Phonics & Early Reading

Phonics at Hatton Park Primary

Phonics is the name given to the process of learning the sounds, names and shapes of the letters that make up the English language. There are 44 different sounds, made up of singular or groups of letters. Some of these sounds then have a variety of ways of writing them down.

At Hatton Park Primary School children in Reception and Year 1 are taught phonics daily following Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised progression.  We use decodeable texts to embed the learning of phonics into reading development. 

Children in Reception are taught handwriting and letter formation alongside their phonic learning. Children are taught the Little Wandle Rhymes to support the correct letter formation. 

How can I support my child with phonics?

Once your child has started their phonics lessons at school, it is important for children to consolidate this learning so that it becomes part of their long-term memory. We help children to consolidate their learning at school and the additional support parents/carers can provide at home is invaluable in ensuring children become confident readers. When a new GPC is taught in phonics, your child’s class teacher will share this information with you to enable you to feel confident about supporting your child with their reading at home. The teacher will give you ideas for follow-up learning activities to complete at home.

Using the correct pronunciation is vital for supporting children in their reading journey. Children are taught not to add an ‘uh’ sound at the end, so they say: ‘t’ not ‘tuh’. Correct pronunciation of sounds supports children in being able to blend sounds into words so it is important that adults model this accurately.

Terminology

Here is a list of some of the language we use when teaching children to read. The children are taught the meaning of these words and become confident to use these terms as part of their vocabulary.

Reading

Although your child will be taught to read at school, you can have a huge impact on their reading journey by continuing their practice at home. There are two types of reading book that your child may bring home:

• A reading practice book: This will be at the correct phonic stage for your child. They should be able to read this fluently and independently. This book has been carefully matched to your child’s current reading level. If your child is reading it with little help, please don’t worry that it’s too easy – your child needs to develop fluency and confidence in reading. Listen to them read the book. Remember to give them lots of praise – celebrate their success! If they can’t read a word, read it to them. After they have finished, talk about the book together. The aim of reading practice books is to develop the child’s ability to automatically decode a word (without ‘sounding it out’). Children develop automaticity through re-reading books they have already read so don’t worry if your child brings home a book they have already read.
• A sharing book:  Your child may bring home a book which they cannot read on their own. This book is for you both to read and enjoy together. To encourage your child to become a lifelong reader, it is important to make time to read for pleasure. The sharing book is a book they have chosen for you to enjoy together.

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