Phonics and Spelling
At Warcop C of E Primary School we follow the Read Write Inc (RWI) phonics scheme.
RWI aims to inspire headteachers and teachers to:
Put the teaching of reading, writing and talking at the heart of their schools and ensure teachers have the knowledge and determination to teach every child, regardless of age, background or need
Choose the best books to read aloud so children might read them for themselves
Place literature as the central pillar in establishing all children’s identities.
We are dedicated to ensuring that each and every one of our children learn to read with accuracy and confidence. Children learn the 44 phonemes in the English language and how to orally decode words for reading at the same time as developing handwriting skills and spelling. As their confidence in identifying sounds develops, they are taught to comprehend and compose ideas for their own writing. The children have the pleasure of reading exciting storybooks perfectly matched to their level – so that they have early success in reading.
Children are taught in small groups every day for 45 minutes. During this session the children are given the opportunity to segment and blend new sounds, review previously taught sounds, develop their spelling of words including new and reviewed sounds. They finish the session reading a phonetically decodable book which they will read again during the week with a Teacher or Teaching Assistant. They will also take 2 Book Bag books home which they will not have read before.
The children follow a structured programme of reading and phonics activities in small progression groups. It is a programme designed for children to have a deep understanding of the 44 phonemes to be able to read and spell confidently.
Read, Write Inc. has 5 underlying principles – the five Ps:
1. PACE – no time is wasted during teaching sessions! Children are active and involved in a fun and creative way. The aim is for the children to complete the programme as quickly as possible.
2. PRAISE – teachers praise the children constantly throughout the teaching sessions. Children learn more quickly when they are praised for what they do well, rather than nagged for what they do wrong.
3. PURPOSE – each activity has a very clear purpose. The teacher will set this purpose at the beginning of the lesson so that the children know exactly what they will be learning.
4. PARTICIPATION – all children take part in all parts of the lesson. Full participation is gained through partner work and choral response.
5. PASSION – as a staff we are passionate about our teaching and the benefits of the Read, Write Inc. programme! We love teaching the sessions and this enthusiasm rubs off onto the children.
Children will continue with the phonics programme until they are confident at reading multi-syllabic words and reading fluently.
Phonic Screening
The following websites also have some great games to practise phonic skills for reading
http://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/ Some free phonics games including real and alien words
http://www.ictgames.com/ The Literacy section has lots of phonic games
http://www.letters-and-sounds.com/ Examples of words for the different phases of phonic knowledge
Phonics to Spellings
At Warcop CofE Primary School we have developed our own ‘Whole School Spelling Plan’, (see Appendix 5) which outlines what each year group should cover throughout the school. In mixed-age classes there will be a rolling programme put in class, to ensure the children receive the full coverage of objectives that they need to cover. The plan allows rules to be recapped at the beginning of the year and gives year groups in Key Stage Two the opportunity to work on words, which are directly taken from the ‘Word Banks’ in the New Curriculum. During Key Stage One there is a larger emphasis placed on phonics. We aim to develop children’s use of vocabulary via their spellings lesson, by discussing the meaning of the word and providing them with spellings, which may prove useful during their writing activities.
In KS2 children are encouraged to complete daily spellings practice in school linked to a spelling rule. Every child in the school receives homework linked to their spelling lessons in class; this homework includes practicing their spellings on 'Spellings Frame' and completing one of the 'Sweet Shop Menu' tasks using each of their spelling words for the week.