Phonics in Year 1

Year 1 Phonics Screening Check

Workshop for Parents

(please note this is an information session - not working with children)

Friday 15th March 2024 at 2.30pm

in the school hall. 

Phonics in Year 1 

In Year 1, we continue to use the DfE approved Twinkl Scheme for the teaching of Phonics. Twinkl Phonics gives us 6 distinct levels for the teaching of Phonics - starting in Nursery and moving to Year 2 and beyond where necessary.

In Year 1, the children will build upon Phonics skills developed in Reception by learning alternatives to the digraphs and trigraphs already taught and begin to learn some grammar rules. This is by reviewing Level 3 & Level 4 initially and then following Level 5 of Twinkl Phonics Scheme.

Phonics in Y1 & the Y1 Phonics Screening Check

On this page you will find some attachments to support your child in segmenting and blending to read decodable words in order to improve phonics & reading skills and to help prepare children for the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check.

This reading check will involve children being asked to read words from Level 2 up to Level 5 to check they have reached the expected reading level. Some are real words while others are 'alien words' (not real).

The flash cards below are all real words. Please use these flash cards however and whenever you can. You might like to ask your child to read them on screen (even on car journeys), print them out to read, print them out and stick around the house to play ‘hunt the words’, print 2 copies to play matching pairs games…. The ideas are endless. If you have some good strategies that work, please share them with other parents.

However, in the reading check, children will be asked to read some unreal words, just like the games on Phonics Play website. Please encourage your child to think carefully at Phase 3 and 4 on Phonics Play for identifying digraphs in words (not just individual sounds) and in Phase 5 the alternative ways of saying the digraphs to ensure the real words make sense. In the reading check, unreal words are called ‘alien words’ and will have a picture of an alien next to them.

The Y1 Phonics Reading Check will take place in June and will be administered by Mrs Turley and/or Miss Keedwell. The children will be in a quiet room and will read to the adult independently. Parents are usually notified of the results and whether your child has met the expected reading standard at the end of the year.

There are some good free phonics interactive games on these websites. Some are tablet friendly while others need Flash or Adobe to work on a computer. The children need to be working confidently and securely within Level 5 of Twinkl to score well in the reading check:

https://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/

https://www.phonicsbloom.com/

Tips

When reading with your child, please ask them to:

* Use your robot rick fingers

* Spot the digraph

* Spot the trigraph

* Spot the split digraphs

* Spot the Level 5 alternatives

What if my child doesn't achieve the expected reading level?

Don't worry!

This means that the teachers will have identified any gaps in your child's reading and knowledge of phonics. Your child will have specialised phonics interventions throughout Year 2 to fill these gaps. They will then re-take this reading check in Year 2.

Tricky Words

The reading check does not touch upon the 'tricky words' (those words that cannot be sounded out). However, the children do need to be confident in reading, spelling and writing these words confidently and independently by the end of the year. I am attaching some flash cards and workbooks for these too. Don't forget, the children need to use precursive / joined writing as per the school handwriting policy.

If you have any questions or need any advice, please let contact us.

Mrs McCabe & Mrs Trattoss

What to remind children of when reading at home

When reading with your child, please encourage your child to do these things:

• Use your Robot Rick fingers
• Spot the digraph
• Spot the trigraph
• Spot the split digraphs
• Spot the Level 5 alternatives

PowerPoint from the Parent Workshop

Phonics Flashcards

High Frequency & Tricky Words

Letter Formations

Useful Websites

Sample Papers

(For your information only - do not use with the children)