We use the highly successful Read Write Inc. Phonics programme to teach our children to read, write and spell.
What is Read Write Inc?
Read Write Inc (RWI) is a phonics complete literacy programme which helps children learn to read fluently and at speed, so that they can focus on developing their skills in comprehension, vocabulary and spelling. We aim to use the programme within our primary and Key Stage 3 groups. However, we will continue teaching RWI to students beyond Key Stage 3 if they still need support in their reading, and we find RWI is the best programme to support.
RWI was developed by Ruth Miskin and more information on this can be found at www.ruthmiskin.com.
All children are assessed regularly by class leads to ensure that students are making progress. Programmes are tailored to the needs of the students, allowing complete participation in lessons.
When appropriate, students will be introduced to the initial sounds in short sessions. To begin with, some students may learn a sound per term and gradually build this up over time to a sound per week. We use pure sounds, so that student will be able to blend the sounds into words more easily.
e.g. mmaisie mmmountain is morphed into m, t-t-t-tower is morphed into t
Students will learn how to ‘read’ and 'write' all of the sounds in Set 1 and are then taught how to blend these into words. In some classes, Fred the Frog helps students to blend the sounds together which then helps students to read. The class team will often use the phrase 'Fred talk' to sound out words.
The students take part in lessons regularly across the week, progressing to reading books when appropriate. They also learn how to spell red words (words that cannot be sounded out) and 3/4 letter words.
Once students know all Set 1 sounds by sight and sound and can use them to blend to read words, we start teaching Set 2 initially, and then Set 3 long vowel sounds.
Set 1 Sounds are taught in the following order together with rhymes to help children form the letters correctly and instantly recognise sounds ready for blending.
Sound |
Rhyme |
m |
Down Maisie then over the two mountains. Maisie, mountain, mountain. |
a |
Round the apple, down the leaf. |
s |
Slide around the snake |
d |
Round the dinosaur's back, up his neck and down to his feet. |
t |
Down the tower, across the tower, |
i |
Down the insects body, dot for the head. |
n |
Down Nobby and over the net. |
p |
Down the plait, up and over the pirates face. |
g |
Round the girls face, down her hair and give her a curl |
o |
All around the orange |
c |
Curl around the caterpillar |
k |
Down the kangaroos body, tail and leg |
u |
Down and under the umbrella, up to the top and down to the puddle |
b |
Down the laces, over the toe and touch the heel |
f |
Down the stem and draw the leaves |
e |
Slice into the egg, go over the top, then under the egg |
l |
Down the long leg |
h |
Down the horse's head to the hooves and over his back |
sh |
Slither down the snake, then down the horse's head to the hooves and over his back |
r |
Down the robot's back, then up and curl |
j |
Down his body, curl and dot |
v |
Down a wing, up a wing |
y |
Down a horn, up a horn and under the yak's head. |
w |
Down, up, down, up the worm. |
th |
Down the tower, across the tower, then down the horse’s head to the hooves and over his back |
z |
Zig-zag-zig, down the zip. |
ch |
Curl around the caterpillar, then down the horse's head to the hooves and over his back |
qu |
Round the queen’s head, up to her crown, down her hair and curl |
x |
Cross down the arm and leg and cross the other way |
ng |
A thing on a string |
nk |
I think I stink |
Students are then taught Set 2 Sounds - the long vowels. When they are very confident with all of set 1 and 2, they are taught Set 3 Sounds.
Long vowel sound |
Set 2 Speed Sound cards Teach these first |
Set 3 Speed Sound cards |
|
ay |
ay: may I play |
a-e: make a cake |
ai: snail in the rain |
ee |
ee: what can you see |
ea: cup of tea |
e: he me we she be |
igh |
igh: fly high |
i-e: nice smile |
|
ow |
ow: blow the snow |
o-e: phone home |
ao: goat in a boat |
oo |
oo: poo at the zoo |
u-e: huge brute |
ew: chew the stew |
oo |
oo: look at a book |
|
|
ar |
ar: start the car |
|
|
or |
or: shut the door |
aw: yawn at dawn |
|
air |
air: that’s not fair |
are: share and care |
|
ir |
ir: whirl and twirl |
ur: nurse for a purse |
er: a better letter |
ou |
ou: shout it out |
ow: brown cow |
|
oy |
oy: toy for a boy |
oi: spoil the boy |
|
ire |
|
ire: fire fire! |
|
ear |
|
ear: hear with your ear |
|
ure |
|
ure: sure it’s pure? |
|
Middlefield Lane, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, DN21 1PU
01427 615498