Here are some useful resources to support your child with Phonics and reading development at home. 

Ruth Miskin website: The playlist of videos here is very useful with different tips, including how to say all the phonics sounds using 'pure sounds': Learning to read at home - Ruth Miskin Literacy

Glossary

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

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 have to help him. To help children read, Fred (the teacher) says the sounds and then children say the word. For example, Fred says c-a-t, children say cat, Fred says l-igh-t, children say light. Teachers are encouraged to use Fred Talk through the day, so children learn to blend sounds. 2 For example: Play Simon Says: Put your hands on your h-ea-d/ f-oo-t/ kn-ee. Put on your c-oa-t/ h-a-t/ s-c-ar-f. Set the table with a b-ow-l/ f-or-k/ s-p-oo-n.

‘Fred in your head’: Once children can sound out a word, we teach them 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.

Perfect pencil grip: Children sit at a table to write. They hold up a pencil in a tripod pencil grip with the non-writing hand flat holding their paper.

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

Here are the top five things you can do. See the other FAQs for further detail.

1. Ask your child to read the Speed Sound at the front of phonics books speedily.

2. Use Fred Talk to help your child read and spell words.

3. Listen to your child read their Read Write Inc. Storybook every day.

4. Practise reading Green and Red Words in the Storybook speedily.

5. Read stories to your child every day.