What is Read Write Inc. Phonics?

 

The RWI programme is a ‘learn to read’ phonics programme which helps all children learn to read fluently and at speed so they can focus on developing their skills in comprehension, vocabulary and spelling.  The programme is designed for children aged 4-7. In the summer term, school-ready children in Muddy Boots Nursery will start daily speed sound lessons. We continue teaching RWI to children beyond the age of 7 if they still need support in their reading.

 All children are assessed regularly and regular assessments ensure children are working at the correct level which allows complete participation in lessons.

 RWI was developed by Ruth Miskin and more information on this can be found at https://www.ruthmiskin.com/en/parents-copy-2/

 

Children will be taught how to read as follows:

 Fred Talk

 We use pure sounds (‘m’ not’ muh’,’s’ not ‘suh’, etc.) so that your child will be able to blend the sounds into words more easily.

At school we use a puppet called Fred who is an expert on sounding out words! we call it, ‘Fred Talk’. E.g. m-o-p, c-a-t, m-a-n, sh-o-p, b-l-a-ck.

The following video is an example of blending sounds with Fred. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNyFikwNQTg

 

The children are taught the sounds in 3 sets.

Reception

 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.  Set 1 sounds are taught in Reception.

Please do not use letter names at this early stage.

 

Children will also use pictures for each sound to help recognise the sound and then form the shape of the sound.

 

We use magnetic white boards with magnetic sounds on to teach children how to make words from the letters they have been taught.  We teach children how to sound out a word and then blend it for reading.  Once your child is confident making and reading simple CVC words such as ‘pin’, ‘mat’ ‘pot’ etc. they are then ready to read sound blending books and then ditties.

 

End of Reception/beginning of Year 1

 The children are then taught Set 2 Sounds – the long vowels. Set 2 sounds are taught towards the end of Reception and the beginning of Year One.

 

 

When they are very confident with all of set 1 and 2 they are taught Set 3 Sounds.  

 Set 3 sounds are taught in Year 1 and are continued to be consolidated in year 2.

 

 

Nonsense words (Alien words)          

As well as learning to read and blend real words children in all year groups will have plenty of opportunities to apply their sound recognition skills on reading ‘Nonsense words’. These words will also feature heavily in the Year One Phonics Screening check in the summer term. 

 

Spelling: 

Each day the children are supported to develop their spelling skills (This will only start in Reception when children are ready to write and form their letters). 

Children will use first use ‘Fred fingers’ to first sound out a word before they write it down.  Children learn how to spell rather than just get tested. Furthermore, this way of teaching spellings allows children to use Fred fingers whenever they get stuck with spelling a word. Children pinch each sound on fingers before writing the word.

 

By the end of Year One and Year Two…

Children follow the same format as Reception but will work on complex sounds and read books appropriate to their reading level. Each RWI phonic session lasts for 1 hour.

 

Order of Story books: 

Children will typically follow the order listed below. The expectation is that all children will leave Year One as confident speedy readers, ready to take on the challenges of Year Two. However, some children may need extra support and your teacher will talk to you about this. The Read Write Inc. reading programme works on a ‘stage not age’ approach to reading. The Autumn term of Reception, Lilac Wordless picture books and Magnetic white boards will be used in place of ‘books’.The children will then bring home Sound Blending books when ready.

 

Home reading books

 

Each week children will bring home three books. Two of them linked closely to the sounds that they have been learning at school. One will be the book they have been learning in phonics lessons (Read for FLUENCY), One will be the same colour but unseen to them (Read to DECODE) and one will be a library book (chosen by the children, Read for PLEASURE). 

 

Daily Story Time

All children including Muddy Boots Nursery have regular story time sessions, when a high-quality text is read to the class to promote a love of reading within each class.  We value promoting a love of reading throughout our school.