The Right Start to Phonics
An introduction to our first book.
For a long time I have understood the importance of a firm grounding in Early Phonics (often referred to as Phase One phonics) for young children. Through my work as an Early Years teacher, as a Leading Teacher (LT), as a Specialist Leader in Education (SLE) and subsequently as an Early Years Adviser, it has become apparent that many of us do not focus enough on this key area of learning. Click the button below if you would like to purchase the book.
Being able to listen
I believe it has to be a strong precursor to any child learning the Phonic code, which many children will be introduced to during their first term in a Reception class in the UK. If a child is not able to hear sounds, to discriminate between them, to manipulate them, or to have well-functioning auditory discrimination skills, then they will not be able to successfully engage with the phonic code to learn to read and write. I realise how this crucial area of learning is seen as being for our youngest children and seems to be sidelined by the current ‘popular’ systems for teaching phonics.
It’s never too soon
I am lucky enough to have welcomed my first grandchild into the world at the end of 2023. Being minded to practice what I preach, my daughter, whilst pregnant, along with her husband, were subjected to an enthusiastic mother/Granny singing songs, telling nursery rhymes, and reading stories to a growing bump! I remember that around the time of his birth, I had started telling him the story of Goldilocks and The Three Bears when I was interrupted by a somewhat urgent visit to the hospital! You can be reassured that the story was subsequently finished ‘on the outside’! Unfortunately, I live quite some distance from my daughter, so I thought it prudent to ensure I have a ‘theme tune’. Fee Fi Fiddly-I-O was a song my daughter enjoyed as a baby so I have brought it back into popularity with my grandson. I sang it to him before he was born and sing it to him now with cuddles. I now also sing it when on the phone to them – hopefully, he’ll associate that with ‘Granny Fee Fi’. I have many names but am already starting to doubt this one…bringing scary giants to mind! What I intend to explain is that Early Phonics actually starts from birth (or even before), singing nursery rhymes, reading poems, and stories, and singing songs will all support different elements of early (and later) reading.
The phonic code
Children will initially learn the individual sounds of letters (the phonemes) and how they link to the letter shapes (the graphemes). They are then required to blend these together in order to read words e.g. the individual phonemes ‘c’ then ‘a’ and then ‘t’, when blended are said as the word ‘cat’. It is this skill of blending that is so closely founded in Early Phonics. Children may work through phonics in a Reception class and then move into Year One or perhaps even Year Two and beyond and not embed this skill of blending. My firm advice to practitioners has always been, don’t carry on simply climbing the phoneme ladder, what a child needs if they cannot blend phonemes is to do more work in Early Phonics.
It’s all nuts! (and some bolts)
As I say in the book, Phonics are the ‘nuts and bolts’ of reading, a means to an end with the end being children who are fluent, and confident with an established lifelong love of reading! If the nuts aren’t tightening on the bolt, don’t keep turning in the same old way, over and over… you need to use a different nut! And I am suggesting that the different nut is Early Phonics.
The Right Start to Phonics
The book starts with an exploration of what Early Phonics is, what skills the children need, and why they need them. It explores the research behind phonic teaching and learning and the auditory skills that provide a solid foundation for all phonic learning. The second half of the book is full of activities that anyone spending time with small children can use to hone these Early phonics skills, from new parents to experienced teachers. The activities have been arranged into three newly devised ‘categories’ for ease of use.
The Right Start To Phonics
NOW AVAILABLE TO BUY!
The Right Start To Phonics NOW AVAILABLE TO BUY!
Our book ‘The Right Start To Phonics’ is now available to purchase. Please click the button below.