Practical phonics

• Recommended

With a wide variety of strategies and schemes to choose from, practioners may sometimes question whether they are teaching phonics ‘correctly’. Generally, a formal element of coaching occurs during whole class time, where the focus is on the introduction of a particular phoneme. Commonly explored through actions, songs, rhymes, videos and web-based activities, children are also provided with opportunities to practice forming letters using marker pens and mini-whiteboards.

Letters and sounds are generally introduced in a specific order – such as through the Jolly Phonics ‘satpin’ scheme – and lead into the synthetic blending of letters to create simple consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words. Phoneme work is then further reinforced during group work time.

Phonics activities

Aim to create an immersive environment for the phonics focus through a variety of practical play areas. The activities suggested below are intended to support and extend children’s familiarity with specific letters and sounds. Use and adapt them to develop the knowledge and skills children require to make progress towards their EYFS goals.