Recently, the evidence-based approach of using “phonics” to teach reading in the early years of primary school made the news, with the State Government announcing the introduction of systemic synthetic phonics into all Victorian primary schools by 2025.
This is an approach we are very familiar with here at Sandringham Primary School, as we have been using this teaching method for several years. The announcement is a timely opportunity to share more about this teaching method, its benefits, and how we approach phonics here at Sandy Primary…
What is phonics?
Phonics is a method of teaching children to read and spell by explicitly teaching students the relationships between letters or letter combinations (also called “graphemes”) and speech sounds (“phonemes”).
What is ‘systematic’ phonics?
Phonics teaching is systematic when teachers follow a specific order. Typically, they start with frequent single letters (such as “s”, “a”, “t”, “p”, “i” and “n”) before moving on to frequent sounds with more than one letter.
What does ‘synthetic’ mean for phonics?
Phonics is taught “synthetically” when it progresses from parts to whole: children learn to sound out each letter or letter combination in a word and then blend those sounds to the pronunciation of the word.
Sounds – Write at Sandringham Primary School
Phonics has always been a part of the teaching of reading in the early years (Prep to Year 2) at Sandringham Primary. To improve our effectiveness in the teaching of phonics we undertook additional staff training and implemented Sounds – Write in 2022.
Why did we choose Sounds – Write and what makes it so effective?
From the first year of school to Year 6, students learn the concepts necessary for proficient reading and writing. They are introduced to the 175 most common spellings of the 44 sounds in English through a carefully crafted sequence that goes from simple to more complex. They learn and practice the Initial Code to mastery before starting on the Extended Code, and soon after the reading and writing of Polysyllabic Words. Based on the latest research into cognitive load theory and the principles of direct instruction, the program has been designed to accelerate learning for all students.
We are very proud of our established phonics program here at Sandringham Primary School and look forward to continuing with this important and beneficial approach to learning.
