Phonics and Early Reading

Phonics & Early Reading

At Atlas Academy, we believe that every child should learn to read and develop a love of reading from an early age. We use the Read Write Inc. (RWI) programme as our approach to teaching systematic synthetic phonics which enables our pupils to read accurately, fluently, and with good comprehension.

Read Write Inc. Phonics is a method of teaching reading and writing, centered around learning the sounds of the letters (phonics) and then blending them together to read words. The pupils also learn to break down words into individual sounds in order to write them.

How does RWI work at Atlas Academy?

Our pupils in EYFS and KS1 are assessed by the RWI leader and grouped according to the sounds they know and words they can read. They work in small groups with teachers and teaching assistants every day where they are taught the crucial early reading skills. At the end of each half term the pupils will be assessed and grouped again, ensuring that they are progressing through the programme. Where progress is less rapid, our pupils receive one to one ‘tutoring’ sessions in the afternoons to ensure that gaps are filled. Afternoon whole class ‘speed sound lessons’ will also take place throughout Year 1 to reinforce learning.

If our pupils have not completed the RWI programme by the end of Year 2 they will continue to access these sessions. Once they reach Year 5 and Year 6 they will move onto the RWI Fresh Start programme where they will still work on learning sounds and word reading but with more age-appropriate texts.

In Key Stage 2 (Year 3 onwards, or whenever the child has completed the RWI programme), our pupils participate in a daily whole class reading lesson.

When using RWI to read, our pupils will:

• learn to read effortlessly so that they can put all their energy into understanding what they read.
• learn 44 sounds and the corresponding letter/letter groups using simple picture prompts.
• learn to read words using Fred Talk, then blending it back together, for example: c-a-t = cat
• learn to read words by blending the sounds together.
• read lively stories featuring words they have learnt to sound out.
• show that they understand the stories by answering questions.

When using RWI to write, our pupils will:

• learn to write the letters/letter groups which represent the 44 sounds (graphemes).
• Learn to spell words containing the sounds they have learnt so that this becomes effortless.
• learn to write words by saying the sounds in Fred Talk.
• learn to write simple and then increasingly complex sentences.

Home Reading

Your child will bring home RWI reading books each week which will contain sounds that they already know. Please give them several opportunities to read their books to you during the week. This will give them increased confidence through showing you what they have learnt in school, whilst also building their fluency. Recording home reading in their reading records will also earn them certificates!

Our pupils will also bring home sound blending books or speed sound books depending on their stage of the programme. Practising these sounds regularly at home will help our pupils to learn them. Each half-term we will send home QR code video links to the Ruth Miskin portal where our pupils can practise sounds and word reading.

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