"I come that they may have life and have it to the full"
Lee Street, Oldham, Lancashire, OL8 1EF
info@st-patricks.oldham.sch.uk
0161 633 0527
What is Phonics?
Phonics instruction teaches children how to decode letters into their respective sounds, a skill that is essential for them to read unfamiliar words by themselves.
Most words are in fact unfamiliar to early readers in print, even if they have spoken knowledge of the word.
Having letter-sound knowledge will allow children to make the link between the unfamiliar print words to their spoken knowledge.
Reading effectively (whether to learn or for pleasure) is not just about phonics or having a decent store of single words.
Functional reading requires several other skills such as good vocabulary, the ability to extract inferences, and synthesise and hold information in memory across several sentences. But if your single word reading is not efficient, comprehension is going to be dramatically affected.
If we use building a house as an analogy, understanding text is the complete home; single word reading ability is the structural frame of the house, and phonics is the foundation of that frame.
Effective phonics instruction is important because letter-sound knowledge is the foundation needed to build up reading and writing abilities. We use the DFE 'Letters and Sounds' Programme to deliver our Phonic Sessions.
Click here for our Phonics Parent Zone. Across the pages we offer advice on phonics sounds, articulation of sounds and we have a huge selection of instructional videos, delivering 'Letters and Sounds', that your child can follow at home.
Early Years and Key Stage One
In Nursery, Reception and Key Stage One, Phonics is taught through daily lessons using the ‘Letters and Sounds’ Programme.
Examples of Articulation of Phonics using the 'Letters and Sounds' programme can be found in the clip below.
Children who are not at the expected level for phonics received double phonics each day.
Phonics trackers are used regularly to assess the Phases each child is secure with.
In addition, children in Key Stage Two have access to Phonics interventions where necessary again using the 'Letters and Sounds' programme.
Reading Scheme
The children progress as individual readers through the school reading scheme, which is mainly made up of Oxford Reading Tree books.
The children's reading books are phonetically decodable and link to the phonic stage they are working on.
Guided Reading
The guided reading schemes used throughout our school include Phonics Bug, Rigby Star and Reading Explorers. In addition to the reading offering provided by school, children are encouraged from an early age to read books outside the scheme for example class readers, books from the school library, books from Oldham libraries, books from home and books on particular topics.
Click the link to access the Parents and Carers Guide to Letters and Sounds Phonics Lessons
Click below to listen to clear examples of
Phonics Phonemes Pronunciation
Example One - Phonics - How to pronounce pure sounds
Example Two - Parents and Carers Guide to Pronouncing Phonemes
Click the link below to access
Letters and Sounds Phonics Lessons
Spring
Summer
Also here are some useful websites to help with phonics.
YouTube search Jolly phonics Phase 2 or 3 Songs
Fine Motor Skills Shonette Bason
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fh7whodf3R
www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-lfzeG1aC4
There are lots of helpful games and songs on the internet.
