If your child has recently started school, "phonics" is likely a word you’ve heard quite often. At SAM’s Learning Lab, we believe that understanding how your child learns is the first step in supporting their educational journey.
Phonics (often called synthetic phonics) is the primary method used by schools across the UK to teach children how to read and spell. While it comes with its own set of unique vocabulary, the concept is actually very straightforward once broken down.
What Exactly is Phonics?
Phonics is the process of linking the sounds we hear in speech (phonemes) to the letters we see on the page (graphemes). Instead of memorising words by sight, children learn to crack the “code” of the English language.
Key Terminology
To help you speak the same “language” as your child’s teacher, here are the most common terms:
Phoneme
The smallest unit of sound (e.g., the ‘sh’ sound).
Grapheme
The written letter or group of letters that represent a sound (e.g., ‘m’, ‘oa’, or ‘igh’).
Decoding
The process of seeing a written word and saying it aloud.
Blending
Merging individual sounds together to say a whole word (e.g., $c-a-t$ becomes cat).
Segmenting
Breaking a word down into its individual sounds to help with spelling.
How is Phonics Taught?
The learning process is structured and cumulative, typically following these steps:
1
Simple Sounds
Children begin with individual letters (like ‘s’, ‘a’, ‘t’) and the sounds they make.
2
Blending for Reading
3
4
Full Fluency
The Year 1 Phonics Screening Check
In England, children undergo a statutory screening check in Year 1 to assess their progress. This is an informal, one-to-one session with their teacher. Your child will be asked to:
Sound out and blend simple one- and two-syllable words.
Read "pseudo words" (nonsense words like 'vop' or 'snemp'). These ensure children are actually using their phonics skills to decode rather than just guessing based on memory.
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Phonics Schemes
Every school chooses a specific “scheme” to follow. Common programmes include Read Write Inc., Letters and Sounds, or Floppy’s Phonics. While the order of teaching may vary slightly between schemes, the core goal remains the same: building confident, independent readers.
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How Can You Help at Home?
You don’t need to be an expert to make a huge difference in your child’s progress!
Practise "Pure" Sounds:
Avoid adding an "uh" to the end of letters (say 'mmm' rather than 'muh'). This makes blending much easier for the child.
Five Minutes a Day
Consistency is key. Listening to your child read for just five minutes daily builds massive momentum.
Use Flashcards
Create "silly words" together using flashcards to make blending a game.
Model the Process
If your child gets stuck, model the segmenting and blending for them: "Look, $s-t-o-p$, stop!"
Read Aloud
Continue reading stories to your child. This develops their vocabulary and shows them that reading is a gateway to wonderful adventures.
At SAM’s Learning Lab, we are dedicated to making literacy accessible and fun.
If you have questions about your child’s reading progress, don’t hesitate to reach out!
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