How we teach phonics from the start
How we teach phonics at St Dennis Primary Academy from the start
- In the Nursery, children access phonological awareness activities and when they are ready, they are taught to say the sounds of letters with the help of mnemonics. The focus is on reading aloud, teaching the children poems and songs and talking with the children.
- Using 'Making a Strong Start in Reception', pupils continue learning letter sounds in Reception. Through RWI, children are immersed in a direct teaching approach which embeds systematic phonics skills as the core skills for reading. Sounds are taught in a specific order, and regular assessment informs future planning and interventions.
- To support the learning in school, pupils take home their phonetically decodable reading books to reinforce the sounds and the common exception words (red words) taught.
- Workshops are provided for parents and carers throughout the year where they are given resources and advice on how to support phonics at home.
- Virtual classroom links are sent home for parents to share with children.