Read Write Inc. Phonics
Read Write Inc. Phonics
At Monkfield Park Primary School we passionately believe that teaching children to read and write independently, as quickly as possible, is one of the core purposes of a primary school. These fundamental skills not only hold the keys to the rest of the curriculum but also have a huge impact on children’s self-esteem and future aspirations. We use the Read, Write, Inc. (RWI) phonics programme to teach decoding, comprehension, writing and spelling together seamlessly to enable children to become proficient readers and writers by the end of KS1.
Read Write Inc. is the UK’s leading synthetic phonics programme with the most bespoke phonics professional development. We are one of 8000 schools that use the programme nationwide.
What is Read Write Inc. Phonics?
RWI is a consistent, rigorous and dynamic literacy programme to teach every child to read by the end of KS1. Using synthetic phonics, children quickly learn to blend letter sounds together following a fun and effective programme.
Synthetic phonics is simply the ability to convert a letter or letter group into sounds that are then blended together into a word.
Through the RWI programme, we teach children to:
- read easily, fluently and with good understanding;
- develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information;
- write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style in and for a range of contexts, purposes and audiences.
Who will be following the programme?
Phonics is for children in Reception, Y1 and Y2 who are learning to read. Phonics is also for children in Y3 and Y4 who haven’t met the KS1 reading expectations who need support to catch up.
Each half-term, we assess and group our children based on their stage of reading not age of reading. This means all children practise reading at the right level.
How will my child learn to read?
Your child will learn to read in a very simple way. He or she will learn to:
1. Read letters by their ‘sounds’
2. Blend these sounds into words
3. Read the words in a story.
First, your child will learn to read:
- Set 1 Speed Sounds: these are sounds written with one letter: m a s d t i n p g o c k u b f e l h r j v y w z x and sounds written with two letters • (your child will call these ‘special friends’): sh th ch qu ng nk ck
- Words containing these sounds, by sound-blending, E.g. m–a–t mat, c–a–t cat, g–o–t got, f–i–sh fish, s–p–o–t spot, b–e–s–t best, s–p–l–a–sh splash.
- Blending Books and Red, Green and Purple Storybooks.
Second, he or she will learn to read:
- Set 2 Speed Sounds: ay ee igh ow oo oo ar or air ir ou oy
- Words containing these sounds
- Pink, Orange and Yellow Storybooks.
Third, he or she will learn to read:
- Set 3 Speed Sounds: ea oi a-e i-e o-e u-e aw are ur er ow ai oa ew ire ear ure
- Words containing these sounds
- Blue and Grey Storybooks.
Your child will be taught to say the sound for the letter and not the letter name, so ‘m’ as in ‘mat’, not ‘em’; ‘s’ as in ‘sun’ not ‘es’.
Important: We say ‘mmmm’ not ‘muh’ and ‘lllll’ not ‘luh’ when teaching the sounds. This really helps children when they learn to blend sounds together to read words.
How often will my child read with a teacher?
Once they are at a level where they are reading storybooks, children will read their RWI books every day with a trained member of staff (e.g. the class teacher, teaching assistant or other support staff). Your child will bring home their reading books so it is important that you listen to your child read every day.
Where can I find out more about RWI?
Ruth Miskin Parents’ Page:
https://www.ruthmiskin.com/en/find-out-more/parents/
Ruth Miskin Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/miskin.education
For free Read Write Inc. Phonics eBooks, activities and advice, visit Oxford Owl for Home:
https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/reading/reading-schemes-oxford-levels/read-write-inc-phonics-guide/
Reading Comprehension
Reading comprehension forms part of the weekly RWI programme for groups that are reading fluently. Once children complete the RWI programme, they will move into an English group and a Guided Reading group.
How to listen to your child read their RWI storybook:-
- Do not read the book aloud before your child reads it to you.
- Ask your child to read the sounds and words before he or she reads the story.
- When your child reads the story, ask him or her to sound out.
- The words that he or she can’t read automatically. Don’t allow your child to struggle too much. Praise your child when he or she succeeds.
- Read back each sentence or page to keep the plot moving. (Your child’s energy is going into reading the words not the story.)
- Do not ask your child to guess the word by using the pictures.
- Do it all with patience and love!
How else can you help at home?
- Read stories to them and always discuss the story you are reading to try to build your child’s comprehension skills, inference and understanding. We have a storytime every day at school so children develop a love of stories. We hope that you will do the same by reading a bedtime story to your child every night. We have wonderful books in school which you are always welcome to borrow.
- Practice the sounds they know at home. These are the sounds in the Speed Sound Chart at the start of the storybooks.
- Talk to them! The most important thing you can do is to talk to your child and listen to them when they are talking to you. Try to extend their vocabulary range and their skill at talking in increasingly more complex sentences. For example, try to teach them alternative words for ideas, or nouns they already know.
- Make sure that they attend school every day, and that they are on time, as this will help your child to make the most progress.
- Make sure that your child brings their RWI storybook into school every day!