e.’ Children should be reminded to not use Fred Talk to read red words because ‘you can’t Fred a red!’ If needed, you could tell the word to your child and encourage them to recognise it during a re-read of the book.

Read the same book again and again – Children love reading the same book again as their reading becomes speedier, confidence increases and they understand what they have read.

How can I help my child to spell words?

You could:

• Encourage your child to use Fred Fingers to spell words
• Ask your child to say the sounds in the word as they press the sounds onto their fingers
• Ask your child to then write the letters – if they get stuck, say the sounds again
• Praise your child for spelling using the sounds they know, even if their handwriting is not perfect

Finally, don’t worry if your child is struggling with recognising sounds and reading words, they will get there in their own time. Please don’t hesitate to speak to your child’s class teacher – we have an open-door policy and are happy to help in any way we can. We would, however, ask that you read to your child every day, for example a bedtime story. This will help to develop their vocabulary and encourage them to enjoy a good story!