Read Write Inc. at Sparsholt C of E Primary School
In Reception and Key Stage 1 we teach daily phonics lessons to ensure every child is a successful reader. We follow the Read, Write Inc. (RWI) phonics programme; grouping children according to their phonic knowledge. Children who still need to access phonics teaching in KS2 also have regular RWI lessons using RWI’s Fresh Start programme to ensure they catch up.
Read, Write Inc is a systematic and dynamic literacy programme rooted in phonics. We teach children how to break down and decode words into their separate sound components, known as phonemes. There are 44 phonemes taught throughout the programme, all of which are embedded in a range of fiction and non-fiction books. The words are taught prior to reading a book to ensure children are equipped at decoding them; we call this 'Fred Talk'.
Fred (the frog) is a RWI character that only speaks in pure sounds (sounds in a word before they are blended e.g. d-i-g).
Using RWI, the children learn to read effortlessly so that they can put all their energy into comprehending what they read. It also allows them to spell effortlessly so that they can put all their energy into composing what they write.
When using RWI to read, the children will:
- learn that sounds are represented by written letters
- learn 44 sounds and the corresponding letter/letter groups using simple picture prompts
- learn how to blend sounds e.g. c-a-t = cat
- learn to read words using ‘Fred Talk’
- read lively stories featuring words they have learned to sound out
- show that they comprehend the stories by answering questions
When using RWI to write the children will:
- learn to write the letters/letter groups which represent 44 sounds.
- learn to write words by saying the sounds they need in ‘Fred Talk’
- write simple sentences
Sounds that the children learn:
Set 1 - m, a, s, d, t, i, n, p, g, o, c, k, u, b, f, e, l, h, sh, r, j, v, y, w, th, z, ch, qu, x, ng, nk
Set 2 – ay, ee, igh, ow, oo, oo, ar, or, air, ir, ou, oy
Set 3 – ea, oi, a-e, i-e, o-e, u-e, aw, are, er, ow, ai, oa, ew, ire, ear, ure, tion, tious, cious, e
The links below will show you how to pronounce each of the 44 sounds.
A guide to sound pronunciation
Teaching a Set 1 Sound
Teaching Two Letters One Sound
Teaching Sound Blending
Teaching Independent Blending
What does a Read Write Inc Lesson look like?
Each lesson has the same structure so children focus on the new learning rather than worrying about what is going to happen next. Children are grouped according to their phonic ability. This makes learning to read more enjoyable and allows the children’s learning and confidence to flourish side by side.