Phonics
Key terms we use in our teaching:
Digraph – two letters make one sound (e.g. sh, ch, ai, ea, ou, ow).
Trigraph – three letters make one sound (e.g. igh, ear, air, ure).
Split digraph – two letters make one sound but the letters have been split apart by another letter. (e.g. the a - e sound in cape)
Phoneme – a single unit of sound
Grapheme – a written letter, or group of letter that represent a sound.
Consonants – b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, w, x, y, z
Vowel- a, e, i, o, u
Blend – to put or merge the sounds together to make a word (e.g. the sounds d-o-g are blended to the word ‘dog’.)
Segment – to break down the word into its individual sounds to spell (e.g cat can be split into the sounds c-a-t.).
Sound talk – a method of segmenting words, saying each sound on a finger (starting with the thumb) and putting it on your chin, as you say it.
How you can help at home
- Reading every night at home with your child
Every child will be sent home either a phonics decodable book or word box at their reading level. Read these with your child. Encourage your child to sound out the words and blend them together in order to read them.
- Practise reading and writing tricky words
If children know these they are more likely to gain speed and fluency in their reading.
- Practising handwriting
It is important children are forming their letters the correct way round. Ask your teacher for a letter formation to support you at home with this.
Useful websites
Interactive games linked to each phase and a useful section on information for parents:
Games and resources linked to each phase of Letters and Sounds:
BBC CBeebies series of animated programmes featuring the Alphablocks characters – great for practising sounds and blending words:
A website set up by a Year 1 teacher who started making phonics videos for his class. He has since became very popular and has now created his own phonics apps:
More interactive games to support phonics skills. Try Phonic Fighter for initial sounds in words.
A collection of further games and resources can be found on the Letters and Sounds section of this website:
The BBC Schools website has a number of phonics activities such as:
