Part 3: How do I start my child learning to read with phonics?

Beginner Reader, Book One

If your child is a beginner reader; it is advisable to have covered the work in Pre-Reader Book 1 and 2. If he or she can recognise initial sounds and blend together three letter words, they can start from here.

Book 1 teaches children to sound out words using phonics. It is divided into four sections:

• words with initial consonant blends, like pr am

• words with final consonant blends, like so ft

• words that use ck, like li ck

• longer words that you can sound out using sounds and syllables.

Read and re-read the sentences in each section until the child is familiar with them. At the end of each section there is a matching game. The child matches a key word to the picture. Play this game and use the cut out words to make sentences, until the child is familiar with them.

Only move on to the next section if your child knows the list beginning milk, rock, lemon and move on.

“I cannot stress enough the importance of games in reinforcing words and consolidating learning.”

Beginner Reader, Book Two

Progressing to Beginner Reader, Book Two. If your child is familiar with the sounds taught in Book One, move on to BookTwo.

This book teaches these more complex sounds in this order:

• consonant digraphs ch, sh, th and vowel digraphs ee, oo

• or, ar

• ar, or, ir, ur, er

• magic e (or silent e)

As you progress through each of the four sections, read the sentences with your child several times, until he or she becomes familiar with them.

Next, play the matching games to familiarise your child with the key words that use the sounds being taught. Cut out the games. First, match words to the pictures - start with a few at a time.

Secondly, match the phrases, or sentences, to the appropriate picture, which comes from the text.

If your child, can read the sounds, ar, or, ir, er, ur and can read the phrases, or sentences, and recognise the words being taught out of context, he or she can move on to the next section.

If your child can recognise key words and phrases in the list beginning tree … move on. If he or she can recognise key words and phrases in the list beginning sport … move on etc.

When your child has progressed to magic e, take time to practise how words change. Magic e words have a long sound.

short a - cat

long a - game (like capital A)

I cannot stress enough how important it is to read the sections several times and play the games over and over again.

“Do not be tempted to move on to Book 3 until your child knows all the sounds in each section in this book.”

Beginner Reader, Book Three

Only progress to Beginner Reader, Book Three, if your child is familiar with the sounds taught in Book Two.

This book introduces more complex phonic sounds in this order:

• ea as in sea

• ea in all its disguises: ea as in heart, ear, great, search, bread. These are harder, so take time to practise them.

• oa as in boat

• ai as in rain and ay as in crayon

• oi as in coin and oy as in toy

• long y as in pig sty, and short y as in funny

Read the sentences over and over again, and then, complete the suggested reinforcement activities.

For example, find the featured sounds that are hiding in the text. Sort the sounds into their sound groups. Play the games: copy and cut out the words, phrases and sentences and match these to the appropriate picture to show where they are used in the text; and complete the writing and drawing activities.

The sound sentences are getting harder, so it is important not to move on until your child is familiar with these sound words.

Some children will move at a slower pace than others. Always make learning fun. Play lots of games.

Shop the Learn To Read With Phonics reading scheme here.