Learning Phonics in Reception
Friday 16th May 2025
Aims of the Meeting
Reminder of how we teach phonics and word recognition through the Read Write Inc. Scheme.
Example RWI Set 1 Speed sound lesson.
Special Friends
Using the Ditty sheets
RWI books.
Reception end of year expectations.
How you can support your child’s phonics development at home
Teaching Phonics in School
High quality RWI phonic sessions take place every day for Reception children.
RWI supports development of reading, writing and spelling.
Phonemes and graphemes - ‘Special Friends.’
Segmenting and blending - Fred Talk, Fred in your head.
Reading words ‘speedily’.
Read and spell ‘tricky words’ - Red Words.
EXAMPLE RWI LESSON
10 minute Speed Sound Lesson
Teaching new sound
Reviewing previously taught sounds
Reading words containing new sound and previously taught sounds
Alien Words
Writing words containing new sound and previously taught sounds.
TEACHING A DIGRAPH
The following video shows you how to teach a digraph sound. We refer to these as “special friends”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQ3pGvw-HLE&t=5s
RWI DITTY SHEETS AND RED BOOKS
Story Green Words Speedy Green Words
Red Words
1st and 2nd Read
Questioning
Green Books onwards – Hold a sentence.
The following video shows you how children read a Red Ditty book.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDbZ0bn52-U
RECEPTION END OF YEAR EXPECTATIONS
Say a sound for each letter in the alphabet and at least 10 digraphs: sh, ch, th, qu, ng, nk, ss, ll, ff, ck
Read words consistent with their phonic knowledge by sound-blending.
Read aloud simple sentences and books that are consistent with their phonic knowledge, including some common exception words.
Demonstrate understanding of what has been read to them by retelling stories and narratives using their own words and recently introduced vocabulary.
RWI expectations – Green Level books
Phonics – How can I help at home?
Talk to children about the sounds they are learning.
Encourage your children to use ‘Fred Talk’ to sound out unfamiliar words.
Ask them about the ‘Special Friends’ sounds.
Play ‘Fred Games’ to support them with their oral blending.
Read Write Inc. Parents information page.
Encourage them to read new words in the environment using known sounds.
https://www.ruthmiskin.com/en/find-out-mor e/parents/
https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/reading/readin g-schemes-oxford-levels/read-write-inc-pho nics-guide/#
Thank you