Phonics Lessons
We take a very rigorous approach to the teaching of early reading and spelling at Christ Church & Holy Trinity Schools. Teachers deliver well-structured lessons which are based on three main teaching activities which are highlighted in the ‘Sound Reading System’ created by Fiona Nevola based on the work of Dianne McGuiness.:
Learning to segment and blend the individual sounds in words: Skills
Learning which letters (spellings) represent which sounds in words, taught logically from simple to complex: Knowledge
Copying or writing letters, words and sentences: This combines skills and knowledge
The structure of the lessons each week (in Y1) or day (in YR) remain the same – it is simply the sound that will change. This means that it is predictable for children and minimises stress. The learning can then remain at the centre of everything.